cacophony

In a sea of bright pink feathers, soft trills emerge. A male flamingo rubs its beak against the grey-tufted head of its newly hatched offspring. But the clock is ticking, and the chick and its father must listen closely and learn each other's voices quickly. Within 10 days of a flamingo chick hatching, its parents will fly off to find food, while the chick stays behind with the other juveniles under the supervision of a few adults. When the parents return, babies and parents must find each other among their flock.…

Another week, another foray beyond BBC Proms HQ. The latest Prom to leave the Royal Albert Hall was an “operatic experience” at Printworks London – once the largest printing factory in western Europe, and since 2017 reincarnated as a massive club and gig venue. It’s the kind of cavernous space that generates its own electric atmosphere long before any performance starts. (More’s the pity that this first Prom at the Printworks will also be the last: the entire complex is now set to close to allow for “redevelopment”.) As…