iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

My previous visit (sorry for lack of memory of what the pasta was - reflected in the alt text!)

Sorry but I have no recollection of what this pasta dish was! I know I went for the non meat option.

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Had another lovely meal today at Artusi in Peckham. Their 6pm early bird deal (£20 for bread and butter, big bowl of pasta (of the day - 2 choices), ice cream (of the day), and a house wine/beer/soft drink) is one of my favourite things, and usually available to book same day.

Rigatoni with pork and fennel sausage ragú

Peanut ice cream with salted caramel sauce

270

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Predictably, ENO has realised that they can’t sell their new opera at a bottom ticket price of £25 inc fees (up from a bottom price last season of £10 plus fees) after all. I get that ticket-price setting is a fine art, but ENO seems to get it wrong time after time.

Email header from English National Opera:

Just £15 for New Opera with ENO

130

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Was not actually planning on watching the eclipse. Then stepped outside my block and the weird shadows were very cool. No way of safely actually LOOKING at the eclipse, so may wait until the optimum moment (92% in about 5 minutes from now) and then flash the briefest of glances.

160

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

My bank has an entirely unrealistic view of my income, for some reason. This account requires £5,000 a month being paid in if I don’t want to incur fees… (Even with shifting things around mid-month, and friends reimbursing me for opera tickets I’ve bought on my credit card, I’m nowhere near!)

Upgrade to Lloyds Premier

You worked hard. You juggled. You made it.

The Lloyds Premier account has a great range of benefits for you to enjoy.

120

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

“Forty-eight. It’s not fair. I’m too old. It’s against the law.” The perfect quote from my birthday trip to Billy Budd…

Me, in a bright pink dress with orange lightning-bolt print.

8130

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

is one ever ready for such a thing

Phone notification: “Are you ready for Trinity Laban Symphony Orchestra - Turangalîla today?”

020

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Expecting another full house at @wigmore-hall.org.uk for this concert!

An all-Schubert programme from Lise Davidsen and James Baillieu for Wigmore Hall’s 125th birthday.

031

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Besides watching the opera, the other priority is always finding out what’s on next year. I’m very selective about Garsington visits because of the prices, but I foresee a trip to see Falstaff next year on my birthday 🥰

Next year’s Garsington Opera announcement: Der fliegende Holländer, Falstaff, Exodus (community opera by John Barber and Jude Christian), La clemenza di Tito, and Serse.

120

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

While I am one of those people who starts complaining when the temperature heads much above the low 20s (Celsius), I’m genuinely delighted for all the UK summer opera venues whose seasons begin next week.

London weather forecast for the next 10 days, showing all of next week to be above 25°C and sunny

210

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

I like all of those colours individually. Personally I wouldn’t wear something that featured all three equally, though I currently love those shades of cerise (my colour) and orange (on its own not at all my colour) as a combo!

100

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Still 15 seats to go, and it would appear that Labour is hanging on to my local council… but there really isn’t much in it!

Graphic showing 18 former Labour Party seats on Southwark Council going Green - Labour still slightly ahead with 22. 8 unchanged Lib Dem seats.

110

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Anyway: Untitled, 2023. In which the Royal Ballet company dress up as Chelsea Opera Group concert programmes.

Members of the Royal Ballet company in green and white leotards

A Chelsea Opera Group concert programme in the exact same shades of green and white as the ballet costumes

110

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

ENO is conveniently forgetting to mention that the bottom-price tickets they’re selling this season for “just £25” were less than half this price last season. I’m in a price bracket where I can take my chances on discounted higher price bands. But what’s anyone with a budget of £15 meant to do?

ENO on-sale email stating that tickets start at “just £25”.

141

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

I have sent them a comment on Instagram, which seems to be the only social media they’re on these days.

110

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

I would like to point out to Bold Tendencies (the summer music and visual arts programme in Peckham) that if it does not contain information on the dates and times of your live events - or a link to such info, that’s already been uploaded - it’s not a “full programme announcement”.

220

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

This sign by the lifts in Borough tube station is just *asking* to have the words “Throw” and “to the” added to it with Sharpie. Not that I could possibly endorse such a thing.

Laminated notice dominated by the words

CAUTION
WIND

061

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

On the one day this week which I need to spend indoors in the dark, the weather has decided that for one day only, it’s July.

Weather forecast screenshot showing a high of 25°C and sunshine. On 8th April.

030

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

Can’t blame Byrd directly for this, but thanks to the Oxford University Press it’s one of the more spectacular elephant-trap page turns in the choral repertoire. Happy Easter from the choir of @stolavehartst.bsky.social…

3120

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

I’m KIND OF on holiday for a couple of days. I don’t have a full Holy Week schedule with my current regular church choir, so I’m at the ballet (Mayerling, with role debuts by William Bracewell and Fumi Kaneko) being beautifully looked-after by my favourite bartender in the Conservatory bar.

A glass of rosé, on a reserved table for one, next to a mirrored door

170

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

To @wigmore-hall.org.uk for another Sunday-afternoon song concert.

A programme of songs by Clara Schumann and Liza Lehmann, performed by Kathryn Rudge (mezzo) and Christopher Glynn (piano)

120

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Does anyone really think updates to train operating company websites are “exciting” except POSSIBLY the people who personally built the software?

Email from South Western Railway: “Exciting changes to our website and app are on the way” etc

050

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Email from the local salon where I get my eyebrows done. They’ve missed out the therapist’s name, leaving me wondering whether it’s somebody I don’t usually go to, or whether I just haven’t noticed the increasing pregnancy of the lady who’s been doing my brows every few weeks…

A Special Update from Our Salon

Dear Valued Client,

We’d like to inform you that our therapist will be going on maternity leave and tomorrow , and tomorrow will be her last working day with us for now. We wish her all the very best during this special time.

110

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

Report from tonight’s concert: Mascagni wrote luscious music in general, but there is a reason why nobody ever does Silvano, and why Cav is a repertoire standard.

131

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Funny how the Barbican always thinks this is the aspect of membership I might like to sample for 24 hours, and not, for example, priority booking on the day the new Classical season goes on sale…

000

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Imagine booking Wozzeck tickets for your young children thinking it might be a cosy family show…

100

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

I should go to the opera in Nottingham more often. The theatre bar sells decent real ale and it’s £4.70 a pint 😯

171

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

New block of flats at Elephant & Castle. Pronounced like the flower/Shakespearean heroine, or like the butt of all orchestral musicians’ jokes, I wonder? 🤔

220

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

On a very gloomy bus which appears to have no working lights. Night is falling, so I’m just hoping I get to my destination before they have to take it out of service for safety reasons… (it terminates at the bus garage anyway, so I imagine the driver’s planning to complete the route).

020

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 28/02/2026

Trying to work out how this constitutes disruption to my bus route. The cycle lane is where it always is…

000

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 28/02/2026

Only “deep down”? 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️

Notification from the Times:

Matthew Syed
I want a free Iran, but deep down I don’t trust Trump to do it

130

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Contemporary opera UK premiere klaxon: the e-programme for Owen Wingrave at GSMD, which opens tomorrow, reveals that their summer show will be Missy Mazzoli’s ‘Proving Up’.

Proving Up (UK Premiere)
1, 3, 5 & 8 June 2026
Milton Court Theatre

music by Missy Mazzoli
libretto by Royce Vavrek
based on a story by Karren Russell

James Henshaw conductor
Amy Lane director
Anna Yates designer
Toby Ison lighting designer

Save the dates for Guildhall School’s Summer 2026 Opera production!

Tickets available from Tuesday 24 March (Tuesday 17 March for Guildhall Patrons members).

150

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

James MacMillan’s Mass of the Blessed John Henry Newman, seemingly lovingly borrowed from the opening theme of Act 3 of Tristan und Isolde - AKA ‘Im Treibhaus’ from the Wesendonck-Lieder. Given the musical circles I move in, I’m surprised not to have come across something like it before.

130

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Company bow at the end of Così!

020

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Bargain front row seat for ENO Così, courtesy of a TodayTix Boxing Day Sale discount.

Gold curtain with “Così fan tutte” sign in the middle

050

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

I think I’ve possibly only previously seen the Orchestra of the Royal Ballet and Opera take an on-stage curtain call at the end of a Ring cycle. But here they are at the end of Giselle, celebrating the 80th anniversary of their first performance back in the house after WW2 🥰

090

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

I’m not personally at Mahagonny tonight, but it’s bloody lovely to see this sign outside ENO.

House Full sign outside English National Opera

1111

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

The opening night cast of Giselle at the Royal Ballet - led by Marianela Núñez, William Bracewell and Claire Calvert - acknowledging choreographer Sir Peter Wright, in the year of his (🙏🤞) 100th birthday.

072

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Nice early-bird meal deal from Artusi in Peckham, though I don’t THINK they meant to say that one of the drink options is “beef”…

010

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

Me, at @stolavehartst.bsky.social Choral Evensong tonight, getting my debut shot at the plum Soprano 2 line in the Dresden Amens in Stanford in B flat 😎

Wine, in Monument Waitrose, named “Forte Alto”

190

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

Me with our Siegfried, the lovely @peterfurlong.bsky.social, at the Ring Cycle cast party last year!

030

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

I just listened to the West Green Opera Gala edition of Friday Night is Music Night, on BBC Radio 3 - finally broadcast after the original intention to air it in October - and the random thought just popped into my head that I still need to iron the dress I wore to it before I can wear it again 🤣

Me wearing a hot-pink dress with orange lightning flashes

360

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

First glimpse of the rep for English Touring Opera’s Autumn 2026 season, courtesy of the website of their new home, the Sheffield Lyceum: Gluck’s Orpheus and Euridyce (sung in English, I assume, per their current policy) and a double bill of Elena Langer’s Ariadne with Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas.

Listings on the website of the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, for English Touring Opera’s Autumn tour

321

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

(I was definitely there - I dug out the programme from my collection as a result of your post!)

110

Ruth Elleson @ruthelleson.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

I adore the conservatory bar at the Royal Opera House. An oasis of mid-performance civility when what I need is to decompress rather than bump into everyone I know.

The very lovely Conservatory bar at the Royal Opera House - full (but not too full) of people. In the foreground, my glass of Whispering Angel Rosé on my table for one.

080