4 brilliant things to do this February

If you’re seeking inspiration for cultural experiences this month, read on for our top choices. They range from exploring a fascinating necropolis to plugging in to an unmissable podcast

Image: Courtesy BBC Pictures 

1. Learn what it means to be Roman with Mary Beard

Catch up on this excellent BBC Radio 4 series, which delves into the lives of everyday citizens from across the Roman empire. Classicist Mary Beard casts her expert gaze on the frustrations of bureaucracy through the eyes of ‘Roman Egypt’s very own David Brent’, accounts of a child prodigy with a flair for poetry, an interracial marriage conducted on Hadrian’s Wall and much more besides.

Being Roman with Mary Beard episodes are available via the BBC

Image: Courtesy Wigmore Hall​

2. Enjoy an operatic Valentine’s Day

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra brings together passionate and romantic music at London’s Cadogan Hall, a historic venue famed for its excellent acoustics and beautiful stained glass (it was formerly a church). This event will feature renowned arias, overtures and duets from the giants of the genre. Expect to hear excerpts from Bizet’s Carmen, Verdi’s La traviata and Mozart’s Don Giovanni. The orchestra will be joined by baritone Ross Ramgobin and soprano Alexandra Oomens.

Valentine’s Opera Gala, Cadogan Hall, on 14 February, 7.30pm

Tickets are available via Cadogan Hall

Image: Ruth Johnston

3. Take a tour of the Glasgow Necropolis

The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis offer a range of walking tours that take in the sights and stories of this incredible burial site. Stroll within this 37-acre Victorian garden cemetery with its 3,500 exquisite tombs, and learn about some of the 50,000 people interred there. Many of the tombs were designed by leading architects and sculptors, such as Charles Rennie Mackintosh and John Thomas Rochead, who conceived the mausoleum for industrialist John Houldsworth in a Greco-Egyptian style, complete with two statues representing charity and faith. Alternatively, take a self-guided stroll by downloading the Glasgow Necropolis Tour App, which features highlights and exclusive audio clips. 

Download the Glasgow Necropolis Tour App via Google Play, £3

Upcoming tour dates: 3 February, 11am; 18 February, 2pm; 2 March, 1pm

Contact tours@glasgownecropolis.org to book

4. Hear about a notorious art heist

A new podcast by journalist Simon Willis uncovers the mysterious case of a missing Caravaggio, believed to have been stolen by the Mafia in the 1960s. With the help of disgraced art dealer William Veres, whose own quest for answers could spare him prison time, Willis meets underworld middlemen, protected witnesses and experts as he pieces together the story of how a masterful image of the nativity was taken from a church, and remains lost to this day. 

The Professor: Hunting for the Mafia’s Missing Masterpiece via Apple podcasts, Spotify and other audio platforms

Find out more

For more inspiring arts activities see The Arts Society Magazine, available exclusively to members and supporters of The Arts Society (to join, see theartssociety.org/member-benefits). And for more online, sign up at theartssociety.org/signup