THE CRITICS

MUSIC Norman Lebrecht Can Russia hit the high notes again? 78 OPERA Robert Thicknesse The Merry Widow’s peak operetta 79 POP Sarah Ditum Lady Gaga’s new album is a blast 80 THEATRE Alexander Larman Sympathy for the devil? 81 CINEMA Robert Hutton Riefenstahl: artist or propagandist? 82 TELEVISION Adam LeBor A ravishing Sicilian treat 83 RADIO Michael Henderson Remembering my old pal, “Peebs” 85 PODCASTS Ben Sixsmith Alas, a new podcast just doesn’t work 86 ART Michael Prodger Painters, legacies a...