THEATRE The Wild Duck Michael Grandage brings Ibsen’s greatest play superlatively to life, respecting both its heartbreaking tragedy and moments of strange, madcap comedy. Sinead Matthews’s performance as the sweet, innocent Hedvig is astonishing. CH
Donmar Warehouse, WC2
ART China: The Three Emperors, 1662-1795 The season’s headline-grabbing spectacular concentrates on the arts, crafts and scientific instruments produced during the reigns of three Qing emperors. Many of the 400 exhibits have not been seen in Europe before. Wonderful.
Royal Academy, W1, until Apr 17
OPERA Le nozze di Figaro Antonio Pappano conducts David McVicar’s new production of Mozart’s immortal comedy, to celebrate the composer’s 250th birthday. The cast is headed by Erwin Schrott — an outstanding Leporello here a few seasons back — as Figaro, Miah Persson as Susanna and Dorothea Röschmann and Gerald Finley as the feuding, aristocratic Almavivas.
Royal Opera, ROH, WC2, Tue, Thu, Sat (mat)
COMEDY The Mighty Boosh Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding take to the road as Howard Moon and Vince Noir. While the telly show is superb, it’s only in the madness of the live performance that the real joy of the Boosh can be realised.
Grand Opera, York, Wed
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DANCE Royal Ballet Jerome Robbins’s compelling Afternoon of a Fawn returns, with Fokine’s The Firebird and Balanchine’s Ballet Imperial and Pas de Deux. Peter Wright’s Giselle continues, with debuts (Wed) by Mara Galeazzi and Viacheslav Samodurov.
ROH, WC2: mixed programme, Sat, in rep until Mar 8; Giselle, Wed, Fri and Feb 8, 9, 11
CONCERTS Royal Concertgebouw of Amsterdam Mariss Jansons conducts his orchestra in Haydn’s Symphony No 94 and Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben.
Barbican, EC2, tonight
POP Ben Lee Once a punk prodigy, the Australian is the most uplifting singer-songwriter in the world. An entry in his blog says “had a dream I taught Coldplay how to have fun again” — he could do it, too. Check your world-weary cynicism at the door.
Life Cafe, Manchester, Wed; Islington Academy, N1, Fri; King Tut’s, Glasgow, Sat