Classic lunches at Maltings, St Albans

COFFEE and Classics restart for a new season at the Maltings Arts Theatre next Wednesday, May 20, with a lunchtime classical piano recital from Jill Crossland. Between then and the end of September the arts theatre will present five professionally-perform

COFFEE and Classics restart for a new season at the Maltings Arts Theatre next Wednesday, May 20, with a lunchtime classical piano recital from Jill Crossland.

Between then and the end of September the arts theatre will present five professionally-performed lunchtime concerts from old and new faces, all starting at 1pm.

Jill has a flourishing concert and recording career in the UK which includes regular appearances on the South Bank and at Wigmore Hall.

She has been praised by BBC Music Magazine for her, "enviable reputation as a Bach pianist" and will present a recital of her trademark Bach Preludes and Fugues and a selection of Romantic favourites by Schumann and Chopin.

Later concerts in the season will include piano recitals from Annett Busse, Sebastian Stanley and Andrew Ward as well as piano and cello duets from Deniz and Shimizu.

Tickets are �4, available from the box office on 01727 844222.

�� Crooner and former friend of Ol' Blue Eyes, Robert Haberman, brings his show His Way: The Frank Sinatra Story, to the arts theatre next Friday evening, May 22.

It is not a lookalike show or plain and simple tribute act but a jazzed-up salute to the life and work of Sinatra from his 1953 debut to his 1973 comeback. Robert, who appears with his jazzmen, will recount anecdotes and stories as well as performing such songs as My Way, Strangers in the Night, Come Fly with Me and more.

The show begins at 8pm and runs for around two hours with an interval. Tickets are �11 with concessions �9.