Sporting rivalries are natural, intense and understandable. But often, the rivalries matter more to fans, commentators and the Press than they do to the players involved. A few of these rivalries are rooted in long-standing grudges, some in sectarian or indeed political divisions, some in local competition, and a few, such as the Roses matches in cricket, may wither, surviving more in memory than reality. Which of these categories describes the football rivalry between England and Germany will get a new airing in the first knock-out round of the Euros on Tuesday.
The success of the International Opera Awards is intellectual rigour
At the awards ceremony in Munich this year, a jury dug deep into the purpose of opera and its impact on society.