Upbeat: No frontiers

IT takes the French to show us the strengths of our own diversity. This year's Lille Festival, running from 23 October to 21 November, has gone comprehensively British. But that means rather more than importing a string quartet, the Academy of Ancient Music, and the War Requiem - all on the programme. Alongside the classics you will find McCartney's (or Davis's) Liverpool Oratorio, the Michael Nyman Band and a spread of South Asian music including an all-night Indian session. And, yes, there is also a dance company, Shobana Jeyasingh's, that has made a habit of touring its music commissions.