Great cultural events across Scotland this week: June 7 13

The best gigs, shows and events on throughout Scotland in the next seven days.

Joe Longthorne Rothes Hall, Glenrothes, Thursday, Glasgow Pavillion, Friday, Gaiety Theatre, Ayr, Saturday

The veteran singer hasn’t had his troubles to seek over the years.

After a long battle with leukaemia, he then had to endure a 10-hour operation for throat cancer last summer, but he’s back on stage to celebrate his 60th birthday.

Beginning his career as a youngster with an appearance on Junior Showtime, his break came in 1981 as a finalist on LWT’s Search For A Star, which led to appearances at the London Palladium, and he’s still going strong today.

Patti Smith Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Tuesday

In 1975, Patti Smith gathered her band in Electric Lady Studios in New York to record her debut album, Horses.

Released later that year, it has come to be regarded as not only one of the best debuts, but one of the greatest albums ever.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked it at No. 44 in the 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time and NME said it was No. 1 in their Best Debuts list.

Now, 40 years later, Smith will honour the lasting influence of the album with a special show centred on the album.

The Car Man Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Tuesday to Saturday

Matthew Bourne’s acclaimed dance thriller is loosely based on Bizet’s opera. It has a thrilling and instantly-recognisable score, arranged by Terry Davies.

The 19th Century Spanish cigarette factory in Bizet’s original becomes a greasy garage/diner in 1960s America where the dreams and passions of a small town are shattered by the arrival of a handsome stranger.

Fuelled by heat and desire, the inhabitants are driven into an unstoppable spiral of greed, lust, betrayal and revenge.

Verdi’s Il Trovatore His Majesty’s, Aberdeen, Thursday to Saturday

This Scottish Opera restaging from director Martin Lloyd-Evans conjures up all the superstition and fearfulness of the Dark Ages and is full-blooded opera at its grandest.

The cast features some of the UK’s finest singers, including Roland Wood, Anne Mason and Jonathan May, leading soprano Claire Rutter and renowned Welsh tenor Gwyn Hughes Jones. Tobias Ringborg conducts.

Jealousy, revenge, love and hate collide as the opera crashes towards its unstoppable conclusion.

Jurassic World At cinemas from Thursday

Based on a book by Michael Crichton, Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park proved a monster at the box office and spawned two lesser sequels.

This new movie has dispensed with the follow-ups and plays as a successor to the 1993 orginal, with a theme park filled with dinosaurs having now been successfully established on the Pacific outpost of Isla Nublar.

But with visitor rates declining, money-hungry bosses demand changes with predictable results. Stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard and Judy Greer.

The Carpenters Story Edinburgh Playhouse, Wednesday, Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline, Friday

Widely regarded as the first ever tribute show back in its 1989 incarnation, with sell out runs including the London Palladium, producer Phil Aldridge now presents a new production.

Phil’s lavish arrangements, stunning vocal harmonies and Claire Furley’s uncanny representation of Karen Carpenter, combine to bring back memories of pop’s most melodic duo.

It features the songs that made The Carpenters music legends, including, We’ve Only Just Begun, Top Of The World and Please Mr Postman.

Queen And Country At cinemas from Friday

The 1987 film Hope And Glory was drawn from filmmaker John Boorman’s childhood memories of living in London during the Blitz.

A quarter of a century on he’s giving us a follow-up, based on his next brush with war.

In 1952, John was giving lectures to soldiers bound for the conflict in Korea as part of his National Service. But the cultured teenager became disillusioned by the military way of life.

Richard E. Grant, David Thewlis, Sinead Cusack and David Hayman support young Callum Turner in the lead role.

Treacherous Orchestra Oran Mor, Glasgow, tonight, Tolbooth, Stirling, Thursday, Perth Concert Hall, Saturday

This group of 11 musicians from around Scotland perform what they say is “hurricane-force folk with rock attitude”.

They first played together at Celtic Connections in 2009 and have been going from strength to strength ever since.

The players are hugely entertaining, giving epic performances night after night.

Technically impressive, yet raw, Treacherous Orchestra’s shows are said to make the audience feel alive and in the moment.

Facing The Music: Patricia Routledge Perth Concert Hall, Friday

Best known as Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances, Patricia Routledge’s film roles include To Sir, With Love (with Sidney Poitier).

The 86-year-old also trained as a singer and had success in musical theatre, both here and in America. Her many awards include a Tony for her Broadway performance in Darling of the Day and an Olivier for Bernstain’s Candide.

In this conversation with writer Edward Seckerson, she recalls this special part of her career with some rare and treasured recordings.