To Sir or not To Sir

American publications largely eschew British titles when reporting on the arts. Alex Ross, reviewing the new Tristan und Isolde at the Met in the New Yorker, acknowledged Simon Rattle in the pit – not ‘Sir Simon Rattle’. Even Opera, that indispensable British organ for operaphiles, founded by the queen’s cousin, calls him ‘Simon Rattle’. ABR dispenses with these anachronisms too, and marvels at the number of writers and artists (some quite radical) who accept these vestiges of the British Empire (Sir Michael Philip ‘Mick’ Jagger no less). Yet in Australia many arts publications continue to add knighthoods, etc. It doesn’t help when MSO Chief Conductor Andrew Davis – encouraging us to switch off our mobile phones before concerts – introduces himself as ‘Sir Andrew Davis’. It does sound ever so pompous ...