Opera Disguised as Oratorio in the Park Handel’s Semele is one of those works that refuses to sit neatly in a box. First staged at Covent Garden in 1744, it was billed as a “new oratorio” to slip past London’s strict Lenten ban on opera. Yet what audiences encountered was no pious oratorio at all, […]
Beethoven – I Shall Hear In Heaven
Reimagining Theatre: Tama Matheson’s ‘Music-Play’ Blends Drama and Classical Music into a New Genre What better setting on a warm August evening than the evocative open-air theatre in Holland Park, all set up for the summer opera festival with apron stage, raked seating, tarpaulin over stage and auditorium and plenty of opportunities to pick up […]
Summer in the City – The best outdoor arts events to book for this summer
f you find yourself spending summer in the city, there’s no reason to despair, you’ll find a plethora of fabulous events on hand to keep you amused. And, what could be better than watching your favourite opera, play or musical against a backdrop of the setting sun?
Vori – Holland Park ditches Tootsies for Greek Culinary Culture
Greek Plates and Wine in Holland Park The last time I was in the space that this Modern Greek Taverna inhabits on Holland Park Avenue, (many moons ago) it was, a burger place called Tootsies and I was working as a waitress, dodging burger orders, and flashing smiles. As I entered Vori, it was as if […]
The New Chakra, Holland Street – Review
Chakra Holland Street, A Classy Classic in Kensington: The last time I visited Chakra (and loved it), the location was closer to Notting Hill than High Street Kensington. And, the venue was glitzier, larger and just a tad less intimate. They moved recently and I jumped at the chance to return… This time, I walked […]
Leighton House – A Victorian Obsession
Learning more about Leighton House: I am sure that I am not the only Londoner who wanders round spotting interesting buildings and places to visit. For years. And then never actually gets round to doing so; it’s all too easy when you live in a City with so much to do. For several years I […]