opera

London: 6 Secret Things To Do This Summer

Summertime opens up a whole host of fresh opportunities in the city. Outdoor strolls around London’s parks, gardens and markets are de rigueur throughout the season, but summer also brings with it plenty of exceptional but short-lived events. Catch the ones below before they’re gone!

Visit Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms

22 July to 1 October

State Rooms at Buckingham Palace (credit: 2OnTheWing)

Year round, crowds flock to admire Buckingham Palace’s beautiful façade, but it’s only in late summer that you can explore some of its exquisite interior too. The State Rooms – those rooms designated for the Queen to receive and entertain subjects and visiting dignitaries – are open from July to October, and with a Royal Day Out ticket you can gain access to the Queen’s Gallery and the Royal Mews too.

The Throne Room is a particular highlight; in recent times it’s perhaps most famous as the setting of several official photographs from the wedding of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Europea’s Westminster Residence is a short walk from Buckingham Palace.

Make DIY Ice Cream At Pierre Marcolini

1 June to end of August

Give summer ice cream a gourmet, personalised twist over at the Esquimau Choc Ice Bar at the Pierre Marcolini boutique on Marylebone High Street. Select from four ice cream (or two sorbet) flavours and then choose from six luxurious chocolate toppings to round it off (including smoked dark chocolate, milk chocolate with toasted hazelnut and fleur de sel or white chocolate and toasted coconut).

Experience Movie Magic At The Outdoor Cinema In Hyde Park

3, 4, 5 and 7 July

Nomad-outdoor-cinema — Outdoor Cinema London (credit: London The Inside)

Hyde Park’s British Summer Time festival comes with more than just musical performances. They’re also hosting four free movie nights in July on a huge open air screen, and the line-up is a spectacular combination of family fun (a sing-along of The Lion King and two of Disney’s sensational live-action remakes – 2016’s The Jungle Book and this year’s Beauty and the Beast) and grown-up modern classics (including Dirty Dancing and Back to the Future). See the schedule here – entry is on a first-come-first-served basis, so be sure to arrive early!

Europea’s Kinnerton and Kensington residences both border Hyde Park.

Channel Your Inner Patissier At The Big London Bake

Until 1 October

The Great British Bake Off has practically become a national institution since first gracing British TVs back in 2010. (These days it’s even gaining in popularity across the pond as The Great British Baking Show.) Whether you have a penchant for cake, pastry and all things baking or are just a fan of the series, snap up the opportunity to take on a baking challenge yourself at The Big London Bake. Set in a marquee kitchen, contestants take part in the competition in 10 teams of 2 with all ingredients provided and a professional baker on hand. No experience required!

Go On A Sensory Journey At Somerset House’s Perfume Exhibition

21 June to 17 September

perfume-sensory-journey-somerset-house-01 — (credit: Peter MacDiarmid)

If you’re a connoisseur of scent, you won’t want to miss Somerset House’s intriguing Perfume exhibition, which examines its perfumers’ modern and accessible approach to perfumery and celebrates their inspirations through visual, auditory and tactile displays. Visit one of the Perfume Lab Residencies (9 and 23 July) for a unique chance to learn more about the art and science of crafting a fragrance from an expert perfumer.

Europea’s Covent Garden residence is only a short distance from Somerset House.

Experience Theatre Anew At The Open Air Theatre At Regent’s Park And Immersive Ensemble’s The Great Gatsby

Open Theatre: schedule varies by production till September

The Great Gatsby runs till September

The Sound Of Music Performance 2013 (credit: David Jensen)

Swap the West End for Regent’s Park’s Open Air Theatre this summer, with productions including A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist and the return of their 2016 sell-out (and award-winning) Jesus Christ Superstar.

For an alternative, but equally extraordinary, theatre experience, check out the Immersive Ensemble’s ‘heart-racing, immersive’ version of The Great Gatsby, held at a secret location. Don’t forget those dancing shoes!

Europea’s Primrose Hill residence is very close to Regent’s Park.

Music In Milan: A Night At The Opera

Milan prides itself on its diverse music scene, touching on old and modern genres alike. Whilst several Italian artists and popular songs are well-known abroad, it may seem that most international music is not quite as appreciated in the country. This is a misleading belief as Milan has seen a ‘cultural rebirth’ over the last few years, holding a leading position amongst European destinations. Milan is connected to the rest of the world and is constantly welcoming creative sparks. If you’re a live music fan planning to visit, Milan is the place to be.

And there is no better place to start than the opera. Translated as ‘product of work’, opera finds its home in Italy. I want to focus this Music March segment on this unique and complex musical and theatrical genre. Though I cannot provide an intensive course of lyrical Italian (which can be challenging even to native Italian opera fans), I do have some vital information to give you before you head to your night out!

Teatro alla scala music of the night — Grand interior (credit: architecturaldigest.com)

Verdi, Bellini, Puccini, Donizetti… the list of Italian opera composers is long. No wonder, when you consider that melodrama was born in this country even before the state of Italy itself. While opera rose to popularity in Rome and Venice, the Milanese Teatro alla Scala (founded in 1778) is often regarded as the most important opera theatre in Italy. The opening of the lyrical season, taking place on 7th December (the day dedicated to Saint Ambrose, the local patron saint) is one of the country’s most important and prestigious events and is regularly attended by many celebrities.

Traditionally, the theatre’s programme alternates between melodramas, ballets, and classical music concerts. This year’s lyrical season – running from early March to late June – features Verdi’s La Traviata, Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (The Master-Singers of Nuremberg), Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, Rossini’s La Gazza Ladra (The Thieving Magpie), Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Il Serraglio) and Puccini’s La Bohème.

teatro music of the night — La Scala in the 19th century

While most of these operas were composed in Italian, Teatro alla Scala’s programme also features works in other languages, usually German or French. In operatic works, it was customary for the music and the lyrics to be written by different people, the composer often getting the most recognition. Each work’s language is typically related to the nationality of the ‘librettist’, the writer. This explains why several of the Austrian Mozart’s operas were written in Italian. In fact, Italy has given birth to many prominent libretto writers, such as Pietro Metastasio, Lorenzo Da Ponte and Arrigo Boito. The authors were often requested to work abroad, in places like Paris or Vienna, other major ‘opera capitals’. Sometimes, a libretto could be written prior to even being given the music!

Needless to say, opera has still got its own superstars, and the fact that most works are sung in Italian, German and French does not prevent international singers from becoming experts in their field. Since most opera works were written some centuries ago, even a fluent speaker may have a hard time understanding all of the lyrics, partly because the voices do not follow a natural intonation.

music Teatro of the evening — A rare photo of Giuseppe Verdi in front of La Scala, Milan 1890.

Therefore, whether you know Italian well or not, every opera attendee is highly recommended to read a synopsis of the show beforehand. Unlike prose, it is best to have a good idea what the opera is about from the start, to avoid getting lost in the music, the arias, and the plot. There is no need to read the complete libretto beforehand as most opera theatres now provide LCD screens displaying the lyrics as they are sung onstage. Purists may frown upon this innovation but it has definitely made things simpler!

Language aside, opera is an intrinsically diverse genre, reflecting a range of traditions in both music and drama. Similarly to ballet, it tends to stick to tradition and strict formal rules with the director’s style often impacting the final performance. Furthermore, it is not unheard of for opera to be reinterpreted in more ‘experimental’ ways. After all, opera has recently lost part of its stereotypical aloofness, becoming more accessible and attracting a wider audience, even offering opera courses to amateurs. Nonetheless, we are still talking about the most elegant theatre in the capital of Italian fashion. As such, it is best to dress up for the occasion: few forms of art are as appearance-conscious as opera, and this is true both on-and off-stage.

One last thing – don’t forget to book your tickets! From locals to occasional visitors, every performance at Teatro alla Scala draws a wide audience, easily filling up all its 2030 seats. I recommend an advance booking at least one month prior to your arrival. You can make your reservation via the theatre’s official website, choosing the performance you want to attend and proceeding to the payment. Those who are planning a longer stay and/or are frequent attendees can opt for a season ticket, the price of which will vary according to the seat and the time of the year. Otherwise, you can buy your tickets in a selection of offices all across Italy. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to enjoy the Italian Opera!

Teatro music every night — Inspired by the exterior of La Scala, my illustration of it

Milan: The Latest Things To Do

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Milan at first glance

While the city’s metropolitan area stretches far and wide, Milan’s centre is quite compact and can be crossed quickly. The public transportation network is efficient, whereas the traffic is usually intense, but well-regulated. Walking all the way across the centre could take less than an hour, but it is worth taking more time to have a look around.
Piazza Duomo, the wide square where the city’s cathedral stands, is unquestionably the most famous Milanese spot worldwide. The golden statue of the Virgin Mary, locally known as Madunina, has become the city’s de facto symbol, “overlooking Milan”, as a popular song goes. Incidentally, the stunning view from the Duomo top is not to be missed.

Just like any Italian city, Milan is dotted with beautiful churches, some of which are very ancient. Sant’Ambrogio, dedicated to the city’s patron saint, or Santa Maria delle Grazie, hosting Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting The Last Supper, are just the most famous examples.
However, secular architecture is by no means less interesting. Piazza Duomo is also the main access point to the impressive Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a 19th century architectural masterpiece recalling the Parisian passages, connecting the square to Teatro La Scala. A 10 minute walk from Piazza Duomo will take you to Castello Sforzesco, another major Milanese landmark. Formerly the residence of the Sforza family, this vast citadel now hosts several museums and borders Parco Sempione, the largest park in central Milan and the perfect nature spot to relax.

The northern side of the city hosts modern skyscrapers (the 231-metre-tall Unicredit Tower is the tallest skyscraper in Italy), whereas the southern part of the centre offers a glimpse of popular architecture along the banks of the city’s canals, known as Navigli, to date one of the city’s most vibrant areas.

Bottom line: what makes Milan so fascinating is the frequently elusive character of its beauty. It takes, indeed, a good deal of curiosity and attention to the smallest details to fully appreciate the city. Many delightful gardens, buildings, churches or museums often go unnoticed, unless you find out about them.

No time to get bored

Milan and its residents are often depicted as hectic, restless, always on the move. For sure, the city offers as much entertainment as you could hope for, both during the day and at nighttime.
One of the world fashion capitals alongside Paris and New York, Milan hosts many of the most important ateliers in Italy. Twice per year, the Fashion Week event anticipates the upcoming season’s trends and calls many celebrities to the city. Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga are home to the most luxurious boutiques, whereas cheaper brands can be found in corso Buenos Aires, Via Vittorio Emanuele and Via Torino.

Those who prefer museums to binge shopping will be spoilt for choice, as well. Piazza Duomo and its immediate surroundings, just like Castello Sforzesco, host an incredible variety of artistic and historical collections, some of which are private, and/or need to be booked in advance. Make sure you do not miss out on the Pinacoteca di Brera in the arty namesake district. Science lovers, on the other hand, can head to the Natural History or Technology museums.

Last but not least, the Milanese nightlife has nothing to envy from other big cities worldwide. No matter if you are more of a clubber or an opera connoisseur, or if you would rather opt for live music, you will find the perfect event to fit your expectations. However, Milan is just unbeatable in Italy when it comes to the theatre scene, be it opera, ballet, or prose.