A lot of you will understand what I mean when I say that there’s a rather large vacuum in my Sunday nights. With Downton Abbey off our screens until Christmas, I have been left craving that old-world glamour and faded grandeur to which I had become accustomed. So, with no other suitable period dramas on the horizon, you will understand my delight when I received an invite to a Night at the Opera Gala Dinner at The Landmark.
Evoking the bygone era for which I’ve been pining, the outside of this stunning 19th century redbrick hotel is both impressive and imposing. Picture the scene, champagne flows at a reception in the Winter Garden, the venue for the evening. Surrounded by lush palm trees, people laugh and mingle against the background tinkling of the piano. Suddenly a hush falls across the scene. Dinner is served.
And what a sumptuous affair it is! 6 courses of exquisite food with matching wines to complement each dish. As I look around, I feel more and more like Lady Mary sitting in her dining room enjoying her usual elegant culinary fare. I decide that the cantankerous looking old lady on the table to our right can play the Dowager Duchess. The chap in the corner table even looks slightly like Matthew if you squint – perhaps not.
Dinner starts with a tastily spiced Jerusalem artichoke foam, pickled pear and coriander cresso, followed by a delicious salad of beetroot, whipped goats cheese, honeycomb & walnuts. I didn’t think I even liked beetroot. And then, whilst I was pondering my fickle taste buds, it began. A female voice soaring above the piano’s accompaniment, reducing its audience to silence. I must confess that I’m something of an opera lover. Puccini to be precise, regardless of what that may say about my tastes. You say a lack of gravitas, I say accessible to all. But that’s by the by and not wholly relevant.
A 20 minute interlude of Baroque opera performed by the talented artists of Opera Bespoke ensued, mesmerising the diners as they listened to popular arias by Handel and Mozart. Drawing to a close, we were left slightly dazed, struggling to adjust back to the realities of dinner. But once the food arrived, our attention soon snapped back to the mouth-watering sight before us. Hand dived scallops, crisp pork belly, pineapple & ginger, followed by aged fillet of beef, almond croquettes, broccoli & baby onions. The food was lip-smackingly good, and as we savoured the taste of these gastronomic delights, the music began once again.
French opera was the theme for this interlude, including classics such as “Flower Duet” by Delibes, (think British Airways) and “L’amour est un Oiseau Rebelle” from Bizet’s Carmen. As the diva strutted around the room, gracing chosen gentlemen with the gift of a red carnation, (including my smug boyfriend I hasten to add), I was left in two minds, desperate for the performance not to end, yet eagerly anticipating the delights of dessert.
A chocolate and blood orange mousse later and I’d forgotten all about Carmen. In fact, my ambitions at Lady Mary-esque deportment went straight out the window as I gobbled down the pistachio Bakewell, calvados cream and Granny Smith apple sorbet. Needless to say, the Dowager next to us still managed to maintain her crotchety demeanour, possibly aided by my relinquishing any futile attempts at well-bred elegance. No matter. The grand finale soon seized upon its captivated audience, with the esteemed performers belting out several of my much-loved Puccini numbers to bring a glorious end to the evening.
The Landmark’s Night at the Opera Gala Dinner is a night that will transport you to the delights of by-gone days. It may not be Downton, but its refined elegance captures the period completely. And you don’t even need any aristocratic credentials to enjoy it! Just don’t tell Carson that…
The Landmark, 222 Marylebone Road, London, NW1 6JQ
