Chiswick House hosts an evening of music by George Frideric Handel

James Bowman CBE will lead guests on a historic, melodic journey with his band of young musicians in the Upper Tribune where Handel entertained the cream of 18th century society

27 April 2017: World renowned countertenor James Bowman CBE will host two evenings of Handel’s enchanting music in the Domed Saloon in Chiswick House on 14 and 15 June. In addition to the beautiful setting which thus far has been rarely available for public events. The evening holds a special resonance for opera lovers as the great composer himself visited Chiswick House in the 1700s, when it was the home of Richard Boyle, the 3rd Earl of Burlington and Cork.

James Bowman commented, “The opportunity to perform Handel’s music in a room where the composer entertained 18th century society is a rare and wonderful experience for any musician. The acoustic within Chiswick House’s domed saloon is ideal for Handel’s chamber music, and the villa’s grandeur and scale lends itself to this kind of intimate performance. We are lucky to have a group of extremely talented musicians with us to sing and play at what promises to be two truly magical evenings.”

A night divine

The ninety guests lucky enough to secure tickets will enjoy some of the best new classical music talent in the UK today. Soprano Lottie Bowden, countertenor Oliver Gerrish and tenor Daniel Turner will be supported by Katie Holmes on Baroque Violin and Oliver John Ruthven on harpsichord.

Unifying house and gardens

The evening is made possible by Chiswick House & Gardens Trust, which recently assumed management of the villa from English Heritage, uniting the house and its gardens for the first time in 69 years. The event is being generously supported by Horton and Garton estate agents.

CHGT Director Clare O’Brien said, We are thrilled to have James and his fellow musicians performing at Chiswick this summer. The villa was historically a venue for world class performances – even The Beatles enjoyed performing in this wonderful place. We look forward to welcoming our guests for a very special evening, bringing music back to Chiswick House as part of our new public programme.

Glyndebourne comes to Chiswick

The format for the evening ties the villa and gardens together, with guests enjoying two sets of Baroque music in the House interspersed with a picnic in the Burlington Pavilion. At the end, there will be a stirrup cup when guests can mingle with the artists. Tickets are £60 or £550 for a table of ten, for more information and to book, visit http://buytickets.at/chiswickhouseandgardenstrust

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Notes for editors

Chiswick House & Gardens Trust

Chiswick House & Gardens Trust is a registered charity, created jointly by English Heritage and the London Borough of Hounslow in 2006. The Trust is dedicated to the preservation, restoration, maintenance, repair and enhancement of this outstanding Grade I listed house and gardens, and their contents, as heritage treasures for the benefit of the public.

Chiswick house is an 18th century villa set in classically landscaped gardens in west London. One of the earliest and finest examples of neoclassical architecture in the UK, the house was designed from 1720-32 by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, and his associate the painter, garden designer and architect, William Kent. www.chiswickhouseandgardens.org.uk

Horton and Garton is proud to support this unique event at Chiswick House and Gardens. Our new office in Chiswick, backed by a team with over 90 years of combined experience in west London property, is now open for business. Horton and Garton estate agency is built on a foundation of ethical practice, professionalism and unrivalled local knowledge of Chiswick, Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush. Our award-winning customer service puts our clients at the heart of our business.  We donate ten percent of our fees to charity so if you have a cause that is close to your heart, sell or let your property through us and we’ll write a cheque to the charity of your choice. Thank you for helping us support our local community!