Classical music in fashion?

Will you be watching Stephen Fry debating against Radio 1 DJ Kissy Sell Out in the first ever live-streamed debate from the Cambridge Union Society tonight? The motion is ‘This House believes that classical music is irrelevant to today’s youth.’

I’ll be tuning in at 7.0 pm, and will let you know my verdict after the event…








Curiously, I’ve noticed that classical music is creeping into fashion - in particular, alongside romantic Regency and Rococo style influences in clothing and accessories.









This is good news for men, giving them the opportunity to be a little more flamboyant in their dress... And we’ve the perfect musically inspired accessory at ShopCurious – a vintage silk and wool opera scarf, featuring an operatic music manuscript print. Useful, since Father’s Day falls bang in the middle of the summer opera season.







Meantime, I’m looking forward to the debate.

Are you?

Bird brains and bird bands

No, this isn’t a post about Girls Aloud, though some may find their music preferable to opera. I overheard an interview recently on Radio 4, in which someone claimed that many opera goers don’t even like opera – they attend operatic events simply to mingle amongst high brow types and be able to say that they’ve been. Apparently, even so called opera buffs agree that the plots are often ridiculous and unbelievable. This sounds to me much the same attitude as many who attend fashion shows – I reckon most of the audience just want to be seen to be ‘in’ with the fashionable crowd at xyz’s show and be able to boast about it. And, in any case, the designs are often too ‘creative’ to be wearable.

Anyway, I confess, I was at the first night of Garsington Opera yesterday, courtesy of some wonderful and very generous friends. I’ll also openly admit that I’m not the world’s greatest fan of opera, though the magical productions at Garsington might help to change my mind - and Le Nozzi di Figaro was spellbinding. Okay, the plot is seriously bird brained and, on occasion, even Mozart’s music, combined with the voices of some of the world’s finest opera singers haven’t prevented me from nodding off during this opera.


But Garsington’s productions are different – cleverly staged and directed; fun, relaxed and down to earth – and all done in the most highly professional way. I was totally entranced all evening - and not just by the Count, played by rather dishy Grant Doyle (was that a chest wig, or is he really that hairy?) The voices were also divine, especially Sri Lankan soprano, Kishani Jayasinghe, as the Countess.




Added to this was a perfect Summer evening, which was lovely – except that every light aircraft enthusiast in the area decided to take out their private plane for a spin, creating a curious background accompaniment. However, as the sun went down, the birds started to sing. At one point there were pigeons cooing, I wondered if they lived in the dovecot in the gardens. Then, as the sun finally set, there was the most beauiful bird song from all around… it was almost as if the birds were competing with the singers for attention.









By the way, talking of bird bands, we’ve got some rather lovely new hair accessories at ShopCurious. Each of these unique, handmade feather hairbands is adorned with a curiously cute feather bird and embellished with original vintage jewels. Plus, these dramatically different fascinators are simply perfect for outdoor Summer events, like the opera, as well as wedding parties, of course.








It’s rather sad that this is the last year that Garsignton Opera will actually be held in Garsington, as next year it’s moving to an estate called Wormsley. I’m sure it'll be even better, but I guess the ambience won’t be quite the same... unless the birds go along too.


Will you?




PS Mentioning Wormsley made me remember to tell you, worm, that you’re the winner of our previous giveaway. A curiously conventional Reebok gym bag will be winging its way to you shortly. Hope you find a suitably appropriate use for it.

Curiously colourful opera fashions

Our theme for July is ‘multi-colour madness’, so it was a really pleasant surprise to find that the opera I was very kindly invited to at Garsington last Thursday was as curiously colourful as they come. The amazing variety of English summer flowers in the stunning grounds paled into insignificance beside the strikingly vivid colours on the stage. The set was in itself a work of art - rather reminiscent of a cubist painting – and the costumes, designed by Francis O’Connor, were a comically creative masterpiece.




As for the opera, it was simply adorable: witty, funny, thought-provoking, charming and one of the most thoroughly enjoyable I have seen. This was the UK premiere of Mirandolina by Martinu, written in the 1950s and first performed in 1959 in Switzerland. According to Safranek, Martinu described his opera as “a light, uncomplicated thing … gay from start to finish.”






The story is based on a work called La locandiera (the mistress of the inn) by 18th century Italian playwright, Goldoni, who has the somewhat unfavourable reputation of being ‘author of between two and five hundred comedies, all with happy endings and all exactly the same’. It’s a wonderfully compelling tale of the beautiful lady proprietor of an inn, the feisty Mirandolina, who has an unfailing ability to charm and win over men. Using her feminine wiles, she even works her magic on the ultimate misogynist, the Cavaliere of Ripafratta (brilliantly performed by Geoffrey Dolton, whose facial expressions alone are worth a trip to this production to see).


The opera notes read ‘The craft of the playwright depends on fashion as much as that of the couturier: in each case some follow and some lead, but both depend on immediate public approval.” Well, this performance certainly got my vote. As did some of the fabulous dresses in the audience, like the colourful one-shouldered creation worn by Minnie, above left (presumably spelt as in Minnie Mouse? Though she doesn’t look in the least bit mouse-like to me).


It's almost as bright as the hot pink and coral outfit I wore to the opera at Grange Park a couple of weeks back (see right). By the way, if you’re looking for something stylish to make you stand out from the opera crowd, might I suggest this vintage Clements Ribeiro hot pink torn silk apron dress from ShopCurious.




I’m so pleased to hear that the talented design-duo are returning to London Fashion Week this year.

Are you?

Life's a picnic - Act I

I went to see L'incoronazione di Poppea by Monteverdi at Glyndebourne - a cleverly staged production with baroque style music that is very easy on the ears, especially with the sublime voices in this performance - in fact I love any beautiful music, combined with an overdose of drama and the most wonderful costumes .. not only on the stage, but in the audience too. People normally dress up - like Shirley and I, arriving Ab Fab style (left) and the conductor of the Orchestra of the Age of the Enlightenment, Emmanuelle Haim, on the first night with her Westwood-cum-Edwardian style bustle skirt (right, from behind). At Grange Park Opera (GPO), I saw Bluebeard - a bit too curiously staged even for me - and then La Fanciulla del West which was memorably awesome. I'm not the world's most fervent fan of opera, nor Puccini, but Grange Park has a way of doing curiously quirky yet very clever productions that are fun, but also make you think - and even I manage to stay awake throughout. As with all these things, there's a lot of competion, not only with the outfits, but with the picnics too. There are beautiful gardens at Glyndebourne (left), but it can get a bit chilly in the evening, so the less hardy tend to decamp to the opera terraces, where tables are laid out in style (right). It's fascinating to observe which supermarkets people have visited to stock up for the occasion. Some are more original than others and, looking out for the curiously original, I spotted one opera-goer tucking into some wasabi peas (below left) and, dahling, it's absolutely imperative to have one's parmesan knife to hand, it could turn out to be very useful... Grange Park has the most magnificent setting, with dramatic classical architecture and mood setting cedar trees, and becomes even more stunning at twighlight (left). There's even an old GPO telephone box with a light inside, creating a focus of illumination in a nearby field - much like the telephone box lamp available from ShopCurious. You can hire a little tent - reminiscent of the ones seen on the boundaries of medieval jousting tournaments in the days when men were knights and women were ladies. You can even take your own fountain if the fancy takes you - only joking! At ShopCurious, we have some really useful stone placemats and coasters that are great for outdoors - they don't blow away when it's windy and you can leave them out in all weathers - they make an unusual gift too. If you don't like the idea of upmarket al fresco dining, the Grange Park caterers do seriously delicious food that you can eat in the very elegant (and dry) confines of the main house, which post-refurbishment, is considerably less dilapidated than was formerly the case. So, what do you do if it rains... well, us Brits are used to braving the elements and you will see opera goers scurrying around with their picnic wares in all weathers. And with their umbrellas too. But, gradually, as the afternoon turns to evening and the night sets in, the lawyers, hedge fund managers and assembled glitterati tend to forget about the weather, as everything becomes more relaxed and a bit less focused on the rigours of life in the City...la lutte pour la vie. It's all a blur of lights and umbrellas, Ms Haim's other half has rather appropriately developed a halo of enlightenment and there's a very pleasant feeling that everyone has had an extremely nice evening together, whatever their differences. As everyone is... Are you?