A Magical Day seeing the ENB ballet at the Colliseum (Part 1)
It’s a magical winter day in London…
the streets lights glow as night begins to fall,
as the majestic London Colliseum stands tall above me,
my eyes grow wide with excitement for my plans,
a wonderfully planned evening of delicious cicchetti, beautiful ballerinas and live orchestra..
A Stroke of Luck!
The Nutcracker is arguably the most significant ballet in calendar for the English National Ballet (ENB) having been performed at Christmas in every one of the company’s 66 years to date. Tickets often sell out months into the new year in preparation for that year’s signature Christmas Performance that features a stunning exhibition of talent from the ENB dancers & the English National Orchestra (ENO) on the stage of the impressive Colliseum.
It was only in November that I thought about ending the year with such a highlight but, by then all tickets had sold out online. I called up the ticket office and by some stroke of fate, 2 prime tickets had just become available (& had not even gone online yet!). An astonished box office had the fastest sale of the season!
My stroke of luck continued on the night….
It all began on St Martins Lane…
Fumo
With it’s chic and elegant design, combined with it’s culinary focus on small plates “cicchetii”, there is no better place to find yourself before an evening performance at the London Colliseum, then at Fumo.
A restaurant that prides itself on true Italian food, many of its fresh seasonal ingredients are sourced directly from markets in Milan. Created by the multi-award winning San Carlo group of authentic Italian Restaurants, it’s service is a delight to those venturing before & after Coliseum Performances.
It’s location, being a few steps from the doors of the grand Coliseum, provides an indulgent atmosphere to begin the night as the excitement builds before show time.
And it was here that my love affair for Ciccheti began…
I have always had a taste for Italian food but these little parcels were something else!
Made from fresh ingredients even the tomatoes were bursting with flavour!
I have never been so happy at the prospect of “small plates” as it is the perfect excuse to try a little bit of everything….. trust me, you will want to try everything on this menu too!
Ciccheti dares you to be adventurous, to order foods you have never heard of and wonder at the surprises you discover
From the fresh pasta to the pizza fritti, every bite is a slice of heaven for your tastebuds….
SHOW TIME!
Location: London Colliseum
Date: 30/12/2016
Performance: Nutcracker by the ENB
I have always loved Tchaikovsky’s music for the Nutcracker but somehow I had never seen the ballet before!
This winter, I can often be found with the Tchaikovsky’s notes playing in the background whether I am working, having some me time or even in my night time routine before bed.
I was delighted to discover that not only had I got hold of 2 prime tickets to see the ENB perform in the most festive week of December, but that the evening performance included:
Isaac Hernández as Drosselmeyer’s Nephew
Lead Principle
&
Tamara Rojo as Clara
Lead Principal and Artistic Director for the ENB
Early in her career as Lead Principle, her performances as Clara broke all box office records at the London Coliseum and The Times named her “Dance Revelation of the Year.”
My view of the breathtaking pairing was perfect, as my stoke of luck continued and the seats directly in front of me remained empty.
As for the performance itself…
“Full of wonder, magic, Christmas cheer and an abundance of talent”
Whether you are an aficionado or new to ballet (as I once was), the ENB performance at the coliseum shall not disappoint!
A truly festive end to a fabulous evening
My sadness at my departure from the beautiful building was somewhat eased,
by the very fitting ENB Christmas Tree!
