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A café in Clerkenwell is planning a series of intimate (and socially distanced) classical concerts to take place in its performance space next month. Organisers of the Fidelio Unbound season hope to allow small audiences of up to 25 people to safely experience top-notch music played by world-leading musicians. All concerts will be followed by a three course dinner prepared by chef and author Alan Rosenthal.
Legendary cellist Steven Isserlis, pianists Pavel Kolesnikov, Samson Tsoy and Louis Schwizgebel, as well as the actor Simon Callow, are among names already confirmed for the concerts, with more to be announced soon. Isserlis is even breaking his own commitment never to play Bach cello suites in public again. Event organisers have made sure the performances will observe all current health guidelines and advice.
‘We want to give an optimistic restart to the London live concert scene,’ says Raffaello Morales, music director of Fidelio Orchestra. ‘The music community needs to stick together at this time to support artists and continue the dialogue with our audiences. I feel it is important to show a commitment to make beautiful things happen, as long as the safety of the audience is prioritised, and I strongly believe we can deliver on this.’
Fidelio’s first concert is scheduled for July 7. Programmes will each run for five consecutive evenings, to allow for the reduced audience size. Tickets are on sale now and full refunds will be granted should the advice from the government mean that the concerts can’t go ahead.
Concerts take place at the Fidelio Orchestra Café, 91-95 Clerkenwell Rd, EC1R 5BX. Dates TBC. Keep an eye on their Facebook.
Don’t fancy leaving the house? Check out these awesome virtual events instead.