Stand overlooking the lake on a warm summer’s evening, maybe with a glass of the finest Barolo in hand and you could easily be forgiven for mistaking Rutland for the Italian Riviera. It’s a comparison we’re proud of here at Hambleton Hall with our south-facing terrace and Mediterranean gardens. And with the famous Nevill Holt Opera season starting this week, an evening with Puccini can be planned without reaching for your passport. In fact, planning that little treat for someone special has never been easier, as many of our guests have found.
Mozart in Market Harborough
Whether it’s a special occasion, weekend retreat or to escape to a little luxury, the Nevill Holt Opera promises an unforgettable evening of exquisite entertainment. Now in its sixth year, this award-winning festival will perform on a new stage from June 2018 in the new Opera House and Theatre – a unique, intimate and extraordinary setting in the historic Nevill Holt Estate.
Designed by Sterling Prize winning architects Witherford Watson Mann the venue entwines rustic stone walls with modern sculpture that overlook the scenic Welland Valley just a short journey from our Rutland home.
Performances include Mozart’s ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ (The Marriage of Figaro) from 14th,16th,17th, 20th and 21st June and Thomas Adès’ Opera ‘Powder her face’ on 28th and 30th June. Last year was a sell-out and 2018 is set for the same success.
So where better to rest your head and retire after a little of Mozart’s magical music than here with us at Hambleton Hall. Our luxurious accommodation, fine dining and Michelin Star restaurant provide the perfect package for a pamper and to spend some quality time with those whose company you enjoy most.
Rural retreat
In fact, Hambleton Hall has always attracted kindred spirits. Those with a love and appreciation of the arts will be in good company. The Salon days once hosted by socialite and owner Eva Astley Paston Cooper, saw Hambleton Hall’s floors graced with some of the UK’s most accomplished names in the glitterati hall of fame including Noel Coward and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Sir Harold Malcolm Watts Sargent (Malcom Sargent AKA ‘Flash Harry’).
Hambleton Hall made such an impression on Coward that he recounted one of his many stays in his autobiography ‘Small memories are most insistent and I like to catch again for a moment, the feel of the sharp spring air as we drove home at night after a concert, the smell of a wood fire in the library where we discussed over hot soup and sandwiches the triumphs of the evening. All the warm comfortable ingredients of country house life were there, the very unfamiliarity of the atmosphere enhancing its charm for me.’
And you too can still enjoy the same charming atmosphere that Hambleton Hall has to offer. Enjoy pre-show aperitifs selected by Sommelier Dominique Baduel and dine in our delectable restaurant, which boasts the longest retained Michelin Star in the country. An award that’s testament to the culinary artistry and talent of Head Chef Aaron Patterson.
Return from your musical evening and retire at your leisure to one of fifteen elegantly unique rooms or suites, each with unmistakable beauty. While we can’t promise hot soup and sandwiches – you’ll receive a warm welcome home and the promise of an award-winning Hambleton breakfast when you wake in the morning: a bountiful feast with freshly baked loaves from the artisan Hambleton Bakery The perfect marriage of mill, music, and memories.