Bernardi Music Group’s Summer Classic Concert Series at Leonardslee

Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens in West Sussex is hosting the Bernardi Music Group classical concert series on the 20th of September and the 11th of October. Visitors can also enjoy luxury overnight accommodation at Leonardslee House, and a second night, dining at Michelin Starred Restaurant Interlude.  

On the 20th of September at 6.30pm, an Opera Gala will feature the acclaimed Stradivarius Piano Trio, consisting of Andrew Bernardi on violin, Maria Marchant on piano, and Jonathan Few on cello. Accompanying them will be the formidable vocal talents of soprano Charlotte Bröker and tenor Dominic Bevan. Guests will experience a range of musical highlights including The Marriage of Figaro, La Bohème, Nessun Dorma and West Side Story. 

The series reaches its crescendo on the 11th of October at 6.30pm with a rendition of Verdi's celebrated opera, 'La Traviata'. The performance will star Indian tenor Anando Mukerjee (as Alfredo) conducted by the distinguished international conductor Andrea Ferrari with Bernardi Music Group Quintet. 

Guests can enhance their concert experience by staying overnight at Leonardslee House in one of the ten bespoke, charming bedrooms, each with its own individual decor and en-suite bathroom, followed by a second night complete with a Michelin-star dinner at Restaurant Interlude.  

General Manager at Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens, Adam Streeter, says: "We eagerly anticipate the Bernardi Music Group's concert series. The combination of stunning garden vistas and exceptional music offers a uniquely immersive experience for all our guests." 

Tickets at £55 for each concert in the series include entry from 5pm to the Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens estate and the opportunity to explore the Grade I Listed gardens. The 240-acre estate includes cafes and a gift shop, a dolls’ house museum and classic afternoon tea. 

Visit: https://www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk/all-events/summer-concert-series-2023  

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Editors notes

Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens is a family-owned vineyard estate, near Horsham in West Sussex, which features ‘the finest woodland gardens in England’, Grade I Listed, as well as a Michelin Star restaurant and luxury vineyard accommodation.

The 240-acre estate was established by Sir Edmund Loder, the great Victorian plant collector, and now includes a Sussex Wine vineyard, with the first release of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier sparkling wine in 2024.

The estate features outstanding displays all year round. In the spring this includes rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, magnolias and bluebells. The collection is exceptional in its diversity and maturity, with several rare ‘champion’ trees, threatened in their natural habitat.

The gardens offer a protected ecosystem for rare wildlife such as Emperor Dragonflies and Damselflies, White Admiral and Purple Hairstreak butterflies and migratory and native birds - Kites, Great Tits, Tree Creepers, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers and Nightingales.

The estate reopened in April 2019, following acquisition and two years’ intensive work by entrepreneur Penny Streeter OBE to restore the woodland gardens after eight years of closure and neglect under previous ownership. It was the largest garden restoration project in the United Kingdom since Heligan 30 years before.

Since further restoration work in 2021, visitors can also stay in the luxury vineyard hotel after dining at Restaurant Interlude in Leonardslee House, the Grade II Listed Italianate mansion house, to experience the Michelin Star multi-course tasting menu created by chef Jean Delport.

Visitors can view a magical world in miniature at the Beyond the Doll's House exhibition, which depicts the Edwardian estate and neighbouring villages at 1:12 scale. They can then enjoy a classic afternoon tea in the mansion house, making for a great family day out. It is one of the top places to visit in Sussex and is open all year round except Christmas Day.

For great days out, there is an extensive programme of entertainment that includes winter garden illuminations and light trails, wine and beer festivals, photo and art exhibitions, live music events, cooking and gardening demonstrations, arts and crafts fairs, modelling and toy shows, and children’s events and adventure trails.

Vineyards –

Leonardslee Estate: Acquired 2018 - 3.1 Acres - 2018 First vines planted - 4,000 Estimated bottles Experimental planting of Pinotage - 2022 First estate Pinotage

Mannings Estate: Acquired 2017 - 34 Acres - 2017 First vines planted - 70,000 Estimated bottles Sparkling wine cultivars 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier - 2024 First release of wine