Savory Soiree - Valentine's in the Secret Garden

711 Princess Street,Alexandria VA 22314

06 February, 2021

Description

An exquisite socially-distanced dining experience complemented by live music Classical Movements’ Savory Soirees return to the Secret Garden for an elegant and romantic gourmet outdoor dining event on celebrating love and music for Valentine’s in the Secret Garden: “Love Songs and Gourmet Delights.”In collaboration with Seasons Culinary Services, join us for a sophisticated Valentine-themed “picnic” of charcuterie, cheeses, and sweets, complemented by wine and a program of beautiful, beloved love songs and arias by mezzo-soprano Elizebeth Barnes.Served in the enchanting Secret Garden at the historic Rectory on Princess Street in Old Town Alexandria, guests will enjoy two delectable courses, each paired with select wines and musical selections.Program to include…My Funny Valentine (Rodgers and Hart) Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered When I Look at You, from The Scarlet Pimpernel (Frank Wildhorn ) La vie en rose (Edith Piaf) L-O-V-E (Nat King Cole) If I Loved You (Rodgers and Hammerstein) Carceleras, from Las hijas del Zebedeo (Ruperto Chapí) Pur dicesti, o bocca bella (Antonio Lotti) “Coeur sans amour,” from Cendrillon (Jules Massenet) Sample the program MenuValentine Mediterranean Bento & Dessert SamplerCreamy Artisan Brie, Aged Manchego, Serrano Ham, Tuscan Olive Medley, Crusty Ciabatta, Olive Tapenade, Cornichon, Fruit Compote, Rosemary-Sea Salt Roasted NutsDark Chocolate & Swing’s Espresso Truffle, Milk Chocolate Fudge, Honey-Almond Marzipan BitesSparkling Wine, Coffee & Teas *Vegetarian options available upon request Tables will be socially distanced and appropriate precautions will be in place to protect the safety of guests, artists, and staff; surfaces will be disinfected between seatings and face masks required except when seated. Heat lamps are provided for your comfort, but guests are encouraged to dress warmly, as well as elegantly. Served at 11:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm on Saturday, February 13. Rain date will be the following Sunday. Seating will begin 15 minutes before; service will begin promptly and there will be no late admission. Mezzo-Soprano Elizebeth Barnes, praised for “singing and acting with assurance, liveliness and wit,” is a third generation opera singer following in the footsteps of her paternal grandmother, and mother. Currently based in the Washington DC area, Ms. Barnes is an active performing artist in opera, new music, and choral ensembles. Ms. Barnes’ recent engagements include, participating in The Aspen Opera Center, where she covered Countess Charlotte Malcolm in A Little Night Music, and performed in multiple opera scenes and concerts. Ms. Barnes was featured in Fort Worth Opera’s Frontiers: New Work Showcase, where she sang the title role in a selection from Albert Nobbs. She was also an Apprentice Artist with Sarasota Opera, covering the role of Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte. Ms. Barnes has appeared with Hawaii Performing Arts Festival as Jo March in Little Women, where she had the opportunity to coach with composer Mark Adamo. While at Chicago Summer Opera she performed the title role in Dido and Aeneas, and performed Dorabella in Così fan tutte with Halifax Summer Opera Festival. Additionally, she has sung Prince Charmant in Cendrillon, Ruth in Pirates of Penzance, Peep-Bo in The Mikado, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro and Suor Zelatrice in Suor Angelica. Ms. Barnes is an alumna of The Hartt School of Music, and received her Masters of Music from The Eastman School of Music. Chef Ryan Houde (Corporate Executive Chef) and Chef Zubin Joseph of Seasons Culinary (Senior Executive Chef) will join forces to create the culinary portion of the Autumn Variations experience. The methodology behind Seasons menu is creative cuisine with an interpretive play on classic flavors from each featured composer’s locality using the best local ingredients our region has to offer. “Music and food are two of the greatest forces of unity. In that spirit, we look forward to creating a meal to remember!” Classical Movements will take precautions to limit the risk as much as within our power and requests the cooperation of the guests in these preventative measures, so that we can again enjoy dinner and live music and support artists in our community. Audience members are encouraged to dress warmly; limited heating will be provided by heat lamps, space heaters and small fire pits. Please note: Seating will be provided, with chairs wiped down and disinfected between dinners. Tables will have at least six feet among them. Vegetarian or gluten free meals will be available upon request in advance. For special requests and wheelchair accessibility; please contact: [email protected] or call (703) 795-7711. About the Rectory Built in 1785 and the home of Classical Movements’ offices since 2014, the building formerly served as the rectory of the nearby historic Christ Church, once the church of George Washington. Since then, it has been owned by several distinguished Virginians and has been a commercial space since the 1960’s. Located in the heart of beautiful Old Town Alexandria at 711 Princess Street, the Rectory is minutes away from the shops and restaurants of bustling King Street and is easily accessible by bus and metro. Like and follow the Rectory on Facebook Like and follow Classical Movements on Facebook