We are delighted to return to the beautiful wood-panelled hall at Hilles House. Our brand new show for 2024 is a love story between four singers, created from favourite opera arias and ensembles, plus unusual gems. It is sung by the stars of tomorrow and played by a string quintet of top chamber musicians. 

A million thank yous for the amazing performance last night. It was a highlight in the house’s 110 year of existence. A night to remember for all attendees. Roll on 2024! Detmar Blow

The music and a playlist

You are welcome to arrive from 6pm to enjoy the amazing views, set up your picnic, and open the bubbly. The performance will start at 7pm and you'll be able to continue your picnic afterwards, in the last rays of the setting sun.

Music by Handel, Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Puccini and many more. 

An unalloyed delight to hear such musical perfection in one short show. And the string quintet presentation was so brilliant I now want to hear all my favourite operas performed that way. Anyone not having attended really missed something special. Do yourself a favour and buy a ticket next time the Wild Arts group are in Gloucestershire. I know I will. Online review, 2023

A positively life-enhancing performance with reduced ensemble by Wild Arts as part of their Summer Tour. Opera Now Magazine

Tickets Adults £75 | Under 21s £20 | Under 16s - £10 

Forget Glyndebourne, give Garsington the brush off, high summer in the world of opera has to be Wild Arts ... the show was fast, funny, and brilliant. Every word was clear as a bell. Full credit to them; a monumental task brought off with that essence of good opera – style.

Wild Arts is a new company founded in 2022, taking opera to beautiful venues across the UK. wildarts.org.uk

Strictly limited to 100 guests. Please book early as last year's show sold out. 

Hilles House is a Grade II* Arts and Crafts house standing majestically on the edge of Gloucestershire’s rolling Cotswold hills, surveying 5 counties from its breathtaking promontory. It is flanked by generous lawns on both sides, bordered by great yew hedges and surrounded by 1000 acres of private estate.

The house is the home of Detmar Blow, grandson of Detmar Jellings Blow, the celebrated Arts & Crafts architect, and related to the celebrated 17th century composer John Blow. Detmar Blow's great grandmother Johanna Fincke was taught the piano by Clara Schumann, and his grandfather knew Gerald Finzi who visited Hilles House. The music historian Roger Thomas commented In the early 1920's, shy, repressed city boy Gerald Finzi met up with Detmar Blow and other arts and crafts types, who introduced him to exotic things like yoghurt and alternative living. In the 1930's Finzi and his wife Joy, who knew herbal lore, set up Ashmansworth (near Newbury) as a haven of natural self-sufficiency. Decades later, when Daniel Barenboim visited Jacqueline du Pré (Hilary Finzi's sister), he was horrified by their hippie ways!

The building was constructed between 1914 and 1916, and is in many ways the greatest work of the elder Detmar Blow. His many projects exemplify the style and new ideas of the time and of his friends and colleagues, including the legendary William Morris and John Ruskin.

Hilles House is often cited as a place of great inspiration for Alexander McQueen. It has always attracted creativity and creative people, including Tim Burton, Minnette de Silva, Tracey Emin, Bryan Ferry, Malcom McLaren, Gregor Muir and Philip Treacy.

More information on Hilles House

Detmar Blow, the team at Hilles House and the Wild Arts team

Timings
6pm Gardens open
7pm Performance
9.30pm Carriages

Tickets
£75 | Party of 6 for the price of 5 - £375 | Under 21s - £20 | Under 16s - £10

Programme

Verdi Prelude and Opening Scene from La Traviata
Handel V’adoro, Pupille
Verdi Dal labbro il canto from Falstaff
Gershwin Slap that bass
Tchaikovsky Ya vas lyublu from the Queen of Spades
Gershwin Someone to watch over me
Lehàr Ich bin ein anständige Frau from The Merry Widow
Rossini Act I Finale stretto from L’italiana in Algeri
Lehrer Poisoning Pigeons in the Park
Rossini Ai capriccioso from L’italiana in Algeri
Mozart Deh Vieni from The Marriage of Figaro
Verdi Tace la notte from La Trovatore
Handel Scherzt infida from Ariodante
Lortzing Quartet from Undine
Rodgers & Hammerstein You’ll never walk alone from Carousel