So you want to appear cultured? You want to give off the impression that you spend your weekends listening to La Traviata and guzzling Champagne and caviar like they’re about to be banned as Class A drugs? Or maybe you just want to organise a date that says ‘I like to expand my cultural horizons and try new things’ rather than ‘I rarely leave the house on Sundays’.
ALL OF THE ABOVE. SO WHERE SHOULD I TAKE MY DATE?
To the BBC Proms! Nothing says dating elite, élan, or esprit like rocking up at the Royal Albert Hall of a sunny summer evening. (Except, perhaps, Lotus cars).
WAIT, WHAT?
The Proms, begun in 1941, take place every summer at the Royal Albert Hall in London’s South Kensington. They’re a series of concerts ranging from Beethoven and Strauss (21 July) to renditions of your favourite sports themes (20 July) – seriously, this is the world of classical music setting out to compete with the summer of sport we’ve been having.
HOW MUCH?
The Proms can be done on a shoestring budget. They can also be done on a diamond necklace budget. Seats range from around £8 to around to £60. There are also a few free concerts on offer. The cheapest seats are usually found behind a pillar in the nosebleed section but make it clear to your date that it’s the music that matters and you’ll probably get away with it. Besides, there’s very little to see apart from a hoard of suited musicians worrying that they’re not doing justice to some of the world’s greatest composers. Don’t worry, they are – instrumentalists (emphasis on the mentalist) are a self-critical lot).
WHAT ELSE IS NEARBY?
Kensington Gardens, specifically, the ostentatiously shiny gold memorial to Prince Albert – typhoid-stricken consort of the inconsolable Queen Victoria (who incidentally opened the Royal Albert Hall in 1871) is just across the road, which is useful if you’re opting for the shoestring option. Plan a picnic before the concert and you can break the ice but not your overdraft with a little Sainsbury’s own brand Prosecco.
DO SAY ‘I’ve never been here before, actually. Now I’m glad I saved it for a very special occasion.’
DON’T SAY ‘I’ve bought a few tickets at once actually, got a couple more dates lined up this week.’
Planning on a date at the The Proms? Tell us @Lovestruck
