Dramatic and stunning, it is hard to miss the great dome of the Royal Albert Hall just a pleasant walk through the beautiful Presidential Apartments London. This is one of the greatest music venues anywhere in the world, attracting top class performers like Elton John, Sting, Sarah Brightman, One Direction. It is a perfect location for a night out in London as there is always some event taking place at the Royal Albert Hall. Among the upcoming events are performances of Swan Lake, Late Night Jazz, The Royal Philharmonia performing Gustav Holst’s The Planets, Space Exploration with the Royal College of Music and a concert by Katherine Jenkins. Daytime activities also take place such as tea dances, coffee mornings, Arabian Nights story telling, African Drumming and much more.
So what makes the Royal Albert Hall so special? The idea for a concert hall of this type was first put forward by Prince Albert, consort to Queen Victoria as part of his plans for group of buildings that would act as cultural hub for the general public. Among the other buildings forming part of this plan included the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Science Museum, and all of it only a short stroll from serviced apartments central London. Prince Albert died before these plans could be completed and it was decided to honour him by creating a concert hall and special memorial.
The result was the Royal Albert Hall and the Albert Memorial which stands just in front of the entrance. Ever since the opening, the Royal Albert Hall has attracted performers of global musical calibre. It has been the setting for many special celebrations such as the 25th anniversary performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera which broadcast worldwide, as well as being filmed for DVD. The Royal Albert Hall was also the location of the 100th anniversary performance of the Royal Variety Performance, in the presence of HM The Queen and Prince Philip.
For the visitors staying in Aparthotels London, guided tours can be booked for this iconic building (contact the Royal Albert Hall on http://www.royalalberthall.com/your-visit/tours). The topics are wide ranging so choose your tour carefully. Among the tours available include a Secret History Tour dealing with ghost hunters, gangsters, swindlers and charlatans, an Afternoon tea tour combining a Grand Tour with a relaxing Afternoon Tea, a Behind the Scenes tour and an unusual Inside Out Achitectural Tour which follows the contours of the building. As the Royal Albert Hall is a working building, each tour can vary slightly depending on which areas are in use – and may include opportunities to see performers rehearsing ready for their evening performances.
