Inspired by Italy: The Romantic Poets in Song came to town for one night only on 28 May 2015. 

This fabulous operatic concert contained a string of songs by some of the world’s greatest composers set to poems by Keats, Shelley, Byron and others and was performed to a full house in one of Rome’s loveliest, but most secret, locations – the Church of Santa Maria del Priorato on the Aventine Hill. 

More than €5,000 was raised from the concert, which also included a reception in the grand salone of the Villa Magistrale and the auction of a manuscript on canvas containing a poem and sketch by Paul McMahon, winner of the Keats-Shelley Prize 2015, who donated the item for the occasion. Proceeds will be used to develop further the educational and cultural programme of the Keats-Shelley House, which receives no official public funding from either the UK or from Italy.

Special thanks to tenor Chris Elliott and pianist Ingrid Sawers for devising and delivering a splendid programme and performance on behalf of the Keats-Shelley House, and to the Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta for hosting us in the Villa and Church. Thanks are also due to Olga Polizzi and the Trusthouse Charitable Foundation for their financial sponsorship of the event, and to Ciampi of Rome for the loan of their grand piano.