Please note that the lift at Pitzhanger Manor is currently out of order until further notice following a safety inspection.
The Manor and exhibitions remain open as usual, and all floors continue to be accessible via stairs. However, visitors who require step-free access will currently only be able to access the lower ground level (via the Colonnade), the Wonder Room, and the Monk’s Dining Room.
Pitzhanger Gallery remains fully accessible, with lift access functioning as usual.
We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and apologise for the inconvenience caused.
For access enquiries, please contact foh@pitzhanger.org.uk before your visit.
Join Opera Prelude for Storace and Soane: Icons and Influencers at the Turn of the 19th Century, a narrated opera performance in the intimate Georgian Eating Room inside Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery.
This unique evening tells the remarkable story of architect Sir John Soane and soprano Nancy Storace (1765–1817), one of the most celebrated singers of her age. Storace was the original Susanna in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, a role created for her in 1786 that remains one of opera’s most beloved characters. Her talent and charisma made her a star across Europe, admired by composers including Mozart, Haydn, Salieri and Paisiello.
Through music and narration, the performance explores how Storace’s chance meeting with Soane developed into a lifelong family friendship, offering fresh insight into the cultural networks that shaped Georgian London.
Conductor Lewis Gaston leads Opera Prelude’s rising artists, with arias and ensembles performed to piano accompaniment by Thomas Ang. The programme features music by composers Storace knew and worked with, including Paisiello, Salieri, Sarti and Mozart.
Thursday 6 November 2025
6.15–8.15pm
Doors open at 5.45pm
There is a pay bar for refreshments
Georgian Eating Room
Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery
Ealing Green, London W5 5EQ
£20
Ticket also grants you access to Pitzhanger Manor, all exhibitions, and free Thursday Lates activities on the night.
If you wish to view the house and gallery before the talk, this ticket grants you entry from 5pm onwards.
Lewis Gaston is a British conductor specialising in opera, with a repertoire of more than 50 operas including La Traviata, Aida, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci. He has conducted across the UK and internationally with ensembles such as the Brașov Philharmonic, Toscana Classica Orchestra, Berlin Sinfonietta, Camerata di Fiorentina and State Opera Rousse. As a lecturer and conductor with Opera Prelude, he has led performances and talks on composers from Verdi to Bizet, and created lecture-performances exploring soprano Nancy Storace and architect Sir John Soane.
Shafali Jalota (Soprano) — British-American soprano Shafali Jalota has been praised for her “stunning vocal technique and poised stage presence” (Opera Today). A 2023/24 Young Artist at the National Opera Studio and Britten Pears Young Artist, she has performed internationally with companies including the Royal Ballet & Opera, Glyndebourne, English Touring Opera, Longborough Opera, Opera Neo and Chautauqua Opera. Recent highlights include Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Berta (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Argene (L’Olimpiade), and Romilda (Serse). She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Maryland Opera Studio.
Brenton Spiteri (Tenor) — Australian-Maltese tenor Brenton Spiteri is based in London and in demand across opera and concert stages. A graduate of the University of Melbourne and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, he has sung leading roles including Tom Rakewell (The Rake’s Progress), Edmondo (Manon Lescaut), Almaviva (The Barber of Seville), Ferrando (Così fan tutte), and Tamino (The Magic Flute). He has performed with English Touring Opera, Waterperry Opera, Victorian Opera, and Opéra de Lyon, and is a recipient of the Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarship and the Herald Sun Aria prize.
Thomas Ang (Piano) — Praised for his “thoughtful programming and excellent technique,” pianist Thomas Ang is recognised as a specialist in the music of Kapustin and Medtner, and is recording the complete piano works of Medtner to critical acclaim. He has a strong affinity for contemporary and experimental music, regularly performing premieres worldwide, and is dedicated to championing overlooked and minority composers. Thomas also works as a répétiteur for the Royal Ballet and is active as a coach, accompanist, and arranger.
Opera Prelude is a UK charity dedicated to supporting emerging opera singers at the start of their careers. For almost 15 years, it has provided young artists with performance opportunities, career guidance and mentoring, while also offering audiences unique insights into the world of opera. Through lecture-performances, recitals and talks, Opera Prelude brings artists and audiences closer together, nurturing both new talent and new appreciation for the art form.
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Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery
Ealing Green, London W5 5EQ
Ticketing, Opening Hours and Tour Enquiries: foh@pitzhanger.org.uk
Retail Enquires: retail@pitzhanger.org.uk
Reception: 020 3985 8888
Venue Hire: 020 3994 0966
Office: 020 3994 0967
Wednesday - Sunday: 10:00 - 17:00
First Thursday of the month: 10:00 - 20:00
Monday - Tuesday: Closed
Bank Holidays: 10:00 - 17:00
Last admissions one hour before closing
Pitzhanger Gallery closes at 6pm on 7 May
Please note that Pitzhanger Gallery will close to General Admission visitors from 6pm on Thursday 7 May for the Phoebe Collings-James in Conversation event. If you would like to visit Phoebe Collings-James: a rose, a bridge, a house, please arrive before 6pm or book a ticket for the artist talk. Pitzhanger Manor and other open areas remain accessible during our usual Thursday Late opening hours.
Questions? Email us at foh@pitzhanger.org.uk.
Partial Closure: 9 May, 11am–1pm
Please note that the Eating Room in Pitzhanger Manor will be closed at 11am–1pm on 9 May for a private function. Artworks in the affected space will be temporarily off view, but General Admission continues as usual. All rooms will be open before and after this time during our regular opening hours.
Questions? Email us at foh@pitzhanger.org.uk.
Partial Closure: 22 May, Noon–5pm
Please note that Pitzhanger Manor will be closed at Noon–5pm on 22 May for a private function. Marthe Armitage: Pattern Maker and parts of Phoebe Collings-James: a rose, a bridge, a house will be unavailable.
Pitzhanger Gallery, the shop and café remain open, with partial access to Phoebe Collings-James: a rose, a bridge, a house at Pitzhanger Gallery. Reduced-price admission is available for the affected hours. All rooms will be open before and after this time during our regular opening hours.
Questions? Email us at foh@pitzhanger.org.uk.
Partial Closure: 23 May, 1–5pm
Please note that the Upper Drawing Room in Pitzhanger Manor will be closed at 1–5pm on 23 May for a private function. Artworks in the affected space will be temporarily off view, but General Admission continues as usual. All rooms will be open before and after this time during our regular opening hours.
Questions? Email us at foh@pitzhanger.org.uk.
Partial Closure: 24 May, 1–5pm
Please note that the Upper Drawing Room in Pitzhanger Manor will be closed at 1–5pm on 24 May for a private function. Artworks in the affected space will be temporarily off view, but General Admission continues as usual. All rooms will be open before and after this time during our regular opening hours.
Questions? Email us at foh@pitzhanger.org.uk.
Partial Closure: 30 May, 10am–5pm
Please note that the Upper Drawing Room in Pitzhanger Manor will be closed at 10am–5pm on 30 May for a private function. Artworks in the affected space will be temporarily off view, but General Admission continues as usual. All rooms will be open before and after this time during our regular opening hours.
Questions? Email us at foh@pitzhanger.org.uk.
Curator Tour: Phoebe Collings-James
Join us on Thursday 4 June at 6.30pm for a special curator tour of Phoebe Collings-James: a rose, a bridge, a house.
The tour is included with general admission as part of our Thursday Late opening. Simply book your general admission ticket for the evening to attend.
Questions? Email us at foh@pitzhanger.org.uk.
Pitzhanger Plant Sale: 7 June
Join us for the Pitzhanger Plant Sale 2026 in the Front Garden on Sunday 7 June, 10am–2pm. No ticket is required to visit the Plant Sale.
Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery will remain open as usual with general admission. If you would also like to visit the historic manor and our exhibitions, please continue to book your tickets as normal.
Pay-what-you-can admission for Ealing Borough residents is also available as usual from 10am–noon. Proof of eligibility required.
Questions? Email us at foh@pitzhanger.org.uk.
Important Visitor Information: 24–25 June
Please note that Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery will be closed on 24 June for a private event. On 25 June, the site will reopen from 1pm, with last entry at 4pm.
Please plan your visit accordingly and book afternoon tickets if visiting on 25 June.
Questions? Email us at foh@pitzhanger.org.uk.
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