ENTERTAINMENT IN LONDON - London 2015 - page 707

from memory, visitors—who are welcome—are given an order of service or a pray-
er book to help them follow along. (If you're not familiar with the order of service,
watch the congregation to know when to stand, sit, and kneel.)
You can attend services in many of England's grandest churches—but be aware
that evensong typically takes place in the small choir area—which is far more in-
timate than the main nave. (To see the full church in action, a concert is a better
choice.) Evensong generally occurs daily between 17:00 and 18:00 (often two hours
earlier on Sun)—check with individual churches for specifics. At smaller churches,
evensong is sometimes spoken, not sung.
Note that evensong is not a performance—it's a somewhat somber worship ser-
vice. If you enjoy worshipping in different churches, attending evensong can be a
trip-capping highlight. But if regimented church services aren't your thing, consider
getting a different music fix. Most major churches also offer organ or choral con-
certs—look for posted schedules or ask at the information desk or gift shop.
Evensong services are held at several churches, including St. Paul's Cathedral (see
details on here ) , Westminster Abbey (see here ) , Southwark Cathedral (see here ) , and St.
Bride's Church (Sun at 17:30, tel. [phone], www.stbrides.com ).
Free organ recitals are usually held on Sunday at 17:45 in Westminster Abbey (30
minutes, tel. [phone]). Many other churches have free concerts; ask for the London
Organ Concerts Guide at the TI.
OTHER PERFORMANCES
Prom Concerts: For a fun classical event (mid-July-mid-Sept), attend a Prom Concert
(shortened from “Promenade Concert”) during the annual festival at the Royal Albert Hall.
Nightly concerts are offered at give-a-peasant-some-culture prices (cheap standing-room
“Promming” spots sold at the door, nearly-as-cheap restricted-view seats and pricier good
ones sold in advance, Tube: South Kensington, www.bbc.co.uk/proms ) .
Opera: Some of the world's best opera is belted out at the prestigious Royal Opera
House, near Covent Garden ( www.roh.org.uk ), and at the London Coliseum (English Na-
tional Opera, St. Martin's Lane, Tube: Leicester Square, www.eno.org ) . Or consider tak-
ing in an unusual opera at the King's Head pub in Islington, home of London's Little
Opera House (11 Upper Street, Tube: Angel, www.kingsheadtheatre.com ) .
Dance: The critically acclaimed Royal Ballet—where Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf
Nureyev forged their famous partnership—is based at the Royal Opera House