I thought that was a bit recognisable."Davies, Hare and Wilton are a tried and tested triumvirate. The 1994 film A Secret Rapture, which they directed, wrote and starred in, respectively, found critical acclaim. Davies explains: "David writes in a way which is comedic, but because he uses language as power, and not as self-expression. Four of the five works in this Hall?oncert were created to be danced, one of them by elephants. They prefer waltzes, apparently, but, at the risk of a stampede, they got a polka. Whatever the confusion Stravinsky's rhythms aroused in the pachyderms of the Barnum and Bailey Circus, his Circus Polka made for a perfectly executed curtain-raiser to the musical circus that followed, one of the more curious programmes presented by this orchestra. The Hall? new assistant conductor, Andr?e Ridder, was in the firing line; he was conducting Satie's short ballet Parade when music director Mark Elder, in the percussion role of pistol-player, swaggered in, shooting from the hip. While the band played on (strains of Irving Berlin's That Mysterious Rag drifting alongside a catchy cakewalk tune) the Coronation Street butcher (John Savident) went clickety-click on a typewriter, and the Manchester City Council chief executive tried his luck on a wheel of fortune.
Along the corridor, with original mosaic floor tiles in red, green and black, and through a pair of magnificent 19th-century French walnut and leather doors, is the kitchen; a contemporary contrast to the rest of the apartment with oak cupboards and an induction system hob.One of the reasons that Orsini has managed to seamlessly blend 19th century English and Asian styles is because of his passion for travelling and collecting. Each time, he returns from his travels with more exquisite furniture and objets to put in his home. "This flat is a testament to my work and my style," says Orsini "With this flat, I am selling the concept of its design. Now that the project is complete, I feel that it's time to move on to the next one."Cleveland Square is for sale at £1.1m through Foxtons in Notting Hill (020-7616 7000). From the window in the guest bedroom, the view takes in the dining room window and also looks across to the square. All the fireplaces in the flat are open and working, which means that during the evening the flickering flames are mirrored in numerous reflective surfaces "Night-time is the perfect time in this flat," says Orsini.
"The colours, the reflections and the soft lighting are very seductive. It is intimate and cosy, with a dramatic edge."Not everything in the apartment pays homage to the past, however. The living room, which opens on to the library and dining room, glows a dark burnished Pompeiian red, creating a warm and inviting living space. The flat still has its original pine floorboards, and these have been renovated and coloured a mellow dark golden shade to echo the warmth of the walls. In the corner of the sitting room stands an impressively large Rubelli silk-covered sofa dating from 1850, which was found in a castle in Northumberland.The walls of the master bedroom are also finished in Marmorino, but here a softer Terra di Sienna shade has been used. The room adjoins an en-suite shower room which is entered via a set of Art Deco doors, the thin framework of which has been covered in narrow strips of mirrored glass.
