Mollies is a small luxury hotel at St. Mary’s Bay in Auckland. Mollies and music, in particular opera, go hand in hand. In association with the Auckland Opera Studio (www.aucklandoperastudio.co.nz/how_can_you_help.htm), the hotel plays host to musical evenings followed by dinner during the winter months. These are fund raising events to promote and assist young New Zealand singers with their careers.

The latest evening featured soprano Aivale Cole ably accompanied by David Wickstead on piano. In her programme, “Leontyne n’ Ella”, Aivale sang arias inspired by Leontyne Price, while during the second half she changed tack and jazzed up the 80 strong audience with Ella Fitzgerald favourites. This brilliant performance was followed by an equally superb three course dinner which our 2006 Pinot Noir accompanied. We were humbled and pleased to share our wine with so many people in the same room. The team at Mollies can be congratulated for organizing such a memorable soirée.

The remainder of the 2009 programme can be viewed on Mollies website, www.mollies.co.nz. If you can’t attend one of the evenings we can strongly recommend Mollies’ candle lit dinner experience which is preceded by a small opera performance; or even better: a weekend of indulgence in this iconic hotel.