Historical v Contemporary?

Tree peonies at the Cleary Garden

In London yesterday we passed this beautiful display of Japanese tree peonies. The display is on a busy road near Mansion House station and fronts the Cleary Garden. What a surprise on an overcast day. So many different colours and full of rosy scent! 
We were on our way to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse which is the new indoor theatre next to the Globe. I knew I was going to like it, but I didn't know just how much. I think enchanting might be my adjective of choice, although endearing is a close runner. It is stunningly beautiful. Especially as it's candlelit. Real flames! A biff in the eye for Health and Safety. Take a look at the pics on the website HERE.
 I'd bought the tickets more than six months ago because I Fagiolini, the vocal ensemble I wanted to see, have a very dedicated following. Even all that time ago, there were only a handful of tickets left. 
You are allowed to tell me that an evening of semi-staged sixteenth century Italian madrigals is a bit too niche for most people and I can't begin to tell you how glad I am about that. If everyone knew how funny, moving, exciting and thrillingly virtuosic they are, I'd never get tickets.
Last night I Fagiolini sang only one madrigal by Gesualdo, the anti-hero of my latest novel, Madrigal. In my book, the heroine is rather rude about his music and certainly, there's not a whistle-able tune in his entire oeuvre, yet still it manages to exert a strange power all these years later...
After the concert, we walked back over the Millennium Bridge. The lights and fantastical shapes of the skyline bursting with contemporary enchantment. While chugging round the Circle Line, I fell to thinking about where to set my next novel . Contemporary or historical? It's a hard choice. 

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