On the occasion of the premiere of Luisa Miller, the new opera inaugurating Sir Mark Elder’s tenure as Music Director at the Palau de les Arts, the restaurant Contrapunto Les Arts – managed by Gourmet Catering & Eventos – presents a special pairing menu that translates the dramatic intensity and emotional depth of this Verdi melodrama into flavors and textures.
The gastronomic proposal, available from December 10 to 22, engages in a dialogue with the opera’s plot: a story marked by the tension between love and the rigid social structures of the Ancien Régime. The menu seeks to balance tradition and delicacy, using high-quality products and carefully selected pairings.
Intrigue and love in three acts
The menu opens with bresaola carpaccio with arugula, parmesan, and lemon, a light and transparent dish that evokes the purity of Luisa and Rodolfo’s love before intrigue casts its shadow over them. At the same time, the Neapolitan roots of this dish pay homage to the place where Luisa Miller first saw the light: the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, the historic cradle of Italian opera.
The pairing with Langhe Rosso, a lively and complex wine made from six grape varieties, reflects the interplay of passion, youth, impulsiveness, and the first hints of unease.
The second culinary act delves into the heart of the drama. The hake stew is a warm, deeply flavored dish symbolizing the emotional turmoil and family pressures that begin to tear Luisa and Rodolfo apart.
The chosen pairing, Komokabras 2024 from Adega Entre os Ríos (Albariño, A Pobra, A Coruña), provides a fresh and vibrant counterpoint. The purity of the Albariño acts as a flash of clarity amid the emotional conflict that drives this second act.
The menu concludes with an apple and ricotta tart, inspired by the most touching dimension of the finale, combining the humanity, fragility, and truth of the apple with the ultimate tenderness between father and daughter, embodied by the softness of the ricotta.
The pairing with Moscatel Extra by Primitivo Quiles adds a luminous, almost contemplative final note—a Mediterranean echo that leaves a warm and lasting impression on the palate, much like the opera leaves on its audience.
This pairing menu will be available at Contrapunto Les Arts during the performances of Luisa Miller, offering guests the opportunity to extend the operatic experience beyond the stage. The restaurant thus reaffirms its commitment to a gastronomy that engages with culture and complements the Palau de les Arts’ programming with creativity, sensitivity, and a contemporary perspective.
