Olympic event we won’t be seeing

The International Olympic Committee was treated last night, 23 July, to a private gala at the Royal Opera House. The event started with a specially written fanfare by Alex Wolff and performers included Bryn Terfel and those well known Britons, Placido Domingo and Renee Fleming. Things concluded with a performance of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy performed by singers, orchestra and dancers, but the highlight of the evening seems to have been Boris Johnson reading a newly commissioned Pindaric Ode (in ancient Greek) celebrating the Games. Shame we are never going to be able to see it.