Commenters on an earlier post speculate whether Our Nation's Leaders lack an interest in the arts.
Certainly, compared with Festspiele-groupie Angela Merkel, their collective operatic profile is non-existent. But then few of them swan around in paparazzi-friendly lilac taffeta. Could they be sneaking in under the radar with all the other middle-aged, middle-class denizens of the posh seats?
I decided to undertake a little online investigation.
My first call was the House of Commons' Register of Member's Financial Interests. This is where MPs are required to declare gifts exceeding 1% of their parliamentary salary (£65,738). Given the £660 threshold I didn't expect to find much.
But look at this. Ivan Lewis, MP for Bury South and Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport received from the Royal Opera House tickets for ballet valued at £2,000 (!) on 28 February 2011. That was the date of the gala premiere of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a sold-out show and supposedly a fundraising performance. I don't know how how many seats £2,000 would have bought you, and how many wealthy potential donors Mr Lewis and his party kept out as he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Boy George, Lizzie Cundy and Mary Portas Queen of Shops.
At least the Royal Opera House got something for their money. "I would not have stood aside and washed my hands of responsibility as arts organisations faced the cumulative impact of Arts Council, Local Government Development Agency and Higher Education cuts," said Mr Lewis a couple of months later.
Of course MPs don't have to declare every single little gift they receive. Like Nick Brown MP, taken to £62 Opera Holland Park by a thrifty PR.
But that's where the trail ran out. It seems if MPs do go to the opera house, they don't leave any documentary evidence.
So, do we have any MPs who aren't positively philistine? Any sightings?
