The sound of swing, the theatrical flourish of a Champagne bottle opened with a saber, and a food selection designed to go with the live music. On Saturday, November 14, 2026, starting at 7 p.m., the Winter Garden Bar at The St. Regis Florence hosts Orchestra & Champagne: A St. Regis Orchestra Night With The Italian Society, an evening that brings the allure of the great orchestras and the ritual of the aperitivo back to the heart of Florence.
A year after its Florentine debut, the band formerly known as the St. Regis Orchestra is back under the name The Italian Society. It’s a return that puts swing center stage, along with its knack for turning a night out into a chance to meet, somewhere between music, conversation and the pleasures of the table.
The return of swing and the sabrage ritual
Adding to the evening is an exclusive sabrage show with Bollinger Champagne, the ritual of opening a bottle with a single stroke of a saber. It’s a spectacular gesture that recalls the St. Regis tradition of hospitality and sets the mood for the event.
The music of The Italian Society will accompany a standing aperitivo, a format that leaves room for conviviality and the freedom to follow the performance without the formality of a seated dinner.
The setting is the Winter Garden Bar, inside The St. Regis Florence on Piazza Ognissanti. Here, the November 14 event revives the bond between live music and grand hotels, places where entertainment has long played an important part in social life.
An aperitivo of Bollinger Champagne and contemporary cuisine
The food is built around a selection of dishes that move between international influences and references to Italian cooking.
Among the bites are squid-ink cuttlefish takoyaki with yuzu mayonnaise, a nod to Japanese cuisine, and eggplant and provola croquettes on a tomato velouté. The lineup continues with a mini pastrami sandwich with mustard and sweet-and-sour pickles, a mini lobster roll with tartar sauce and red cabbage, and a beef tartare with olive oil, shallot and whole-grain mustard.
What sets the menu apart is also the cacio, pepe and Bollinger Champagne risotto, which reworks a classic Italian pairing, pecorino cheese and black pepper, by bringing Champagne into the dish as an ingredient.
The finale is a selection of bite-size pastries, while on the drinks side guests can choose between a glass of Bollinger Champagne or a signature cocktail.
It’s a menu meant to be enjoyed over the course of the evening, with the variety of bites following the rhythm of the music and the relaxed spirit of the aperitivo.
Orchestra & Champagne: how to attend
The event takes place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, starting at 7 p.m., at the Winter Garden Restaurant & Bar of The St. Regis Florence, Piazza Ognissanti 1.
Tickets are €80 per person, including the food selection and a glass of Bollinger Champagne or a signature cocktail of your choice. The dress code for the evening is smart elegant.
To book, use the direct reservation link.
For more information: +39 055 2716 3770 or restaurant.stregis@stregis.com.
