I’ve never been to the Bellosguardo Estate before. I’ve avoided checking out images of the grandest mansion or the grounds, though I’ve often wondered what they must look like. 

The beach below is a favorite of mine for an afternoon stroll past the volleyball courts at East Beach. On low tide days, it’s a wonderful walk from there to Butterfly Beach and back. All the while there’s the constant presence hovering out of sight on cliffs above, one of Santa Barbara’s most well-kept secrets — the Bellosguardo Estate and the fabled past of its reclusive owner, Huguette Clark.

I was recently invited to spend a few hours at Bellosguardo for a concert titled “In a Landscape,” the concept a simple one — bring music to beautiful natural settings, provide headphones to allow the attendees to meander about while savoring the sounds of George Handel, Ludwig van Beethoven and Frédéric Chopin’s grand creations without distraction from any spot on the Bellosguardo grounds.

It’s an ambitious concept and one I discover that works flawlessly. I must admit, and I’m sure others would as well, that we’ve come more for the opportunity to peek inside Huguette’s massive French-style mansion. Imagine wandering through the hallways and various rooms — the sitting room, the study, the library, among others — to the sound of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Preludes Op. 32” serving as one’s own unique performance.

First Impressions

The word Bellosguardo, meaning “beautiful landscape,” is an apt one. The estate is set on a hilltop overlooking the ocean, with views both up and down the coast and to the mountains on the north … yet hidden from view from those down below.

The drive up to the estate winds its way up the hillside through a corridor filled with fir and palm trees with beds of colorful yellow and orange flowers on either side. We make a sharp turn to the left, and off to the right the white stone walls of the mansion shine through the trees.

Closer up where the landscape falls away, the mansion stands alone, immense in stature and looking more like something you might find in a more European setting. The setting is somewhat austere despite the views through the trees of sailboats gliding across the horizon, the cheers from the volleyball crowds, the quiet of the mountains set in the background.

Beyond are the grounds, acres of lush green grass, and not too far from the cliff’s edge, a small platform with a Steinway Grand Piano perched atop it.

A Concert of Hope 

The title of the concert series is “In a Landscape” to be held “open aire” on the Bellosguardo grounds. The concept is a simple one: present classical music in an outdoor setting that blends it with the natural world around us. 

The event at Bellosguardo is one in a series throughout the Western states ranging from the Oregon coast to Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Playing classical music in a setting like this is the brainchild of Hunter Noack, an Oregon native who grew up immersed in both its more primal wilder character and the desire to pursue a career as a concert pianist.

Out of that past came the sense that his music would be much better suited to an outdoors setting, much like the ones the great composers might have been influenced by centuries ago.

A Perfect Location?

Bellosguardo in a sense is a perfect location for the concert. Surrounded by the coastal  setting and mountainous background the music seems to merge with the quiet afternoon breeze.

I find my wife, Yvonne, working our way toward the Bellosguardo mansion eager for a peek inside. Thanks to the headphones, the music turns out to be the perfect compliment to the tour we’re allowed to take through the mansion. There are no tour guides or schedule to follow. We’re allowed to meander at will. The sound is beyond amazing no matter which part of the downstairs we’re allowed to visit.

There are no photos allowed — just questions directed to the volunteers, who graciously share tidbits of information about the estate and personal impressions to be taken away.

A Strange Juxtaposition of Past and Future

In a sense, the “In a Landscape” concept may offer the promise of a new future for the estate, not only for providing access to those who would like to visit but as a venue for future events that could help fund the Bellosguardo Foundation’s efforts to support its restoration.

For me, the walk through the stone entryway is like an adventure into a historical past that I had no clue existed in Santa Barbara. The transition from the outdoor setting through the grand entryway is so abrupt that I find few words to describe the feeling.

Straight ahead through the paned windows, I can see a long expanse of water, a reflecting pool of sorts that seems to go on forever, but to the left and right are what seem like relatively narrow hallways, the lighting dim and paintings hanging on them, reminiscent of an 1800s period in time.

Each of the rooms seems as if it has been preserved in place from the 1930s when the mansion was built. I’m told that for decades Clark paid to have the mansion preserved as she left it a half-century ago.

At the same time, I’m wondering what Bellosguardo’s future will hold. I’ve got the sound of Rachmaninoff filling my head as we continue the walk through the hallways. As I turn one corner, I spot a door leading down into what appears to be much different from the rest of the mansion. The room is large with a much higher ceiling and large windows to the north and east.

The room is filled with paintings, dozens of them, some leaning against walls, others perched on easels and some hanging here and there. Upon close inspection, they are all signed by Clark. I’m blown away at how good an artist she had been. The artworks of Japanese women are absolutely exquisite.

What a great treat.

New Beginnings

All afternoon has been a series of sensuous explosions for me, from the first glimpse of the mansion as we rounded the final corner; to the walk past the stone mansion; the exploration of the grounds, drifting about as the music plays through my head; the appreciation of what Noack has created for us to experience; the shock both of the interior of the estate and contrast with Clark’s art.

I’m left with the feeling that there will be more concerts like this in the future, perhaps more of Bellosguardo opened for the rest of us to experience and perhaps a better understanding of both its past and the coming years.

If so, I think that would be a wonderful gift to the community.