Vauxhall was already a popular destination for Londoners when the great diarist Samuel Pepys was writing in the 17th century. But it needed a clever entrepreneur to turn the park with its public house into a large-scale amusement park. The best thing was: for an admission of 1 shilling everyone could mingle with aristocratic visitors, stroll along the avenues and listen to the excellent open air concerts. This is how Händel reached a mass audience even during his lifetime - consequently a monument was erected for him in Vauxhall. At dusk thousands of lights were switched on as if by magic and festive occasions with fireworks made the area look even more spectacular. The Vauxhall Gardens have been gone for a long time, these days there are the annual "Proms in the Park" in London's Hyde Park. THE KING'S CONSORT revives the legend in Sanssouci - for one night only.