The insiders' guide to the country house opera season – and what to book this summer

Telegraph

13-05-2025

The country house opera season is upon us and – in contrast to those Arcadian days when Glyndebourne alone offered culture vultures the twin attractions of high notes and high society in a rural setting – in 2025 there are a host of festivals to pick from. Uncertain which to go for? Not sure if you'll actually like the opera when you get there? Here's your essential guide to getting the best out of the season, curated by experts who've been packing their picnic blankets and weeping to Puccini since infancy, or close to.
Dos and don'ts, including what to wear
Glyndebourne
Garsington
Grange Park
All the rest
The Overview
Performances at most country house opera festivals offer the same format: the opera begins in the mid-afternoon, there's an interval of 90 minutes in which you can have a leisurely supper, on a picnic blanket should you so choose, and then the whole thing is over by 10pm at the latest, allowing decent time for most to get home (earlier on Sunday).
The opera itself rarely takes place in an actual country house, that's usually just nearby, and neither does the performance happen in the open air. Most festivals boast purpose-built opera houses, and operas are sung in the original language, with English surtitles.
Dos and don'ts: the rules no one tells you
Do
Wear what you want – so long as it's warm
It's actually a myth you have to wear black tie these days. But it's nicer to dress up isn't it? And people really do! The vital thing, however, is that you bring layers, the golden sun you may have been strutting your stuff in at 3pm will be gone by the time of the dinner interval, likely after 6pm.
Prepare for rain
Most of the festivals provide covered areas to eat in (some at a price) but we're all in favour of a big umbrella and a waterproof picnic blanket.
Book the restaurant
This is a must if you're terrible at picnics or really can't stand the cold. All the grander festivals have them. They're not cheap but they're usually pretty good. Last minute availability is a rarity so book a table when you buy your tickets.
Mug up beforehand
Opera benefits from knowing the story, particularly if it is Wagner. Also, you won't get a chance during the long interval because you'll be drinking too much champagne, or admiring the sheep.
Arrive early
If you're picnicking you want to nab a good spot.
Bring your own booze
The bars are extortionate.
Bring your glasses!
So you can read the surtitles.
Don't
Be scared of the unknown
Often the more obscure operas attract the most brilliant interpretations. Book with courage.
Wear stilettos
You'll leave them behind in the mud beautifully manicured lawn.
Leave your programme behind
The country house festivals do a single programme for their whole season – so you might well need it again – and include some very classy articles. Glyndebourne programmes are collectors' items in their own right.
Dither at the end
Car parks are usually in fields and exits and entrances aren't their strong points. Leave snappily after the last curtain call. And the Glyndebourne bus can leave quite promptly too, you're pretty stuck if you miss it.
The top six festivals
Glyndebourne, East Sussex
The one that started it all
In a nutshell
The mother-ship of country house opera festivals. Founded in 1934 by Sussex landowner John Christie to please his opera-singer wife, Glyndebourne invented the 90-minute dinner interval. It remains the gold standard musically. The original artistic trio behind its first productions, German émigrés all three, reinvented how opera was done in Britain with the inspired idea that singers act as well as sing. Productions continue to be exquisite affairs, benefiting from a luxurious seven-week rehearsal period. Since the opening of a large new auditorium in 1994 – with probably the best acoustics in the land – the festival no longer completely sells out.
Our picks of the 2025 programme
Parsifal (May 17-June 24) The hottest ticket at Glyndebourne this year for true opera geeks is the festival's first-ever production of Wagner's last opera, his take on the quest for the Holy Grail of Arthurian legend. Glyndebourne's resident conductor, the always brilliant Robin Ticciati, holds the baton. Warning: it's six hours long including two intervals.
Le nozze di Figaro (June 29-Aug 21)
Mozart's operatic masterpiece, the tale of the mischief-making servant Figaro, in a new production by director Mariame Clément, responsible for a delightful and very pretty Don Pasquale at the Festival. There's real star casting here in the form of glamrous Brit Louise Alder singing the Countess. Glyndebourne's particular forte is Mozart, you can't really go wrong here.
... if you only see one thing
Saul (June 8-July 24)
Glyndebourne's – if not the country's – most brilliant production of the past 20 years. Australian director Barrie Kosky – opera's answer to Baz Luhrmann – has set Handel's marvellous oratorio about the biblical King Saul on stage to spectacular effect. Think King Lear by way of Caravaggio – with added dancing. Many of the original cast return for this revival.
Easy to get to? Not really. Trains go to Lewes but then you have to get a coach, that the Festival organisers lay on. Taxis are almost impossible to come by unless you book ahead. You're safest driving.
What does it cost? Tickets go from £15 (for standing tickets) to £315. As mentioned, the acoustics are particularly good so you'll do fine in the gods if you're on a budget. Tickets: glyndebourne.com
Insider tip: Keep your eye on Box 6, stage left. It is owner, and grandson of the founder, Gus Christie's box and he and his wife, the talented soprano Danielle de Niese, may well make an appearance with celebrity guests. Insider tip #2: if rain looks certain, the terraces of the opera house itself are covered so bag yourself a pew there for your picnic (it's free).
Garsington Opera
The cool choice
In a nutshell
Founded in 1989 by the impresario Leonard Ingrams, this has a wow factor that's quite different from Glyndebourne's. A lot of that has to do with the sleekness of its 600-seat pavilion, designed by Robin Snell and Partners, which is possibly the only glass opera house in the world. Beware, though. Making your way to one of the dining tents in severe wet weather can sometimes feel akin to slogging through the trenches of the Somme.
Our picks of the 2025 programme
The Queen of Spades (May 29-July 4)
One of Garsington's big draws is that it boasts two fine resident orchestras – the English Concert and the Philharmonia. The latter will be crucial in bringing Tchaikovsky's heartbreakingly sad tragedy – about a strange young soldier who becomes obsessed with the guardian of the young woman he loves – to vivid life.
Fidelio (June 27-July 22)
At Glyndebourne in the 1970s, John Cox directed many acclaimed productions including The Rake's Progress (with designs by David Hockney) that is still being revived in the 2020s. This startlingly raw take on Beethoven's only opera – about a woman's bid to save her imprisoned husband from execution – proves why he is one of the best in the business
... if you only see one thing
L'elisir d'amore (May 28-July 21)
Comic opera is something of a Garsington forte, and this new production of Donizetti's sparkling (if confusing) work about love potions and misunderstandings reunites director Christopher Luscombe and designer Simon Higlett who worked there previously on The Barber of Seville, a gorgeous rich pudding of a production. Adept opera buffa baritone Richard Burkhard stars.
Easy to get to? Garsington is set in the beautiful Wormley Estate on the Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire border, and thus very easy to access by car. Public transport is more of a challenge, although station transfers from High Wycombe are available for £12 each way. You can also get the Oxford Tube and alight at Lewknor, but you will then need to book a taxi.
What does it cost? There's a Let's GO! scheme for the under 36s and prices are £35/£40. Otherwise, prices range from £180 to £295 – note that Saturdays are more expensive, and these prices are inclusive of an £80 voluntary donation. Tickets: garsingtonopera.org
Insider tip: If you are coming with a big party (up to 12 people), it makes sense to try to book The Granary, an utterly charming dinner spot nestled deep in the opera garden.
Grange Park Opera, Surrey
The place to see the big names
In a nutshell
Inaugurated and run by the force of nature that is Wasfi Kani. Kani is an arts impresario and conductor who has been bringing opera into prisons for the past 35 years. When she learnt that friend and TV presenter Bamber Gascoigne, most celebrated for his stewardship of University Challenge, had inherited the picturesque dilapidated mansion of West Horsley Place from an aged aunt she persuaded him to loan it to her so that she could realise her dream of running an opera festival. In this she has succeeded magnificently, building a very serviceable auditorium in its delightful garden and luring some of the world's most successful stars to sing there. Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel is a particular favourite.
Our picks of the 2025 programme
Madama Butterfly (June 7-July 5)
An elegant, simple production that brings out the sheer emotional heft of this tale of a naive Japanese girl who marries an American officer. Hye-Youn Lee, recently winning critical raves for her portrayal of Violetta in Scottish Opera's La traviata plays the tragic Cio-Cio San.
... if you only see one thing
Simon Boccanegra (June 5-July 11)
Verdi's rarely performed opera about Genoese politicking, sumptuous and underrated, boasts the most stellar casting of the circuit this year, Simon Keenlyside, truly one of the world's top baritones and an actor of great artistry.
Easy to get to? Yes, it is just off the A246 between Leatherhead and Guildford and close to London. Horsley station is only a mile away.
What does it cost? Prices range from £80 to £270, but there is also the opportunity for those under the age of 36 to book tickets for just £36 each. Tickets: grangeparkopera.co.uk
Insider tip: Marvel at the enjoyably wonky and ancient crinkle crankle wall that borders the west side of the garden. The serpentine shape was developed in the 17th century to dodge the brick tax, since if a wall is built in a wave it only needs to be one rather than two bricks deep.
Longborough Festival, Oxfordshire
The choice for Wagner lovers
In a nutshell
Nestled in the rolling north Cotswolds, Longborough still benefits from the influence of its quirky and charismatic founder Martin Graham who died last month. Kitsch-as-you-like Greek statues adorn the salmon-pink main building; an indication of the festival's un-stuffiness. But if Longborough's atmosphere exudes a whiff of camp, it is deeply serious in its musical intent and its season is almost always made up of entirely new productions. Since its founding in 1991, it has become famed for its productions of Wagner, always under the aegis of the great Anthony Negus, one of the best conductors in the business.
Our picks of the 2025 programme
Il Barbiere di Siviglia (June 8-July 13)
Versions of Rossini's great comic opera about a lecherous old man and his fiery ward may be two-a-penny, but what makes this production stand out is the presence of Elaine Kelly, the resident conductor of Irish National Opera who has taken that organisation into the big league, bagging a Grammy in the process.
Pelléas et Melisande (June 28-July 10)
Debussy's haunting, exquisitely beautiful opera about a love triangle and its devastating consequences, still feels fresh and innovative. A reaction to the intoxicating influence of Wagner, this will, fittingly enough, be conducted by Negus.
...if you only see one thing:
Wahnfried: the Birth of the Wagner Cult (May 27-June 14)
While there are no productions of Wagner this year (you will have to wait until Tristan und Isolde in 2026), there is a UK premiere of Avner Dorman's opera which begins with Wagner's death and his family's subsequent battle over how to mythologise the great man. Described as a musical mash-up of Kurt Weill and Shostakovich, this is proof that Longborough is not a sleepy country house cousin, but a centre of boundary-pushing innovation.
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Easy to get to? Not really, but that is part of the appeal. The website rather charmingly recommends a 60-90 minute walk through fields from Moreton-In-Marsh station! Otherwise, there is a shuttle service from Moreton (£16 return), or you can check the website for taxi services.
What does it cost? Tickets range from £30 (restricted view) to £230. Tickets: lfo.org.uk
Insider tip: If you are a lone traveller, you are welcome to join the Longborough table for dinner and join the conversation with like-minded opera lovers.
The Grange Festival
The choice that won't blow the budget
In a nutshell
The Grange was formed in 2016, and was primarily an opera festival, with two orchestras in residence – the Academy of Ancient Music and the mighty Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
However, opera is now slightly diminished, and this season, masterminded by the improbably named Tyler Stoops, offers only three, alongside a bit of midbrow pap (although to be fair, there is also the fabulous Ballet Black). There are, however, selling points. The 19th-century mansion – owned by the Baring family – is a classical delight, while there are 5,000 tickets priced at less than £100 (starting at £12).
Our picks of the 2025 programme
Die Fledermaus (June 20-July 5)
The superb baritone Charles Rice deserves to be better known, so catch him here in Johann Strauss's fabulously frothy operetta about mistaken identity during a masked ball on New Year's Eve. Here, the setting has been moved to the 1920s, so expect bright young things a-go-go.
... if you only see one thing
Les Indes Galantes (June 30-July 2)
Rameau's beautiful opera-ballet – which comprises four separate love stories played against interference from the gods – gets a thorough overhaul, combining that beautiful score with some contemporary street dance. This is the first chance to see it – the production then travels to La Scala and Madrid's Teatro Real.
Easy to get to? Another opera festival that is miles from a train station (Winchester, the nearest, is 20 minutes away by taxi). There is also a coach service from that station which costs £15 (return) or £7.50 if you are eligible for The Grange's under 36's scheme.
What does it cost? As previously stated, tickets start at £12 (80 per cent of tickets are priced under £200). Top whack is £240. Tickets: thegrangefestival.co.uk
Insider tip: Make sure you book a tour so you can snoop around the house. It is crumbling – it is a protected monument like Stonehenge – but one of the finest examples of Greek revivalist architecture in the country.
Buxton International Festival
The choice for those who are bored of The Barber of Seville
In a nutshell
This is a bit of a cheat. Buxton is not a country house festival, and for many years it has encompassed other art forms (it was originally a drama festival, founded in 1937 by the formidable Lilian Baylis). But opera is a crucial cog, and what makes this special is its wilfully recondite programme.
Madama Butterfly? Pah! La bohème? Don't make me laugh. You're more likely to be serenaded by George Benjamin in this arty-crafty town. Productions take place in either the beautiful 1903 Opera House or the Pavilion Arts Centre, and if you want a break from all the culture, the Peak District is on your doorstep.
Our picks of the 2025 programme
Orphée (July 14-24)
Marc-Antoine Charpentier's La descente d'Orphée aux enfers is one of the neglected gems of baroque opera and this production by the award-winning period ensemble Vache Baroque promises to be quirky in a good way. It's Orphée and Eurydice's wedding day, but the honeymoon is cancelled when the bride is bitten by a snake and dies. Will the tragic groom follow his dearly departed to the underworld?
... if you only see one thing
Hamlet (July 12-22)
Shakespeare's great Dane has provided a lot of inspiration for composers over the years, most recently in Brett Dean's splendid 2017 opera, commissioned for the Glyndebourne Festival. This one by Ambroise Thomas was very popular in 19th-century France and followed in the wake of Ophelia-mania which gripped Paris due to Harriet Smithson's dramatic performance at the Odéon. Opera North's terrific orchestra will accompany rising baritone Gregory Feldmann in the title role.
Easy to get to? At last, yes! A festival with a train station close by. Whoever would have thought it? Watch out for pesky engineering works at weekends, though. Conversely, coming by car is more of a problem – parking spaces within the town fill up very quickly.
What does it cost? Very affordable. Tickets range from £10 (there is a Next Generation Friends scheme for the under 35s) to £91. Tickets: buxtonfestival.co.uk
Insider tip: Buxton is a fascinating town and it is worth getting there a day early simply to explore. The must-see is the Devonshire Dome, once the largest unsupported dome in the world (bigger than both the Pantheon and St Peter's Basilica in Rome).
Also worth a visit:
Nevill Holt Festival
Launched by the irrepressible David Ross (he of Carphone Warehouse fame), this festival is important because it is located in the Leicestershire countryside, a long way from any other opera hotspots. Sadly, only one operatic production is happening this year, but it's a good one – a gorgeous-sounding production of Così fan tutte, produced in association with Opera North.
Tickets: nevillholtfestival.com
Dorset Opera Festival
Bryanston School near Blandford Forum was an early advocate of progressive arts education, so it is fitting that it is the centre for this short-run festival which, this year, features Rigoletto and a double-bill – Puccini's Suor Angelica and Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana. There is also a summer school which has an excellent reputation for nurturing emerging artists and opera stars of the future.
Tickets: dorsetopera.com
Waterperry Opera Festival
More Glastonbury than Glyndebourne is the mantra for this festival which focuses on emerging operatic talent. The draw here is the absolutely enchanting gardens (it is based on the Waterperry estate, about eight miles north of Oxford), and alongside the opera there are some commendably ambitious concerts including, this year, a song cycle based on the life of Anne Frank.
Tickets: waterperryoperafestival.co.uk
Opera Holland Park
Set in the distinctly unrural environs of west London, Opera Holland Park does, nevertheless, evoke a sense of bucolic calm. It's not a country house affair; there is no dinner interval – but it nevertheless feels very special – an evening worth dusting down the tuxedo for. The beauty lies in its eclectic programme which this year includes some Wagner, Gilbert and Sullivan, a modern opera by Jonathan Dove and La traviata.
Tickets: operahollandpark.com