Opera Festivals

Music, nature and picnics in the sun: here are the best country house operas to catch this summer

- Eva Mackevic

Glyndebourne Festival Opera, East Sussex

One of the oldest and most iconic opera festivals in the world, Glyndebourne started off as the eccentric landowner John Christie’s passion project in the 1930s. Christie, whose wife was the renowned soprano Audrey Mildmay, had the ambition to bring world-class opera to England, and so, what began as a small purpose-built theatre which held roughly 300 people, is now one of the world’s finest opera houses accommodating 1,200 people with an exceptional repertory to match: balancing old and new, including British premieres and new commissions, Glyndebourne regularly attracts some of the world’s greatest artists.

But there’s so much more than just music to make it an unforgettable experience. The festival’s the perfect occasion to put on your flashiest outfit (black tie and evening dress are a must!), enjoy a long, lazy picnic during the 90-minute interval, stroll through the stunning country house grounds with sheep grazing peacefully in the meadow nearby, or sit back on one of the benches with a basket of strawberries and indulge in one of the best people-watching opportunities you’ll ever get. Summer festivals don’t get better than this. May 18 to August 25, glyndebourne.com

Longborough Festival Opera, Gloucestershire

Nestled on a hillside and with splendid views over the tranquil Gloucestershire countryside, Longborough Festival Opera is an intimate 500-seat theatre, enabling audiences to experience the drama and emotion of the stage on an almost personal level.

Hailed as the “mini Bayreuth of the Cotswolds”, the theatre has long been known for showcasing upcoming Wagner singers, and achieved the impossible in 2013 by presenting a full-length production of Wagner's Ring cycle with minimal budgets.