Opera house Glyndebourne offers its first-ever virtual festival for shutdown times

Spokeswoman Kate Harvey said: “We will be bringing the Glyndebourne Festival experience direct to people’s homes by streaming a full-length opera, for free, on the Glyndebourne website and YouTube channel at 5pm every Sunday, and helping the public to recreate an afternoon at the Festival in their own homes.” The programme is: MAY 24 - LE NOZZE DI FIGARO 5pm on May 24 and on demand for one week Watch on the Glyndebourne website or YouTube channel glyndebourne.com Glyndebourne Open House will commence with Michael Grandage’s much-loved production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, which moves the actions to the 1970s. Conducted by Glyndebourne’s Music Director Robin Ticciati, the cast includes Sally Matthews (Countess), Lydia Teuscher (Susanna), Vito Priante (Figaro), Auden Iversen (Count) and Isabel Leonard (Cherubino). MAY 31 - COSI FAN TUTTE 5pm on May 31 and on demand for one week Watch on the Glyndebourne website or YouTube channel or on Classic FM’s Facebook page glyndebourne.com Nicholas Hytner’s beautiful production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte is a Glyndebourne classic. Conductor Ivan Fischer teases artful performances from an outstanding international cast that includes Topi Lehtipuu (Ferrando), Luca Pisaroni (Guglielmo), Miah Persson (Fiordiligi) and Anke Vondung (Dorabella). JUNE 7 - DON GIOVANNI From 5pm on June 7 and on demand for one week Watch on the Glyndebourne website or YouTube channel or on Classic FM’s Facebook page More info: glyndebourne.com Jonathan Kent's sleek and suspenseful production of Don Giovanni stars Gerald Finley in the title role with Luca Pisaroni as Leporello, Kate Royal as Donna Elvira, and young Russian soprano Anna Samuil as Donna Anna. Vladimir Jurowski conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Kate added: “Glyndebourne is recognised internationally as one of the great opera houses; a reputation that stems from a passion for artistic excellence encapsulated in founder John Christie’s insistence on doing ‘not the best we can do but the best that can be done anywhere’. “John and his opera singer wife, Audrey Mildmay, founded the Glyndebourne Festival in 1934. In 1968 the Glyndebourne Tour was established to bring opera to new audiences across the country and create opportunities for talented young singers. “Today Glyndebourne is a 12-month operation. The Festival runs from May to August with a programme of six operas in a 1,200-seat opera house. The annual Tour takes place from October to December. The second Glyndebourne Opera Cup international opera singing competition took place in March 2020. A widely respected education programme is active year-round staging new work and delivering projects to enhance the understanding and enjoyment of opera. “Together the Festival and Tour present 120 performances annually to an audience of 150,000 with many more people experiencing Glyndebourne’s work through its yearly programme of cinema screenings and free online streamings. Glyndebourne has pioneered specialist recordings to share its work with a global audience through these channels and as part of this mission to reach new audiences, also offers reduced-price tickets to under-30s. “Since its founding, Glyndebourne has remained financially independent and, whilst receiving valued Arts Council support for the Tour and education work, the Festival receives no public subsidy. 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