Outstanding opera enjoyment with picnic in English countryside
London Victoria Station: Starting in May, through the end of August, men in tuxedos or uniforms and women in evening gowns.
In discreet England
None of the other passengers would look up from their books or smartphones for even a second to glance in wonder at the elegant train passengers, let alone stare at them.
Most of the other passengers know that the destination of these festively dressed train travelers is the Glyndebourne Opera Festival. The rest simply observe British politeness.
In the rolling hills of Essex lies the aristocratic country estate of Glyndebourne. The sky is wide, you can literally taste the salt of the sea already in the air. Sheep graze leisurely and the English countryside shines in all shades of green.
The tranquility and beauty of the landscape has a calming and inspiring effect at the same time. The destination of train passengers who like to uncork or mix champagne or gin & tonic on the train is an opera house in the middle of the countryside that attracts high-ranking artists and opera lovers alike.
The best that opera has to offer was the goal of the founders
In 1934 the first opera performance took place in the then still small opera house. John Christie had inherited the country estate in 1920 and decided with his wife Audrey Mildmay, a professional opera singer, to establish an opera house here.
During their honeymoon, the couple had attended the Bayreuth Festival and the Salzburg Festival and were inspired to give the best that the world of opera had to offer a second home at Glyndebourne.
With Fritz Busch and Carl Ebert—who had fled Dresden and Berlin to escape the Nazi regime—they were able to recruit a conductor and an artistic director for the theater who shared their high standards of quality.
To this day, outstanding conductors stand at the podium and many young singers launch a worldwide career with their performances on the stage there. Numerous international directors use the opportunity for innovative productions. Everyone enjoys the relaxed rehearsal atmosphere and the family spirit of the house.
Top-class opera productions and picnic on the lawn
Today, Glyndebourne—with its larger performance hall and excellent acoustics—is also a major commercial success. There are now a number of opera festivals in the countryside. Glyndebourne’s unique charm and commercial success make it possible to finance high-caliber productions.
Then as now, a traditional picnic on the lawn is an integral part of the opera experience. Warm blankets, elegant candlesticks, champagne, red wine, fruit, salmon, cheese, and fresh bread are carried out onto the lawn from the trunks of the Glyndebourne enthusiasts, some of whom arrive in classic cars.
Those arriving by train from London can have a perfect picnic organized on the spot and just have to choose the place in the gardens or in front of the house where they want to place the table, chairs, dishes and delicacies from the kitchen and wine cellar.
There are also restaurants on the grounds of the country estate – but much more original and stylish is the picnic in a tuxedo and evening dress on the lawn overlooking the country house, the perfect gardens and the gentle English countryside.
A last bastion of the festive dress code
While casual and everyday attire has become the norm at most opera houses in major cities, the vast majority of visitors to Glyndebourne adhere to the formal dress code.
Relax before and after the performance, stroll along the lake, admire the horses in the adjacent pasture or the blooming sophistication of English garden culture. Completely relaxed and cultured, as is probably only possible on the island. A gem for every opera lover.
Organizing a visit to Glyndebourne is easy in the Internet age: tickets, picnic or restaurant visit can be booked via the homepage. Since the performances start already in the afternoon, you can easily travel from London by train or car and return the same evening.
The train departure will be announced in the bar
The speakers in the bar—where performers and audience members mingle for one last drink after the show—announce the departure of the free shuttle bus from the festival parking lot to the quaint provincial train station.
If you want to visit several performances in a row, the homepage offers information about accommodation near the country estate. There are many opera houses in the world – Glyndebourne with its unique atmosphere exists only once.
