Page 250 - Opera News Today

Time stops. ♪ (music plays) ♪ and you realize youre in love...

Its a musical night with a decided Italian accent.

I need to learn. ive always looked up to glyndebourne as one of the worlds leading opera houses and festivals, and itsjust amazing that i can be part of what happens here. cheering and applause. my time here at glyndebourne has really made me see how opera can be so much more than wonderful music, singing and staging. it can be a whole experience to enjoy the english countryside, gourmet food and great art — and all in a historic venue that offers solutions to the challenges of the 21st centur...

Glyndebourne in sussex, about 150 kilometres south of london, is a popular destination for thousands of opera lovers every year. they sing operatically. as well as opera, audiences can take a stroll, have a picnic in the beautiful grounds, they can visit a magnificent stately home and admire contemporary art at the sites gallery, which this season features the award—winning artist lubaina himid with six of her paintings inspired by opera. glyndebourne summer festival is a highlight of the oper...

Alison tickell runs a london based charity working on climate action across the culture sector. it is a hard industry because it is associated with lavish productions, with really big opera houses and with an audience that has expectations of very high production values. so the challenges are quite big in opera. it was a slow starter, but were now seeing some really fantastic action. i think glyndebourne�*s reputation in terms of being innovative, in terms of sustainable practice is warranted ...

Often in choruses. often in choruses in opera. were trying this season especially to really bring it into every production. id like to reach for these before i reach for a chemical product. itsjust better for the environment. the rivers around the world are polluted by dyes a lot. this way everything goes back into the ground. our carbon footprint is much smaller because people are bringing it straight from the gardens to us here. i think its very important that that we have this sustainability ...

The storm brings winds of up to 65 mph. now on bbc news, take me to the opera: the power of glyndebourne. ive been an opera fan for decades, and i want to share my passion with you. so im on a mission to find out how opera is reinventing itself for the 21st century. this time i go to glyndebourne in the english countryside to find out why its a unique place that offers more than opera. weve got beautiful grounds and gardens and lakes, a wonderful visual art gallery and then a wonderful opera. gl...

In the same way with traditional sets and costumes. we update shows, we challenge and provoke. so, were trying to kind of keep pace with the changing world, but maintaining our traditions. the second world war put a temporary stop to performances, and the house itself played a part in the war effort. glyndebourne opened its doors to evacuee children. so, we had over 300 evacuee children staying with us. as archivists here, you get to see all sorts of historical pictures. i mean, does that give y...

Isjust phenomenal. i love the setting and the fact that you can sit out here and sort of dress up and drink champagne. a day of coming together and enjoying not only world class opera, but alsojust being in this lovely setting in the countryside. for nearly a century, glyndebourne has been proving how opera can be enjoyed in a rural setting away from grand theatres in city centres. a lot of people find crossing the threshold of an opera house quite difficult because it does seem rather daunting....

A pioneer in sustainability. we were the first arts organisation to put up a wind turbine. were running on wind. glyndebourne, as an icon in operatic sustainability, has really got a very strong place. and glyndebourne is embracing a drive towards greater diversity. its about making sure that diverse communities have access to opera. if we keep opening the door, more people will come into it. but does innovation, sustainability and diversity matter, or do audiences really only care about great o...