Glyndebourne was forced to cancel its 2020 Festival and close its doors following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic but, in early July, as lockdown eased, the opera house announced a mini-festival of outdoor performances, tickets for which sold out in just 40 minutes.

Now, Glyndebourne has announced that it is extending the season, adding more concerts by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE), a recital performance by Glyndebourne’s Jerwood Young Artists and additional Open Gardens days.

Each year the Jerwood Young Artists programme supports exceptionally talented young singers from the Glyndebourne Chorus. The new outdoor concert will mark 10 years of the programme and brings together four singers who have been supported through the programme in recent years - soprano Madison Nonoa-Horsefield (2020), mezzo soprano Emma Kerr (2015), tenor John Findon (2017) and tenor Frederick Jones (2019). They will perform a selection of operatic classics, accompanied by pianist Matthew Fletcher, with performances on 29 and 30 August.

The OAE will give six performances of a programme of music by Mozart, Beethoven and Jonathan Dove, conducted by Glyndebourne Chorus Director Aidan Oliver.

Stephen Langridge, Artistic Director, said: ‘Glyndebourne’s mini-festival of open-air events is our positive response to the restrictions on how we can work in the time of COVID-19: an attempt to find a responsible, appropriately distanced, fun, and above all, safe way of performing to a live audience. We’ve been thrilled by how successful it’s been and are delighted to be able to extend the season and give more people the chance to experience live music together, in an inspiring environment, which is what Glyndebourne is all about.’

Sarah Hopwood, Managing Director, said: ‘While outdoor performances are not a substitute for getting theatres open again, the events that we have presented this summer have been a source of joy and hope at a very challenging time for the theatre industry. We’re delighted to be adding extra performances to the season and would like to once again thank our Members, donors, staff and the general public for their unwavering support.’

In order to ensure the safety and comfort of all, audiences for the live performances at Glyndebourne this summer are capped at 250 people and designated seating areas will be prepared for every household. Audiences will be fully seated in household groups with social distancing measures carefully observed at all times. In the event of bad weather, performances will be cancelled and tickets refunded.