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Commentary
18 Aug 2020
Glyndebourne extends its summer season of outdoor performances into September
Glyndebourne is extending its summer season of outdoor events, with an additional two weeks of open-air concerts and Open Gardens between 29 August and 13 September.
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.