Sensational open air opera heads to Borde Hill Garden

On Friday, July 27, Opera Brava present La Bohème, performed with a chamber ensemble against the magical backdrop of the Elizabethan Mansion House.

Set in Paris in the 1830s among a group of impoverished Bohemians, the opera centres around the tragic love affair between seamstress Mimi and Rodolfo, a poet. Frivolity, joy, tenderness and sorrow are all expressed in the wonderful music of this most treasured of operas. La Bohème is widely regarded as Puccini’s finest score.

On Saturday, July 28, guests can enjoy The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart. The opera, which features one wedding and a whole lot of great singing, has all the ingredients of a classic piece of 18th century literature – passion, lust, betrayal, deception and ultimate forgiveness. Yet the action takes place in just 24 hours and is liberally sprinkled with sparkling, farcical humour.

Guests are welcome to bring picnics and their own low-backed seating. The fully licenced Gardeners’ Retreat Café will be open serving drinks and light snacks.

The gate opens at 6.30pm with both performances starting at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £30 for adults (£35 on the gate) or £10 for children.

Find out more and book tickets at www.bordehill.co.uk. The Garden is open seven days a week until October 1, plus October 20-31, 10am to 5pm.

Also at Borde Hill

August 1-September 30: The Artists Garden. Displays of the artistic response to the countryside in the form of sculpture, painting and photography.

August 1-31: The Garden of Imagination. Be inspired to imagine fantasy creatures and otherworldly beings in the garden, lakes and woodland.

August 5: Porsche Car Club Great Britain. The Porsche Club, R23 Sussex Region, will showcase their members’ cars on the South Lawn.

August 5, 12, 19, 26: Musical picnics. Relax and enjoy live music every Sunday in August from 1pm to 3pm.

August 17-19: Magical: The festival that makes you feel amazing.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be among the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make our website your homepage

2 Like our Facebook page

3 Follow us on Twitter

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!

Be part of it.