Open-air delights at Gyndebourne - review

Glyndebourne is never just about the opera, world-beating quality though it is.

For many visitors, the performances themselves are just part of a wraparound experience - admiring carefully tended flower beds; quaffing champagne on the lawns; supping up the view from the terraces or examining the figures in the sculpture garden.

Then there are the picnic hampers, strawberries, smoked salmon - a seasonal concert at Glyndebourne sums up what's just the ticket about an English summer.

Hampers were out again on the grass and the bars and shop were busy during a series of concerts given by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in July and again earlier this month.

Visitors were asked to arrive at noon for the concerts which began at 2pm. So for two hours we could find a table and chairs, lay out our provisions - ranging from Waitrose sandwiches to a cold grouse or two - and relax in the hot sunshine.

The orchestra's woodwind octet conducted by Aidan Oliver whirled through a series of pieces designed for summer listening. Fresh from performing at the Proms, players delivered Beethoven's Fidelio, Op.72: Overture arranged for wind octet by Wenzel Sedlak.

Jonathan Dove's Figures in the Garden, composed specially for Glyndebourne, comprised Dancing in the Dark, Susanna in the Rain, A Conversation, Barbarina Alone, The Countess Interrupts a Quarrel, Voices in the Garden, Nocturne and Figaro and Susanna - unusual but intriguing and all performed with elan.

Next came Mozart's Don Giovanni arranged for wind octet by Josef Triebensee and we thrilled to the familiar melodies delivered in an inspirational way including the Overture, Là ci darem la mano, Fin ch’an dal vino, Deh, vieni alla finestra and Già la mensa è preparata. Of course there was a curtain call (no curtain but the enthusiastic audience would not let the musicians go home without an encore.)

'A' stars in triplicate - plus a free pass to Oxbridge -to Glyndebourne for its brilliant COVID care package. Brilliant social distancing process which made none of us feel manipulated - in fact we were told there would be no enforcement of face coverings, which made people feel comfortable wearing them if they chose to.

Sparkingly clean garden tables and chairs were far apart and seats for the concert were in groups, according to the numbers booked for each party.

Coverings were of course expected in the loos and the glorious shop where you can pick up that silk opera coat or string of river pearls you knew you needed.

Artistic director Stephen Langridge said: "For those of us in the performing arts world it’s been like an assault course, each barrier more demanding than the last, as we battled to find a way back to live performance.

"So, it was with the greatest joy that we arrived at this moment, finally together again to experience high calibre music making. Not digital, not analogue: the real thing.

"We were able to open up our gardens to visitors in July and September and were able to perform live music again – outdoors.

"And we know that you were as keen as us to give it a go – partially because many of you told us, and also because the whole series sold out in 40 minutes!"

Susan King