For those of you who might wonder why you never see us singing in the Royal Festival Hall with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in the summer months, the reason is simple – and glorious. From the 21st May to 30th August our beloved orchestra is playing away down in deepest mid-Sussex in the gorgeous opera house that is Glyndebourne. Heralded by many as the ultimate spring/summer season venue to hear opera, Glyndebourne is an exquisite mix of glamour, world class music, al-fresco picnicking and catered fine dining, all in the glorious English countryside. And our orchestra, the LPO, has been the resident orchestra there for more than sixty years.

Glyndebourne began life as a family home and manor house in the early 16th century and has developed and changed over the years. In 1920, John Christie became owner of the house after the death of his grandfather, William Langham Christie. John Christie made further extensions including a formidable organ room which he loved and in which he began to held amateur music evenings. He had two other loves: music in general, and the Sussex-born Canadian soprano Audrey Mildmay who he married in 1931 and with whom he created the first opera house on the site which opened on 28th May 1934. This first opera house went through many expansions and developments over the years until 1990 when it was decided by their son Sir George Christie, who had been managing Glyndebourne since 1962, that a new opera house would be built. This fabulous building, entirely privately funded, is the wonderful opera house we know and love today and which is now run by John’s grandson Gus Christie, who also happens to be married to international opera singer Danielle de Niese.

With a wonderful array of operas and marvellous young singers and musicians, the summer season holds opera goers spellbound with its glorious gardens, sumptuous setting and of course, wonderful music. Guests are encouraged to dress for the occasion with dinner jackets and cocktail or evening dresses being the order of the day, and champagne picnics or pre-booked tented feasting are par for the course as the operas begin early so that long supper breaks may be held, champagne drunk and gardens and conversations cherished and enjoyed as well as the music.

Whilst we may not be singing there, many of our LPC members go to Glyndebourne every year throughout the season to enjoy all that this very special summer festival has to offer. One of the great privileges of working with our namesake orchestra, is the opportunity for a pair of choir volunteers to go to Glyndebourne each summer. Last year Katie, our former Honorary Secretary, and Charlie, our Diversity and Wellbeing Officer, enjoyed a performance of Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia on Midsummer’s Day.

Soprano Meg McClure is almost evangelical about Glyndebourne’s magical atmosphere and loves bringing a friend each time to share the wonder – in this picture the guest is her partner. “Glyndebourne opera is perennially the highlight of my summer and my happy place in every sense of the phrase: the highest musical and artistic standards in the lushest of gardens imaginable, gardens in which I’m not only permitted but actually encouraged to picnic with friends, and in the most outrageous ballgown that I own. It’s my idea of Arcadia.”

Bass Martyn Atkins – who was our Honorary Secretary for four years celebrated his wife’s 50th birthday at Glyndebourne where they enjoyed their picnic in the covered galleries that surround the opera house. “Quite apart from the superb staging and incomparable musicianship, Glyndebourne provides a blissful setting for an escape to the perfect English garden.”

To second alto Pat Dixon, “Glyndebourne means fun alongside friends who sing and those who don’t; delicious salads, supper treats and strawberries in a marquee and a gentle stroll around the gorgeous gardens before we lose ourselves in glorious music and story.”

LPC bass Paul Fincham is an annual visitor to Glyndebourne. He’s also a composer and we will be working on his beautiful midsummer piece Awen in our open rehearsal on the 1st June (see more below).

LPC librarian David Hodsgon loves wearing his “Art Attack” dress shirt for these special opera events. To him, “Glyndebourne is such a civilised day; you can take a stroll around the gardens, admire the finery of the guests and linger over your picnic and champagne – all that and great music making too!”

Soprano Jane Hanson, peeking out from behind one of the wonderful sculptures which grace the gardens as part of Glyndebourne’s extensive art collections.

This year the six operas being performed include Tosca, Billy Budd and Ariadne auf Naxos – some tickets are still available.

Whilst the LPO are away for the summer, it’s not all play for us as we’re busy preparing for two concerts in July and we have an open rehearsal on the 1st June to which members of other choirs are invited for an evening of singing and socialising. We’ll be working on Dyson’s In Honour of the City and also short pieces by two of our very own members who are composers: Natasha Sofla and Paul Fincham (pictured above at Glyndebourne), in preparation for our concert at St John’s Waterloo on the 11th July. This concert is part of the Waterloo Festival, at St John’s Church, Waterloo, where we will be singing a-cappella and piano-accompanied choral works, interspersed with piano duets performed by our fabulous accompanists Jonny Beatty and Iain Farrington.

And finally, on the 23rd July we have a joint Prom with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales when we will be singing Symanowski’s gorgeous Stabat Mater – which we sang with the LPO in the Royal Festival Hall in February – and Lili Boulanger’s Vieille prière bouddhique, in the Royal Albert Hall.

So that’s all going to keep us pretty busy! Do come along to either or both of our concerts, and if you’d like to join us for our open rehearsal on the 1st June, please get in touch at membership@lpc.org.uk.