Country house opera: Exploring the very essence of English art

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Visitors explore the Organ Room at Glyndebourne before a production of ‘La Traviata’ Brands are important in country house opera, though one must have sympathy for the unfortunate opera-loving motorists who end up at the wrong Grange Park. “I won’t shake hands,” she added, “I’ve been working on the site this morning and my hands are dirty.” This is also an insight into running a country house opera. Complete with historic walled gardens, a 300-year old orchard filled with mulberry, damson, apple and pear trees and a sprawling ancient house, its five-tiered opera house is the only opera house built in Britain this century Mark Getty, one of the world’s richest men, is somewhat reclusive, and not always in this country, so unlikely to be spotted by opera-goers. open image in gallery The exterior of Grange Park Opera House, Surrey At Longborough, as with the other small country house operas, no one is too grand to muck in.