One of my favourite moments of every British summer has absolutely nothing to do with cricket, Wimbledon or even the village fête.
It’s opera.
Now before you turn the page, bear with me.
Because I don’t think you need to love opera to fall in love with a country house opera evening.
In fact, I suspect many people who attend these magical events aren’t really there for the opera at all.
They’re there for the occasion and the excitement of dressing up.
For strolling through beautiful gardens with a glass of something cold in hand.
For picnics on immaculate lawns.
For the sense that, just for one evening, you’ve stepped into a more elegant and romantic world.
My other half is the perfect example.
When we first met, opera wasn’t remotely on his list of interests. Yet over the years he has completely fallen in love with country house opera. Not because he suddenly became an expert on Verdi or Wagner, but because the entire experience is so wonderfully special.
It has become one of our favourite summer traditions.
If you’re tempted to try it, there are five truly outstanding country house opera festivals across Britain, each with its own character and charm.
But there are three that hold a particularly special place in our hearts.
Garsington Opera
If I could persuade someone to try country house opera for the first time, Garsington would probably be where I would send them.
Set within the extraordinary Wormsley Estate in the Chiltern Hills, it somehow combines world-class opera with a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. The award-winning theatre sits beautifully within the landscape, while the surrounding gardens, lakes and parkland are a delight to explore.
What I love most is the feeling of anticipation that builds throughout the evening.
Guests wander through the grounds in black tie and summer dresses. Picnic hampers appear. Corks pop. The views stretch away across the countryside.
And then there’s the famous walled garden.
For me, it’s one of the most magical places in the English countryside. The scents of flowers drift through the warm evening air. The colours seem more vivid as the sun begins to set. Somewhere in the distance, music drifts across the estate.
It’s an assault on the senses in the very best possible way.
This year we’re heading to see La Traviata, which has received some extraordinary reviews. If the critics are right, it may prove to be one of the highlights of the season.
West Green House Opera
West Green House feels different.
Smaller. More intimate. More personal.
The beautiful gardens are among the finest in England and wandering through them before a performance has become one of our favourite summer rituals.
There is something wonderfully civilised about arriving in the late afternoon, taking time to explore the grounds, finding a quiet corner for a drink and then gradually watching the atmosphere build as guests arrive.
Dinner within the glasshouse surrounded by blooms and greenery is just lovely, and is our favourite spot, although the picnics by the lake do look magical.
The performances are excellent, but what makes West Green House so special is the setting.
You never feel as though you’re attending a major event, you feel as though you’ve been invited to a very elegant house party.
The combination of superb gardens, intimate performances and a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere makes it one of the country’s hidden gems.
Longborough Festival Opera
Whenever we’re in the Cotswolds during the summer, Longborough is always on our radar.
Longborough is often described as Britain’s most eccentric opera festival, and I mean that as a compliment. Built from what was originally a barn, it sits high above the rolling Cotswold hills with some of the finest views you’ll find anywhere in England.
It is smaller than many of the larger festivals, and that’s exactly why we love it.
There is an intimacy to Longborough that makes every performance feel personal.
The theatre itself is remarkable, but it’s the atmosphere that keeps drawing people back. The combination of exceptional productions and glorious countryside views creates something genuinely memorable.
If you’re spending a few days exploring the Cotswolds, an evening at Longborough should be high on your list.
Two More Worth Travelling For
No discussion of country house opera would be complete without mentioning Glyndebourne and The Grange.
Glyndebourne is the grand dame of country house opera and remains one of the most famous opera festivals in the world. Set among the rolling hills of East Sussex, it combines extraordinary performances with one of the great traditions of the English summer: black tie, picnics and long dinner intervals on the lawn.
The Grange, meanwhile, offers perhaps the most dramatic setting of all. The magnificent Greek Revival mansion rises unexpectedly from the Hampshire countryside and feels almost transported from another world. The atmosphere is slightly more rural, slightly more relaxed and wonderfully romantic.
More Than Opera
What I have come to realise over the years is that country house opera isn’t really about opera.
It’s about slowing down and about making an evening of something.
It’s about beautiful places, interesting people, wonderful gardens, delicious food and the simple pleasure of sharing an experience together.
Of course the music matters.
But long after you’ve forgotten the finer points of a particular performance, you’ll remember the sunset across the lawn, the smell of roses in a walled garden, the clink of glasses during the interval and the feeling of walking back to your car beneath a star-filled summer sky.
And that’s why, every year, you’ll find us there.