Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Zeinab Badawi ventures into the English countryside to go behind the scenes at the historic opera venue of Glyndebourne, in East Sussex. She asks how far Glyndebourne is leading the way in trying to make opera fit for the future through innovative initiatives around sustainability and diversity. Gus Christie, the chair of Glyndebourne and his wife Danielle de Niese, the acclaimed Australian-American soprano, take Zeinab through the history of Glyndebourne, from the first modest performance in a room in Gus's family home to its present-day status as a world-class venue, which offers audiences a whole experience including idyllic gardens, fine dining and a dedicated art gallery for exhibitions by leading artists. In particular, Glyndebourne prides itself on its commitment to sustainability, now drawing all its power from a vast wind turbine, installing electric charging points and even experimenting with dye extracted from its plants for its costumes.
Zeinab goes behind-the-scenes to join rehearsals for Benjamin Britten's Midsummer Night's Dream, a long-term audience favourite and a performance fittingly immersed in nature. And she explores how Glyndebourne is involved in a drive for diversity and inclusivity by partnering in a mentorship scheme with the London-based Pegasus opera company, which focuses on developing emerging artists from ethnic backgrounds. Zeinab meets young opera hopefuls from Pegasus as they apply to become a part of the Glyndebourne youth programme. And she asks if audiences appreciate the wider societal goals of the team at Glyndebourne or whether they are just interested in seeing the best opera performances.
Zeinab Badawi ventures into the English countryside to go behind the scenes at the historic opera venue of Glyndebourne, in East Sussex. She asks how far Glyndebourne is leading the way in trying to make opera fit for the future through innovative initiatives around sustainability and diversity. Gus Christie, the chair of Glyndebourne and his wife Danielle de Niese, the acclaimed Australian-American soprano, take Zeinab through the history of Glyndebourne, from the first modest performance in a room in Gus's family home to its present-day status as a world-class venue, which offers audiences a whole experience including idyllic gardens, fine dining and a dedicated art gallery for exhibitions by leading artists. In particular, Glyndebourne prides itself on its commitment to sustainability, now drawing all its power from a vast wind turbine, installing electric charging points and even experimenting with dye extracted from its plants for its costumes.
Zeinab goes behind-the-scenes to join rehearsals for Benjamin Britten's Midsummer Night's Dream, a long-term audience favourite and a performance fittingly immersed in nature. And she explores how Glyndebourne is involved in a drive for diversity and inclusivity by partnering in a mentorship scheme with the London-based Pegasus opera company, which focuses on developing emerging artists from ethnic backgrounds. Zeinab meets young opera hopefuls from Pegasus as they apply to become a part of the Glyndebourne youth programme. And she asks if audiences appreciate the wider societal goals of the team at Glyndebourne or whether they are just interested in seeing the best opera performances.
