Glyndebourne A Short History

Glyndebourne A Short History

Since 1934 a country house in the Sussex Downs has been home to one of the world's greatest opera festivals. Begun by John Christie, the Glyndebourne Festival saw professional performances of opera in a purpose-built theatre adjoining the historic house on the site, near Lewes in East Sussex.

The Festival quickly became a magnet for music lovers across the South of England and beyond and with the exception of the war years, the Festival has been held every year performing an important part of the international music scene. This concise history of Glyndebourne tells the fascinating story of the opera house on the Downs, from the inauguration of the Festival under the direction of three exiles from Nazi Germany, through the post-war years to the grand reconstruction of the opera house in the 1990s and beyond.