Sportsworld is delighted to offer corporate hospitality at Glyndebourne Festival. Glyndebourne is the most prestigious opera festival and is famously known for its productions of Mozart's operas. With a distinctive atmosphere, long intervals and countryside surroundings you can be assured a unique and enchanting experience. This is an essential part of any opera fan's summer season so book now to avoid disappointment.
L'incoronazione di Poppea
The Coronation of Poppea is a new production for 2008 with three acts by Claudio Monteverdi to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Francesco Busenello, based on historical incidents described in the Annals of Tacitus. Set in a world of sensuality where passionate forbidden love is victorious over goodness and virtue, the opera takes Poppea Sabina, the second wife of the Roman Emperor Nero, as the heroine.
Eugene Onegin
Despite its title, Tchaikovsky's operatic masterpiece is really Tatiana's story: a tragic tale of impossible love. Based on Pushkin's poem, the opera tells of the young, dreamy Tatiana and her infatuation for the aristocrat, Eugene Onegin. She professes her love for him and is devastated by his cold reaction. Years later, Onegin meets Tatiana with her new husband, Prince Gremin. Seeing the elegantly attired young wife, he realises too late that he loves her and is now sentenced to a life of loneliness and despair.
Albert Herring
Albert Herring, Benjamin Britten's comic opera, premiered at Glyndebourne in 1947. Set in Loxford in Suffolk, the opera opens with the search for a virtuous girl for the office of May Queen. However, the impossibility of a successful outcome results in the election of a male youth of unquestionable chastity - Albert Herring. His unimpeachable character is immediately challenged when, during the celebration of his 'coronation', his lemonade is laced with something more potent. Like all great comedies the opera almost tips into tragedy.
 Love and Other Demons
A story of forbidden love set in the tropical and magical world of eighteenth century Colombia, Love and Other Demons is a world premiere for the 2008 Festival. Peter Eotvos, one of Europe's most widely commissioned opera composers, has adapted Gabriel Garcia Marquez's novella. This will be the first major production of any of Eotvos's operas in the UK.
Carmen
Set in Seville; Carmen is a beautiful gypsy with a fiery temper. Free with her love she woos Don Jose, an experienced soldier. Their relationship leads to his rejection of his former love, mutiny against his superior, a criminal life and ultimately the jealous murder of Carmen. Bizet shied away from the traditional image of an operatic femme fatale and Carmen became a difficult character to understand. She is fatalistic and hedonistic, living entirely in the present moment. Dismissed by critics at its premiere it is now regarded as one of the greatest operas of all time.
Hansel und Gretel
The genesis of this opera was unusual and more than a little fortuitous. Humperdinck's sister wanted to put on a show for a family of children's party and hit on the idea of dramatising the Grimm Brothers' tale of Hansel und Gretel. She asked her brother if he would write a little music for her project, and he happily provided some musical numbers.
He was also fortunate also that he sent the completed score to Richard Strauss, who immediately recognised its excellence. Indeed Strauss conducted the work's premiere, and it vaulted instantly into fame.
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