The gardens at Glyndebourne, East Sussex
The home of Gus Christie and Danielle de Niese
IT is 90 years since John Christie and his wife, the soprano Audrey Mildmay, put on their first opera at their home, Glyndebourne, near Lewes in East Sussex. Although the idea has been taken up by other country houses since, nowhere else is set in such an unforgettable landscape, nor has an opera house of such quality.
Since 1934, Glyndebourne has been looked after by three generations of the Christie family, who have balanced the needs of family and visitors, of staff (there are 120 permanent ones, from costumiers and dyers to caterers and gardeners) and performers, backstage technicians and of that magical setting that lifts the spirits of everyone who visits.
‘The gardens are the foyer of the theatre; there are parts that hint of drama to come’
‘The gardens,’ last year in the simple green architecture of the Figaro garden. This has been subtly edited to frame perfectly Henry Moore’s (on permanent loan from Tate). Through judicious thinning of trees, there is now a clear view to the red-Hampshire-brick, oval-shaped opera house, designed in 1994 by Sir Michael Hopkins, who had previously redesigned the Mound Stand at Lord’s cricket ground.
