2023 Annual Review

2023 REVIEW

Cover: Il barbiere di Siviglia 2023 Inside Cover: The Bartered Bride 2023 Photo Credits: Julian Guidera, Craig Fuller, Clive Barda, Verity Milligan

OUR AIMS ENRICH

PRODUCE

the lives of audiences and participants

theatrically compelling productions with the highest artistic standard

EXPAND

DISCOVER

appreciation of opera through participation and digital work

and nurture the best young performing talent

PROVIDE

BUILD ON

an exceptional experience for members and audiences at Wormsley

financial stability to support future productions and infrastructure

IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA

MITRIDATE, RE DI PONTO

Gioachino Rossini

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Conductor: Douglas Boyd Director: Christopher Luscombe

Conductor: Clemens Schuldt Director: Tim Albery

ARIADNE AUF NAXOS

THE BARTERED BRIDE

Richard Strauss

Bedřich Smetana

Conductor: Mark Wigglesworth Director: Bruno Ravella

Conductor: Jac van Steen Revival Director: Rosie Purdie

Iestyn Davies as Farnace, Mitridate re di Ponto 2023

ARTISTIC REVIEW The exceptional artistic quality of the 2023 festival was acclaimed and appreciated by our members, audiences and the media alike.

Directing at Garsington for the first time, renowned theatre director Chritopher Luscombe delivered a sparkling new Il barbiere di Siviglia, designed by Simon Higlett. Bruno Ravella returned this year with a new production of Ariadne auf Naxos, building on the success of his Strauss operas at Garsington.

Mitridate, re di Ponto, a new production from our lost 2020 Season, finally made it to stage this year.

Alongside our three new productions, we also revived Paul Curran’s highly-acclaimed The Bartered Bride.

“Garsington’s sharp and sunny [Il barbiere di Siviglia] … The detailed 1930s sets by Simon Higlett are ravishing” The Times “[Mitridate, re di Ponto’s] conductor Clemens Schuldt delivers buoyant and bracing accompaniments from The English Concert” Daily Telegraph “Garsington’s terrific casting allows this fascinating new view of [Ariadne auf Naxos] to flourish’ Mail on Sunday “Conductor Jac van Steen seems to know and love every bar of [The Bartered Bride] … The Philharmonia Orchestra were highly responsive and the Garsington Opera Chorus sang excellently in their very busy role”.

BachTrack

GO PARTICIPATE Garsington’s learning & participation team, GO Participate, has set itself aims that are as ambitious and bold as the Festival itself. By opening the world of opera to as many different people as possible, we’re enabling them to discover and give voice to their creative potential. It has long been acknowledged that art is beneficial to well-being and social cohesion. It helps us make sense of the world around us. In opera, we not only hear, but use our voices to be heard, to tell stories and create other worlds.

Garsington Opera’s adult and youth companies champion new work and nurture talent of all ages in our local communities. This year our thriving adult company transformed the Old Town Hall at the Wycombe Swan in The Bartered Brides, an adaptation of Smetana’s opera, The Bartered Bride. Meanwhile, later in the summer the youth company presented The Moon is Listening, a new commission that is a legacy from the partnerships made creating Dalia and continues our relationship with refugee children around the world.

Our OperaFirst programme challenges perceived barriers to cultural engagement by welcoming school groups to performances in the Opera Pavilion. After a series of music, story and technical in-school workshops, students visit Wormsley to see the opera performed by singers from our Alvarez Young Artists’ Programme. The performance also includes an interactive introduction to the inner workings and behind-the-scenes elements of the opera the students have come to know and enjoy. This year we were pleased to have expanded the programme by offering a bespoke performance for primary schools alongside our usual performance for secondary schools and community companies.

The Moon is Listening, 2023

2023 Award Winners: Siân Griffiths, Harriet Eyley, Claire Lees, Tess Jackson, Siân Dicker, Indyana Schneider, Daniel Vening

ALVAREZ YOUNG ARTISTS’ PROGRAMME “Garsington has provided me with some of my most memorable and rewarding career moments so far. This wouldn’t happen without the incredible support, guidance and nurturing of everyone at the company who I now look upon as friends.”

Jennifer France, Alvarez Young Artists Alumni

The nurture and encouragement of professional young singers is proudly championed by Garsington Opera through the Alvarez Young Artists’ Programme. Each season we work closely with Conservatoires in the UK and further afield to select and showcase the finest young performing talent.

This year the programme received 497 applications, held 220 live auditions, and awarded 24 places to form the Garsington Opera Chorus.

Understudies rehearse with assistant directors and conductors, culminating in a cover run of each opera attended

by Garsington’s artistic team. This year the OperaFirst schools project has been expanded to include performances of both Il barbiere di Siviglia and The Bartered Bride – giving two cover casts the chance to perform with our resident orchestras: The English Concert and the Philharmonia.

2023 Award Winners Each year, in honour of our founder, Leonard Ingrams, and three former colleagues, Helen Clarke, Simon Sandbach and Graham Clark, we make financial awards to exceptional artists and colleagues who have excelled during the season.

Leonard Ingrams Award Siân Griffiths (Dryad Ariadne auf Naxos) Harriet Eyley (Echo Ariadne auf Naxos) Claire Lees (Naiad Ariadne auf Naxos) Tess Jackson (Assistant Conductor The Bartered Bride) Helen Clarke Award Indyana Schneider (cover The Composer Ariadne auf Naxos and chorus The Bartered Bride) Simon Sandbach Award Siân Dicker (cover Mařenka and chorus The Bartered Bride) Graham Clark Award Daniel Vening (Lackey Ariadne auf Naxos, cover Mícha and chorus The Bartered Bride and chorus Il barbiere di Siviglia)

GARSINGTON STUDIOS Throughout 2023, contractors Conamar have continued to construct Garsington’s most significant investment for the future. The commitment of many generous donors has made it possible to proceed with confidence towards this ambitious, sustainable and innovative project. It is wonderful to see the Studios develop in reality at Wormsley, realised from many years of dreaming and planning with award-winning local architects Nicholas Brown Webber.

The Studios will bring the many strands of Garsington’s creative life together in a single stunning location. The 5,000m2 facility will house professional and flexible rehearsal studios which replicate the Garsington stage, training and practice rooms as well as a café, offices and communal spaces.

The development is also hugely significant for the region contributing much needed purpose-built facilities for use by the sector and the local community.

Core to Garsington’s mission is to create a meaningful context in which children and young people may experience music, opera and performance. The Studios greatly expand the opportunity for connection with diverse audiences both locally and nationally.

We look forward to receiving the keys to the Studios in the near future.

FINANCIAL REVIEW 2023 Income

2023 Expenditure

Box Office - Tickets & Donations

Opera Production

Fundraising & Membership

Learning & Participation

Learning & Participation Donations

Shop & Other Sales

Corporate Sponsorship

Overheads & Irrecoverable VAT

Restaurant, Shop & Other Sales

Filming & Digital

Other INCOME SOURCE

2023 Final (£’000)

2022 Final (£’000)

2021 Final (£’000)

2020 Final (£’000)

Box Office - Tickets & Donations

3,639

3,202

2,463

100

Fundraising & Membership

2,198

1,926

2,075

1,929

Other Pandemic Support

-

-

1.019

-

Learning & Participation Donations

325

457

240

162

Corporate Sponsorship

129

151

157

309

Restaurant, Shop & Other Sales

446

642

522

24

Legacy Donations

-

-

-

-

Other

226

125

112

94

Total Income

7,017

6,503

6,588

2,618

Opera Production

5,639

5,110

5,402

2,074

Learning & Participation

437

256

298

275

Shop & Other Sales

130

330

178

27

Overheads & Irrecoverable VAT

227

191

204

216

Filming & Digital

94

102

58

57

Total Expenditure

6,527

5,989

6,140

2,649

Depreciation

(408)

(410)

-408

(406)

Other income*

1.016

782

840

117

Surplus/Deficit (see Reserves Policy) excludes restricted capital donations & expenditure†

1,098

886

880

(320)

EXPENDITURE

*Includes investment gain/loss, tax relief

† Arts Hub Donations (Capital Project) and Leonard Ingrams Restricetd Fund Excluded

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK ‘The whole evening was utterly life-enhancing.

Garsington is a very special place and a highlight to start the summer.’

‘The enthusiasm and joy that all persons connected with Garsington deliver in performing and helping revellers is infectious and exceptional.

This organisation is top rate, and it is a credit to all involved. A very enjoyable way to spend an afternoon with friends and family.’

‘I truly look forward to coming to Garsington Opera performances. Amazing singers, designers, musicians and everyone at Garsington make it such a magical place to bring friends who lovely top-quality productions.’

‘It was a perfect evening of opera.’

An outstanding performance with superb singers.

Not just good singers, but voices appropriate for the roles. You have an excellent casting director.

‘It is hard to imagine it being better sung and the orchestral playing was outstanding. It was a privilege to be present at the final performance truly special.’

The greatest memories come from the hugely welcoming and engaging people who bring it all alive, right from the top of the drive as we turn into the estate, through the car parks, the walled gardens and all the ushers, waiters and guides who make us all feel so welcome with their ready smiles and their friendly, enthusiastic chat.’

Ariadne Auf Naxos 2023

AUDIENCE REACH Our 2023 Festival included three new productions and a vibrant revival, all thematically connected by the power of love to overcome. Devised work by our Youth Company cemented global relationships while our adult company reimagined one of our revivals in a town hall setting.

Our partnership with OperaVision continued to thrive as online audiences viewed an additional Garsington Opera title, one in April and another in November. Meanwhile our online viewing figures were buoyed by our enhanced film content, sharing our stories and productions around the world.

In Person Performances

Online 20,512

OperaVision

105,338

Learning & Participation (Audience & Participants) 1,549

Video Content Views (YouTube Only) 186,240

Insight Talks

Website

Total

195 22,256

Total

N/A 291,578

Board of Trustees

Advisory Council

Miranda Curtis CMG (Chairman) Neil King QC (Deputy Chair) Professor Jonathan Freeman-Attwood CBE Nigel Higgins Catherine Ingrams Iain Mackinnon Lady Marks Lady Stringer David Suratgar

Bernard Taylor CBE DL (Chairman) The Hon Mrs Susan Baring OBE Dr Margaret Bent CBE FBA Dame Hilary Boulding DBE Dominic Burke Annette Campbell-White Sir Stuart Hampson Diana Hiddleston Peter Maniura

Il Barbiere di Siviglia 2023 Back Cover: The Bartered Bride 2023

Registered Charity No. 1003042 www.garsingtonopera.org