2019 REVIEW
Photo credits: Clive Barda, Johan Persson, Stephen Wright, Colin Willoughby Alice Pennefather, John Snelling, Johnny Langridge
OUR AIMS ENRICH the lives of audiences and participants
P RO D U C E theatrically compelling productions with the highest artistic standards
E X PA N D appreciation of opera through participation
D I S C OV E R and nurture the best young performing talent
P ROV I D E members and audiences with a memorable experience at Wormsley
E S TA B L I S H financial stability to support future productions
B A RT E R E D B R I D E
D O N G I O VA N N I
Jac van Steen & Paul Curran
Douglas Boyd & Michael Boyd
FA N TA S I O
TURN OF THE SCREW
Justin Doyle & Martin Duncan
Richard Far nes & Louisa Muller
A RT I S T I C REVIEW We aim to produce theatrically compelling operas with the highest artistic standards in a setting of extraordinary beauty. In 2019 Garsington Opera celebrated its 30th Anniversary season, staging four new opera productions, including the UK stage premiere of Offenbach’s Fantasio, and ending with an evocative presentation of Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 with The English Concert. Following the season at Wormsley, Garsington Opera presented a semi-staged concert of Don Giovanni at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées with l’Orchestre de chambre de Paris.
Most exciting and well thought-through [Don Giovanni] I have seen for years ★★★★ Culture Whisper The most felicitous production of [The Bartered Bride] I could ever imagine ★★★★★ The Independent [Fantasio] a classy revival - a merry romp ★★★★ The Oxford Times [The Turn of the Screw] a truly great achievement, devastating and unforgettable ★★★★★ The Guardian [Vespers] a thrilling, operatic take on this spectacular musical showcase ★★★★★ The Arts Desk
LEARNING & PA RT I C I PAT I O N Garsington Opera’s year-round Learning & Participation programme provides opportunities, both in the communities surrounding Wormsley and throughout the UK, to learn about opera through participation. In 2019, the Learning & Participation team delivered more within the programme than ever before. The framework of provision at and around Wormsley was developed further, offering workshops to Primary and Secondary Schools through OperaFirst, providing progression routes for young people through the Junior & Senior Youth Opera Companies and growing provision for adults through the Wellbeing strand of work. In addition, this year we have undertaken new projects and partnerships. Dare to Dream engaged 1,600 Buckinghamshire children in a newly commissioned opera with young people from refugee camps in Syria, Uganda and Bangladesh, performing it together at the Royal Albert Hall. The Lord Mayor’s Appeal invited Garsington Opera’s team to share their expertise, collaborating with 250 inner-city children and their teachers, delivering workshops and a performance at The Guildhall. Finally, AppRa – our digital project which aims to develop ground-breaking digital materials for music learning – has completed its first of three pilot years. Entirely student-led, this project aims to create a brand-new resource to extend the legacy of our work in schools whilst also offering a valuable entry point for those who have never experienced live performance.
A LVA R E Z YO U N G A RT I S T S ’ P RO G R A M M E The nurture and encouragement of 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. In 2019 there were 43 young singers on the Alvarez Young Artists’ Programme, as members of the chorus and understudies in the Festival. The following activities were on offer this year:
• PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – Audition Q&A; One-to-One feedback sessions with Laura Canning (Director of Artistic Administration); Guest Artist auditions for Douglas Boyd; Q&A with Sarah Playfair.
• SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES – Green Theatre Recitals; OperaFirst performance of Fantasio; Understudy Showcase; Performances of Don Giovanni at The Lord Mayor’s Guildhall and private venues.
• ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT – Full understudy run of each opera for the casting team; Audition Aria Filming; Masterclasses with Ann Murray and Benjamin Hulett; Coaching with Jonathon Swinard (Head of Music), Kate Golla and Eric Melear.
• PROFESSIONAL TRAINING – Business & Tax training seminars. • ONGOING SUPPORT – Three awards presented for Outstanding Young Talent. “I’ve loved working with Garsington – fantastic music, a beautiful setting, and incredibly talented and generous staff, crew, creatives and fellow cast. It is a real pleasure to be part of the Garsington family.” “I’m indebted to Garsington for all the opportunities they have given me this year. An undeniable love of opera, support of young talent and an infectious community spirit make Garsington a truly unique experience.”
R E S TAU R A N T & PICNICS Michelin Star Chef Michael North joined us for a fourth year to create an exceptional fine dining menu with a modern twist.
Al fresco diners enjoyed Feasts Picnic Hampers with delicious, locally sourced produce.
The Long Room Restaurant, overlooking the stunning cricket ground, offered delicious pre-performance teas and a three-course interval dining experience.
Major discovery this year – perfect Feasts – very generous, delicious and great people to deal with. - Opera Patron, 2019
FINANCIAL REVIEW 2019 Income (£’000)
2019 Expenditure (£’000)
£69 £74 £230 £326 £617
£102 £183 £256 £277
£3,262 £1,868
Box Office (tickets & donations) Fundraising & Membership Restaurant, Shop & Other Sales Corporate Sponsorship Learning & Participation Donations Other Legacy Donations INCOME SOURCE
£5,097
Opera Production Learning & Participation Shop & Other Sales Overheads Filming & Digital
2019 Forecast (£’000)
2018 Final (£’000)
YoY
Box Office - Tickets & Donations
3,262
2,963
10%
Fundraising & Membership
1,868
1,942
-4%
Learning & Participation Donations
230
201
14% *
Corporate Sponsorship
326
319
2%
Restaurant, Shop & Other Sales
617
447
38%
Legacy Donations
69
115
-40%
Other
74
65
14%
6,446
6,052
7%
5,147
5,030
2%
Learning & Participation
277
238
16% *
Shop & Other Sales
256
170
51%
Overheads
183
193
-5%
Filming & Digital
102
82
24%
5,965
5,713
4%
(389)
(363)
Other*
454
212
Surplus (see Reserves Policy)
546
188
Capital Expenditure
429
296
Total Income EXPENDITURE Opera Production
Total Expenditure
Depreciation
* Includes investment gain/loss, tax relief
AU D I E N C E FEEDBACK
“It was the most perfect evening; even Garsington excelled itself!”
Everything was perfect. Your staff are always of such good humour and grace, the operas were magnificent and we cannot fault any aspect.
Every year Garsington gets better even when it has already surpassed our highest expectations. It is not just the quality of the music, the singing and the performances but the attention to detail in every area.
I’ve only been coming for three years but have experienced some of the greatest (no exaggeration) performances of my 45-year opera-going career.
There wasn’t a single thing to fault! Please pass on my thanks and praise to the entire staff, it was an evening to remember for a lifetime.
What a year. We loved the contrasting moods and styles and the adventure and feel fantastically lucky to be able to come to Wormsley for such a creative feast.
One of the very best all-round evening’s entertainment available anywhere. This has been a vintage season and we felt that Garsington hit new heights.
AU D I E N C E R E AC H The 2019 Season at Garsington Opera was performed to a 98% capacity audience of 28,179 people. Our 30th Anniversary saw the subsidy we offer to young audiences grow, extending the GO≤35 programme and offering subsidised tickets to an even greater number. Beyond Wormsley, our digital strategy has enabled audiences worldwide to access our work for free through broadcast and online streaming. Both Die Zauberflöte and Falstaff were made available online via the OperaVision platform, free to view in full for six months. Learning & Participation work has enabled us to share our passion for opera, music and movement as tools for positive social impact, reaching more people in the communities local to Wormsley and developing the pool of participants for future work. Future plans include delivering a large-scale open day at Wormsley for members of the local community to discover many different aspects of opera, before enjoying performances by our Youth Opera Companies and a production of Beethoven’s Fidelio. This, combined with our continued developments within cutting-edge digital technologies, will enable us to continue reaching new audiences and helping people from across the globe to overcome barriers and gain access high quality arts. IN PERSON Performances Learning & Participation TOTAL
2019 28,179 7,051 35,230
ONLINE
2019
Website Sessions
162,138
Content Plays
165,788
TOTAL
327,926
B O A R D O F T RU S T E E S
A D V I S O RY C O U N C I L
Bernard Taylor CBE DL (Chairman) Miranda Curtis (Deputy Chairman) Dr John Drysdale Professor Jonathan Freeman-Attwood CBE Nigel Higgins Catherine Ingrams Neil King QC Iain Mackinnon Lady Marks David Suratgar
The Hon Mrs Susan Baring OBE Dr Margaret Bent CBE FBA Dame Hilary Boulding Dominic Burke Annette Campbell-White Sir Stuart Hampson Diana Hiddleston Peter Maniura Sir Curtis Price
Registered Charity No. 1003042