16 May – 24 August 2025

Oliver Messel: Designer. Maker. Influencer

During your visit this summer in the downstairs Art Gallery, you will be able to see original costumes, stage designs, photographs and props by Messel, including several never-before-seen models.

Oliver Messel: Designer. Maker. Influencer explores Messel’s stagework at Glyndebourne in the 1950s and 1960s. Regarded as one of the most visionary designers of the twentieth century, Messel’s imaginative work transcended the boundaries of stage, film, and interior design, earning him widespread acclaim. Drawing together archival material with new works by contemporary artists and designers, this exhibition celebrates the remarkable imagination and ingenuity of Messel, as well as his enduring influence today.

Carl Ebert and Oliver Messel, Ariadne auf Naxos model showing, 1950. Photo: Topical / Glyndebourne Productions Ltd.

Messel’s first stage design for Glyndebourne was for Ariadne auf Naxos (1950), which debuted at the Edinburgh International Festival. He went on to design a further eight operas for the Company.

A prominent figure at Glyndebourne, Messel’s influence extended far beyond the stage. In 1951, at his house in London, the Glyndebourne Festival Society was launched. Messel was also instrumental in the creation of the Glyndebourne Festival Programme Book, designing the cover for its inaugural edition in 1952. He went on to create covers and interior pages for six more editions — the most by any designer or artist to date.

Much of the material in this exhibition is on display for the first time, offering fresh perspectives on Messel’s artistry for a new generation of Glyndebourne audiences.