WILLIAM KENTRIDGE

The commission is part of a larger collaboration between William Kentridge and Glyndebourne that centres around a new production of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo that he is directing for the 2026 Glyndebourne Festival. 

One of the most influential artists working today, William Kentridge is also an Olivier Award-winning opera director. He has directed productions at many of the world’s leading opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, La Scala in Milan, English National Opera and the Salzburg Festival. His forthcoming production of L’Orfeo at Glyndebourne marks the first time one of his opera productions has premiered in the UK.

Drawing for L’Orfeo (Vessel – Honduran), 2025 and Drawing for L’Orfeo (Vessel – Utopia), 2025, by William Kentridge. Commissioned by Glyndebourne for this year’s Programme Book cover.

The 2026 Glyndebourne Festival Programme Book will feature two new artworks, titled Drawing for L’Orfeo (Vessel – Honduran) and Drawing for L’Orfeo (Vessel – Utopia) for the front and back covers respectively. 

Inside the publication are six further ink drawings that appear as title pages and have been selected for their geographical associations with this season’s operas – a Roman krater for Puccini’s Tosca, a terracotta Suffolk jar for Britten’s Billy Budd, a two-handled Turkish vessel for Rossini’s Il turco in Italia, an Ottoman ginger jar for Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail, and Greek vases for Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos. The vessel work is part of Kentridge’s ongoing engagement with historic vessels, which appear thorough L’Orfeo as set pieces and projections. 

To mark this directorial debut, Glyndebourne is thrilled to present a limited-edition print titled Greek Vessel I (for L’Orfeo), that will be on display in the Organ Room throughout the Festival season, and available to purchase.

Vessels carry an inherent power, both as historical artefacts and as visual shortcuts to a particular time and place. Kentridge’s choice to reference them throughout L’Orfeo reminds us that opera, shaped by its own histories of making and performance, is also continually open to reinvention.

Each linocut is overlaid onto a historic dictionary page, creating a unique interplay between text and image. Produced in an edition size of 30, each print is signed and numbered by the artist. The prints are sold unframed and in number order. Framing can be arranged on request. For all enquiries please contact art@glyndebourne.com.

Each print costs £1,800.00 + VAT.

Sales of this edition will be split between The Centre for the Less Good Idea, Johannesburg, and Glyndebourne Productions Ltd, supporting world-class opera.

William Kentridge has also designed one of the Festival 2026 posters.

Kentridge’s Festival poster features a Japanese ginger jar, a playful nod to those on display in the Organ Room. The Festival poster is £90.00 and can be purchased in-person and online from the Glyndebourne.