Celebrating female directors at Glyndebourne

Glyndebourne Encore subscribers can enjoy all of the productions below (and many more) now!

International Women’s Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.

Il barbiere di Siviglia, Festival 2016 | Photo by Bill Cooper

Embracing the opera’s Commedia dell’arte origins, Annabel Arden’s created a lively new production of Il barbiere di Siviglia – ‘… a triumphant celebration of Rossini’s musical genius’ (The Telegraph) suffused with Spanish colour and warmth, with just a hint of the surreal.

Annabel Arden in Il barbiere di Siviglia rehearsals | Photo by Richard Hubert Smith

Cendrillon, Festival 2019 | Photo by Richard Hubert Smith

Fiona Dunn revived Fiona Shaw‘s production of Cendrillon for Festival 2019, creating ‘…an intoxicating mix of fantasy and reality, memory and dreams as vocal lines soar and visions of love shimmer tantalisingly’  – The Times.

Fiona Dunn (right) in Cendrillon rehearsals | Photo by James Bellorini

The Cunning Little Vixen, Festival 2012 | Photo by Bill Cooper

In 2012, Melly Still directed Janáček’s enchanting tale – a colourful reflection on the highs and lows of life and death and nature’s constant cycle of renewal.

‘Melly Still’s production…is as colourful and joyous as the composer would have wished.’ – Wall Street Journal

Melly Still in rehearsals for The Cunning Little Vixen | Photo by Sam Stephenson

Don Pasquale, Festival 2013 | Photo by Clive Barda

In 2013 Mariame Clément made her Festival debut with Don Pasquale creating a ‘slick production’ which showed ‘such exquisite attention to detail as it explores several key subtexts that we cannot fail to be gripped from start to finish.’ – Music OMH.

Don Pasquale is back this Festival season with Mariame Clément returning to direct.

Mariame Clément at Poliuto rehearsals | Photo by Richard Hubert Smith

L’elisir d’amore, Festival 2009 | Photo by Simon Annand

Updating the action to the 1940s, Annabel Arden’s production of L’elisir d’amore celebrates the opera’s original joyful, colourful spirit, painting an affectionate picture of an Italy on the brink of political change. ‘Everything that Arden clearly wanted from this Adina she delivered with gusto.’ – The Times

L’elisir d’amore, Festival 2009 | Photo by Simon Annand

The Rape of Lucretia, Festival 2015 | Photo by Robbie Jack

Fiona Shaw made her Festival debut in 2015 with Britten’s emotionally heart-wrenching and lyrically beautiful opera, creating a ‘piercingly intelligent, immaculately realised’ (Daily Telegraph) production.

Fiona Shaw in rehearsals for The Rape of Lucretia | Photo by James Bellorini

Rusalka, Festival 2019 | Photo by Tristram Kenton

Melly Still revived her production of Rusalka for Festival 2019. She ‘returned to mount her darkly potent production for its second revival and the staging is in splendid shape, with energy to burn and the pond life of Rusalka’s native habitat presented with old-fashioned pantomime magic.’ – Daily Telegraph

Melly Still returns this Festival season to direct the much anticipated The Wreckers. 

Melly Still at Rusalka rehearsals | Photo by James Bellorini