Longborough Festival Opera's 2026 season has got off to a strong start, with four and five-star reviews pouring in for its first production, Orlando.
The haunting and visually spectacular production has set the bar for the season, with Opera Now calling the show 'an amazing start for Longborough', The Guardian describing it as 'extraordinary', while The Times called it 'an evening of virtuosity and powerful expression' – and there's plenty more to look forward to.
The next production to take the stage is Wagner's Tristan und Isolde from Saturday 20 June until Saturday 18 July 2026 – a revival of its critically acclaimed 2017 production, directed by Carmen Jakobi with veteran Wagnerian, Anthony Negus, conducting the Longborough Festival Orchestra.
Tristan und Isolde is followed by Longborough's first-ever production of Verdi's Macbeth from Wednesday 1 to Thursday 16 July 2026, with rising star Nil Venditti conducting.
And, the most accessible show of the season, with a familiar story accompanied by an awe-inspiring score, is Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck, from Thursday 30 July until Saturday 8 August 2026.
Ideal for audiences brand-new to opera and lifelong opera fans alike, Hansel and Gretel is based on the famous fairy story from the Brothers Grimm, with Longborough's production being directed by internationally renowned director Lucy Bailey, featuring a spellbinding score conducted by Grammy winner, Karen Kamensek.
With a programme to rival opera houses across the globe, Longborough Festival Opera is one of the region's most unique cultural experiences, bringing world-class performances to the Cotswold countryside in a truly unique setting at its purpose-built, 500-seat opera house surrounded by stunning views.
Each performance features a 90-minute interval, where theatregoers can enjoy a picnic in Longborough's grounds, or enjoy a three-course meal at the on-site restaurant, for an extra special experience.
Tickets to Tristan und Isolde and Macbeth cost from £125, and tickets for Hansel and Gretel cost from £75, with dining experiences and picnic hampers available to pre-order online.
For more information, see Powerful opera, sunset picnics and unforgettable evenings await at Longborough Festival Opera 2026, or to book tickets, visit lfo.org.uk.
