Glyndebourne Opera Will Return to Milton Keynes Next Month

World-renowned opera company Glyndebourne will bring a trio of musical delights to Milton Keynes Theatre this November.

The Glyndebourne Tour brings extraordinary opera productions to just four venues across the UK, and Milton Keynes is one of them. Accessibly priced and not as formal as its summer Festival, the Glyndebourne Tour is open to all, with ticket prices starting from as little as £13.

The tour includes two stunning operas and favourites of the Glyndebourne repertoire: Donizetti's Don Pasquale and Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress.

Mariame Clément's popular staging of Donizetti's exhilarating romantic comedy Don Pasquale, featuring a talented young cast and conducted by Jonathan Bloxham.

Nimble and breathless, outrageous and exhilarating, Donizetti's late comic masterpiece pits two generations against one another in a musical battle of wits and wills.

John Cox's iconic 1975 production of Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress returns for the first time in a decade, featuring graphic designs from one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century, David Hockney. The opera will be conducted by Kerem Hasan.

A bearded lady, a small-town boy and a deal with the devil: classic fairy tale meets modern morality play in Stravinsky and WH Auden's exhilarating fusion of high drama and low comedy.

The line-up is completed with Glyndebourne's first-ever staging of Handel's Messiah, a rare opportunity to see and hear Glyndebourne's exceptional Chorus centre-stage, and just in time for the festive season. While most oratorios put the spotlight on the soloists, Handel's Messiah has the chorus at its heart. As exhilarating now as it was then - this is a piece that wholeheartedly showcases its singers. With Glyndebourne's long history of superb Handel stagings, this is one not to be missed.

The Glyndebourne Tour has a long and distinguished record of discovering and developing artistic talent. Continuing its commitment to nurturing young musicians, Glyndebourne's Pit Perfect scheme for orchestral players of exceptional promise returns this autumn. It provides the opportunity for 13 postgraduate instrumentalists to gain professional experience as part of the Glyndebourne Tour Orchestra throughout the autumn season, plus mentoring from established peers.

This year's Pit Perfect participants include the young Japanese cellist Tamaki Sugimoto, a recipient of various international prizes who is currently studying at the Royal College of Music whilst forging her performance career. She says of the scheme:

'Glyndebourne's Pit Perfect scheme will give me valuable insight into the operatic scene, both in and out of the pit. I am excited and truly grateful to be exposed to such great repertoire and welcomed by its wonderful team. It is a difficult time to be finishing studies, but this opportunity will help make a bridge towards my future career. The Glyndebourne Tour fills me with optimism and I look forward to sharing that enthusiasm with everyone in the productions and the audience.'