Garsington Opera general director is retiring. Search for new artistic director is on!

The Directors of Garsington Opera (www.garsingtonopera.org) have announce that Anthony Whitworth-Jones will be retiring as General Director on 31 October 2012. He was appointed in 2005 after the sudden death of the founder of Garsington Opera, Leonard Ingrams, and leaves the company in a very strong position after having taken up its new home on the Wormsley Estate. The company is now seeking a world-class Artistic Director to join the team to lead Garsington Opera in the future.

Garsington Opera also announces that Chairman Iain Mackinnon will retire in September. The Board have nominated Bernard Taylor as Chairman-Designate, and Miranda Curtis as Deputy Chairman.

Anthony Whitworth-Jones said: “Garsington Opera has a bright and expanding future. I was honoured to be asked by the Board of Directors to take over the running of the company and now, after seven years in the job, it is the right time to hand over to a new regime. When I started in 2005, the future of the Opera, in spite of a very successful festival that year, was uncertain.

"After five seasons at Garsington Manor generously allowed by the Ingrams family following Leonard Ingrams’ death, we have found the most wonderful new home at Wormsley Estate. With the enthusiastic support of an expanding audience, the firm encouragement of Mark Getty and his Estate team, the welcome of Wycombe District Council and the local community, and, not least, the continuing efforts of the talented Opera staff, the future prospects are thrilling.”

Iain Mackinnon, Chairman of the Board of Directors said: “Garsington Opera was lucky to secure Anthony Whitworth-Jones with the foresight and energy to run the opera and take forward the festival created by Leonard Ingrams. Anthony’s conception of what the Garsington Opera festival could become came to fruition with the move to its new home at Wormsley and the creation of the magnificent new auditorium there. We all owe Anthony a great deal for his energy and effort in developing the opera festival as he has done over the past seven years.”

Garsington Opera’s 2012 season runs from 2 June – 3 July in its spectacular new home on the Wormsley estate in the Chiltern Hills. It presents Vivaldi’s rarely performed L’Olimpiade, Offenbach’s charming operetta La Périchole and Mozart’s Don Giovanni. General public booking opens 16 April.

BOX OFFICE Telephone 01865 361636 The Old Garage, The Green, Great Milton, Oxford OX44 7NP www.garsingtonopera.org

'All about Opera' weekend at Bodysgallen Hall

Join them for a fabulous one or two night Opera Weekend Workshop, with a visit to see performances by the Welsh National Opera at Venue Cymru. Included in this wonderful Opera Weekend Workshop are the best stall seats to see the opera, creative writing workshop with Charles Way, resident writer at Theatre Centre in London, accommodation, cooked breakfast, pre-theatre dinner, luncheon, and pre-performance talk, plus full use of the Bodysgallen Spa for pure relaxation. This is a weekend not to be missed by anyone who loves music and opera, and a UK short break in Wales!

On friday, 4th November, their afternoon commences with an introductory talk by Charles Ray. Enjoy an Early Bird Supper before departing for Venue Cymru and the pre-performance talk on the evening's opera, Don Giovanni. The performance will start at 7.00pm. Following the performance, you will return to Bodysgallen, a great location for a UK short break.

On Saturday, 5th November, Charles Way will look at the stories of Don Giovanni and Barber of Seville in depth and lead a stimulating discussion. After a delicious lunch, Charles will approach the creative writing element and explore different situations and character analysis. An early bird supper will be served prior to departure for Venue Cymru and the opera performance at 7.15pm. After the performance, everyone will return to Bodysgallen.

On Sunday, 6th November, following a hearty cooked breakfast, Charles will continue his workshop taking a scene from Barber of Seville as drama. The weekend workshop will conclude over a delicious lunch in a private dining room at Bodysgallen Hall.

Please telephone Reception or 01492 584466 to check availability or visit  www.bodysgallen.com for further details on their 'All about Opera' Weekend Workshop.

Garsington Opera has new home on Getty family estate

Garsington Opera has moved to the glorious estate of Wormsley in the Chiltern Hills, home of the Getty family, and opens its short summer season with Mozart's much-loved opera, The Magic Flute on 2 June 2011 in its beautiful, specially designed seasonal Opera Pavilion.

The highlight of the season will be the British premiere of Vivaldi’s La verità in cimento, a rare treasure, by the composer best known for his violin concerto, The Four Seasons. Rossini’s delightful Il Turco in Italia completes the season that runs from 2 June – 5 July. All the coming season’s conductors and directors will be working with both established and emerging young singers, two of whom are making their British debuts.

Garsington Opera’s new home is around an hour’s drive from London. Its elegant and intimate pavilion seats 600 and audiences look out over the landscape whilst enjoying some of opera’s finest music. Architect Robin Snell has designed with best possible comfort, acoustics and sightlines in mind. Its covered verandas and terraces with bars and places to linger will enable patrons to enjoy the spectacular views. Performances start in the early evening and there is a long dinner interval when patrons can picnic in the deer park, by the lake or overlooking the famous cricket pitch, or dine in the marquees catered by Jamie Olivers’ Fabulous Feasts.

Box Office telephone number 01865 361636 httpl://www.garsingtonopera.org