Glyndebourne announces outdoor season of opera and concerts

Glyndebourne Opera House has announced plans to stage outdoor concerts with socially distanced audiences this summer.

The venue has revealed plans to present performances from mid-July, with shows cancelled in the event of bad weather. All audiences will be placed on Glyndebourne's lawn, with households grouped together.

The first opera will be Jacques Offenbach's one-act Mesdames de la Halle. There will be a maximum audience size of 200 people – audiences are invited to dress up formally for the occasion.

Twelve singers will present the piece but no chorus, with all props and costumes coming from past operas and 13 musicians accompanying the show rather than 40. Other performances will come from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, with finalised dates to be revealed.

Stephen Langridge, artistic director, said: "We are fortunate in having plenty of outside space available to us, and with a little imagination, we can see exciting musical and theatrical opportunities for performance in the gardens. "

Glyndebourne's gardens will also reopen on 1 July.