27 May - 2 August 2025
Longborough Festival Opera has a reputation for performances of the works of or influenced by Richard Wagner. In 2025 the festival presents the UK premiere of Wahnfried: the birth of the Wagner cult, which charts the Wagner family’s determination to construct the myth of the composer, their brutal infighting and their disturbing political affiliations.
Elsewhere in the programme the great Wagnerian conductor Anthony Negus conducts Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande; and resident conductor of Irish National Opera Elaine Kelly and director Louise Bakker present Rossini’s comedy Il barbiere di Siviglia.
Longborough is also known for supporting emerging talent. In 2025, a new production of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas will showcase Longborough’s Emerging Artists, and will also feature Barokksolistene, one of the world’s leading baroque ensembles.
In 2025 there will also be film screenings of Longorough’s acclaimed 2024 Ring cycle, at Cidermill Theatre in nearby Chipping Campden.
Tickets open for public sale on 10 March 2025.
The festival takes place in a purpose-built 500 seat theatre in the picturesque Cotswold village of Longborough, near Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton-in-Marsh.
The nearest railway station is Moreton-in-Marsh, which has direct trains from major stations including London Paddington, Hereford and Worcester. We operate a bus shuttle service from the station to our theatre (you will need to prebook this). There is plenty of car parking on site.
Our part of the Cotswolds has many types of accommodation available, from small B&Bs and cosy pubs with rooms, to larger premium hotels.
There is no dress code. Dress as smartly or as comfortably as you like.
Our intimate 500-seat theatre was once a chicken shed, and is now a working theatre featuring an orchestra pit for 70 players and seats salvaged from the Royal Opera House. It opens only for our festival, and in 2025 will host 22 performances across the summer.
Each production includes a 90-minute interval for dinner. Bring your own picnic and find a spot in the grounds to enjoy the spectacular views, or book a place in our own on-site restaurant offering a three-course meal. We have bars on site, and there is a lovely local pub in the village, a few minutes’ walk from the festival site.
The Cotswolds is the perfect place to visit, with many beautiful places to see and things to do. There are historic houses, picturesque countryside, castles, churches, a heritage steam railway, and beautiful villages such as Bourton-on-the-Water.
