It is an acoustical marvel, with even the softest notes of a theorbo sounding clearly and with character. Through much of its history, opera has been a rich person's art. Glyndebourne is a real study in this phenomenon. It takes place in a bucolic country setting with lovely gardens, and grazing cattle and sheep conspicuously visible. The new theater was built next to the manor home.
Most men attending the opera wear bow ties and dinner jackets, and most women are in long dresses.
The pastoral setting is sometimes rudely interrupted by persons arriving in private helicopters. It was in three acts, and the second intermission was 85 minutes long to allow persons to eat dinner. Many persons bring elaborate picnics with tables and chairs, and sometimes a butler for service. Operas are presented ten or fifteen times during a season lasting from May until August. Productions, which are videotaped and made available commercially, are used for two seasons, in the second season with a new cast.