Founded in 1991 by Martin and Lizzie Graham, Longborough Festival Opera is a family run opera company in the Cotswolds that presents an annual summer festival. It is committed to supporting new talent through an Emerging Artist education programme, which helps performers and other arts professionals pursue their careers.
Many talented artists struggle to gain the high-profile exposure they need to advance. Longborough Festival Opera’s programme attracts artists from all backgrounds through its open access audition process.
“Our work with emerging artists is crucial to Longborough’s ethos, building on our experience to provide first-class productions for the benefit of artists and audiences, and to offer essential tiered learning experiences. We have been able to support a very talented group of emerging artists — some performing on a professional stage for the first time, others taking on their first mainstage roles. All were able to develop their craft and careers. None of this would be possible without the generous support of trusts, foundations and individuals.” Longborough Festival Opera
Longborough Festival Opera’s Emerging Artist production of Dido and Aeneas in 2025 featured Barokksolistene performing the orchestral score from memory. The production, led and conducted by Bjarte Eike — one of the world’s foremost figures in Baroque fiddle playing — was directed by celebrated Norwegian stage director and choreographer Erlend Samnøen.
This ambitious production showcased 12 of Longborough’s Emerging Artists, who performed all the solo roles, with the Longborough Youth Chorus appearing in major chorus scenes as Queen Dido’s courtiers and as Trojan sailors. As a coda to the performance, after the applause, Barokksolistene led a wake for the Queen of Carthage, involving Emerging Artists, the Youth Chorus and even some audience participation.
Audiences were overwhelmed:
• “One of the best nights of my life.”
• “The music and singing were superb and greatly enjoyed by the whole party.”
• “Dido & Aeneas was one of the best things we’ve seen since our first visit in 2013.”
• “This performance was exceptional and so engaging. The production was full of life, the instrumentalists brilliant, and the soloists and chorus outstanding.”
The 2025 Emerging Artist production of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas will provide mainstage public performance opportunities for artists at the beginning of their careers, alongside members of Longborough’s Youth Chorus, through Longborough Festival Opera’s learning programme.