Grange Park Opera

About the Festival & its History

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"With its picturesque surroundings, Grange Park Opera is perhaps the most idyllic opera festival of them all."
Mark Pullinger, Opera Britannia

Founded in 1997 by Wasfi Kani OBE and Michael Moody, Grange Park Opera has quickly established itself as one of the major music festivals in Europe's operatic summer season. During the last decade, as Fiona Maddocks of The Observer noted, "Grange Park continues its unstoppable progress."

Under the patronage of Lord and Lady Ashburton, who own Grange Park estate, the festival began with a performance of The Marriage of Figaro in a temporary theatre set in the derelict picture gallery - with a slightly worrying roof.

This year, 15 years later, the season has been extended to seven weeks, with four productions that are staged in a 550-seat state-of-the-art theatre (with a rock-solid ceiling) built within the 18th century conservatory. To date, there have been some 53 productions, many of which have been acclaimed for superb singing, outstanding conducting and magnificent stage sets.

At the heart of the festival is a commitment to promoting international and rising talent, introducing British audiences to little heard operas and bringing in a new audience to hear opera for the first time. To help develop the next generation's love of opera, there are special schemes that give free tickets to young people and subsidised tickets for under 35s.

A lavishly illustrated 300-page book that gives both the history of the house and the opera company, is available from the Grange Park Opera office.

With no Government support, the company, a registered charity, is funded by box office income, its donors and supporters.

Pimlico Opera, also founded by Wasfi Kani, began in 1987 and presents opera in unusual places. The company is best known for its work in prison with prisoners involved in the productions.

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The Company is limited by Guarantee and is registered in England and Wales company number 3490791

Grange Park Opera is supporting Young Epilepsy in 2013.  

Young Epilepsy exists to improve the lives of children and young people with epilepsy to enable them to fulfil their potential and ensure they have the best quality of life.