What To Expect

Waterperry Opera Festival is the perfect environment for all ages to enjoy opera, theatre and classical music, in the beautiful setting that is Waterperry House and Gardens. Our open-air summer season, performed by outstanding young talent, offers our audiences a unique chance to embrace the magic of outdoor theatre in a relaxed setting. From Rossini to Britten and beyond, there really is something for everyone at our Summer Festival taking place from 9– 18 August.

"Waterperry, and this excellent production..., proves that opera does not have to be grand to be successful." The Telegraph

Arriving at the Festival

Upon arrival, please head to the Box Office Tent which is situated behind the Tea Shop. Here, our friendly stewarding team will ask to check your tickets and will provide you with a wristband to access the Festival and Waterperry grounds. To view our Festival Box Office opening hours, please click here.
 
When collecting your wristband, our wonderful stewarding team will provide you with directions to your performance. For some of our daytime performances (Peter and the Wolf, Serenades, Nights Not Spent Alone, Young Artist Gala), our patrons are asked to meet at the Box Office to be ushered to the performance area – this will be detailed in ticket information received in advance of the Festival.
 
Please note that latecomers for each of our productions will be admitted as soon as is appropriate, where there is a break in the drama.

Make a day of it!

Surrounded by the stunning gardens, with wonderful music floating around the site, and plenty of amenities available, we believe that a trip to Waterperry Opera Festival makes for a wonderful day out. Our weekend dates are packed full of fun for families and audiences of all ages. Please see our full Festival schedule by clicking here.
 
By collecting your wristband at the Box Office, you will also have access to the site's beautiful herbaceous borders, ornamental gardens, and the other on-site delights, such as:

• the Waterperry Garden Centre,
  
• the Mediaeval church,
  
• the Art-in-Action Art Gallery,
  
• Waterperry Museum, and
  
• the Farm Shop.
  

Please note that the Gardens will close to the public at 5:30pm  at which point audience members attending an evening performance can make their way to the performance venue. For full information about garden access, please click here .
 
Our Festival goers are very welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy amongst the vibrant Festival atmosphere. ​We have an allocated picnic lawn for daytime audience members. For patrons attending an evening performance with an extended interval, we welcome them to set their picnics up in the formal gardens for a magical interval dining experience. We also have a Dining Pavilion which is available to pre-book for all patrons attending an evening performance. For all details about picnicking, and other food/drink offerings at the Festival, please click here. ​

Performances at Waterperry Opera Festival

The Amphitheatre at Waterperry is where it all began for our festival and is an intimate and magical space.

We have a variety of performance venues across the Waterperry Gardens estate. Our mission is to create innovative, immersive performances in a relaxed setting to bridge the gap between audience and artist. There is no formal dress code at Waterperry Opera Festival, however we advise audiences to dress with the weather forecast in mind. 
 
Performances venues across the Festival include:

• our 450-seater Main Stage set in front of the magnificent 18th Century Waterperry House,
• Waterperry’s very own 300-seater Amphitheatre,
• an enchanting Garden Glade set in the serene formal gardens, and
• the beautiful Georgian Ballroom inside Waterperry House.

​To view our performance venue accessibility information, please click here.  
 
We hope you will enjoy the artistic delights in store for you at this Summer’s Festival. Our work is directed at supporting young and emerging talent both on and off the stage, and showcasing the work of exciting early-career creatives. If you would like to find out more about how to support our work or sponsor a 2024 Artist, please contact [email protected]