John Christie (Glyndebourne)
Encyclopedia
John Christie, CH, MC
(14 December 1882 - 4 July 1962) was an English
landowner and producer
. He was the founder of the Glyndebourne Opera House
and the Glyndebourne Festival Opera
at his home at Glyndebourne
, near Lewes
in Sussex
in 1934.
Born to a wealthy landed family in Eggesford
, Devon
, Christie was educated at Eton College
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, later spending seven years at Eton as a master. He served in the trenches in the First World War with the King's Royal Rifle Corps
, despite partial blindness, was awarded the Military Cross
, and reached the rank of Captain
. Having been given the Glyndebourne
Estate for his own use he began to develop local enterprises there from 1920 onwards.
In 1931 he married the Canadian soprano
Audrey Mildmay, and together they planned to build an opera theatre as an annex to the main house. This was completed in 1934 and the first season, which featured Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and Cosi fan tutte
, conducted by Fritz Busch
was an immediate success.
In succeeding years Christie continued to finance the Glyndebourne Festival Opera himself but after World War II
, during which the opera season was suspended, the costs became harder to bear. Eventually however he succeeded in getting commercial sponsorship, placing the Festival on a sound footing and enabling to aspire to the highest artistic standards. His legacy is an institution that still flourishes and receives international acclaim.
In 1954 John Christie was made a Companion of Honour for his achievement at Glyndebourne.
He died at Glyndebourne in 1962. After Christie's death, the festival was taken over by his son, Sir George Christie and recently his grandson Gus Christie. Like his father, Sir George was also made a Companion of Honour for his work at Glyndebourne.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(14 December 1882 - 4 July 1962) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
landowner and producer
Theatrical producer
A theatrical producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing all aspects of mounting a theatre production. The independent producer will usually be the originator and finder of the script and starts the whole process...
. He was the founder of the Glyndebourne Opera House
Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne is a country house, thought to be about six hundred years old, located near Lewes in East Sussex, England. It is also the site of an opera house which, with the exception of its closing during the Second World War, for a few immediate post-war years, and in 1993 during the...
and the Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Glyndebourne Festival Opera is an English opera festival held at Glyndebourne, an English country house near Lewes, in East Sussex, England.-History:...
at his home at Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne is a country house, thought to be about six hundred years old, located near Lewes in East Sussex, England. It is also the site of an opera house which, with the exception of its closing during the Second World War, for a few immediate post-war years, and in 1993 during the...
, near Lewes
Lewes
Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...
in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
in 1934.
Born to a wealthy landed family in Eggesford
Eggesford
Eggesford is a village in mid-Devon. It is served by Eggesford railway station on the Exeter to Barnstaple railway line, also known as the Tarka Line.It is home to the Chichester family, Earl of Portsmouth ....
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, Christie was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, later spending seven years at Eton as a master. He served in the trenches in the First World War with the King's Royal Rifle Corps
King's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
, despite partial blindness, was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, and reached the rank of Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
. Having been given the Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne is a country house, thought to be about six hundred years old, located near Lewes in East Sussex, England. It is also the site of an opera house which, with the exception of its closing during the Second World War, for a few immediate post-war years, and in 1993 during the...
Estate for his own use he began to develop local enterprises there from 1920 onwards.
In 1931 he married the Canadian soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
Audrey Mildmay, and together they planned to build an opera theatre as an annex to the main house. This was completed in 1934 and the first season, which featured Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and Cosi fan tutte
Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
, conducted by Fritz Busch
Fritz Busch
Fritz Busch was a German conductor.Busch was born in Siegen, Province of Westphalia. He held posts conducting opera at Aachen, Stuttgart and Dresden. In 1933 he was dismissed from his post at Dresden because of his opposition to the new Nazi government of Germany...
was an immediate success.
In succeeding years Christie continued to finance the Glyndebourne Festival Opera himself but after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, during which the opera season was suspended, the costs became harder to bear. Eventually however he succeeded in getting commercial sponsorship, placing the Festival on a sound footing and enabling to aspire to the highest artistic standards. His legacy is an institution that still flourishes and receives international acclaim.
In 1954 John Christie was made a Companion of Honour for his achievement at Glyndebourne.
He died at Glyndebourne in 1962. After Christie's death, the festival was taken over by his son, Sir George Christie and recently his grandson Gus Christie. Like his father, Sir George was also made a Companion of Honour for his work at Glyndebourne.