A group of Trinity students, all members of the Trinity Boys Choir, have been rehearsing and performing in the Glyndebourne Festival’s acclaimed production of Billy Budd. Their involvement in one of the world’s most prestigious opera festivals highlights the exceptional musical opportunities available through Trinity Music and the breadth of talent nurtured across the school’s music programme.
Each summer, the Glyndebourne Festival transforms the Sussex countryside into one of the world’s most celebrated operatic destinations. Running from May to August, the festival brings together acclaimed productions, an intimate theatre setting and internationally renowned artists in a celebration of music and the arts.
We’re incredibly proud of how professionally our students have performed, demonstrating resilience, confidence and teamwork while adapting to unexpected challenges.
Director of the Trinity Boys Choir, Mr Mulroy, reflected on their achievement:
“Our boys have been rehearsing and performing in Benjamin Britten’s opera, Billy Budd, at Glyndebourne Festival Opera. This is a sensational production by Michael Grandage of this epic piece, set in 1797 aboard HMS Indomitable, where our boys (in rotation) play four Midshipmen.
Unfortunately, on the first night, one of the singers sadly got (sea)sick at the very last minute, through no fault of his own, leaving the three others to do the work of four with only a couple of minutes’ notice. They did this with utter calm under considerable pressure, ensuring nothing went awry, and sang with remarkable, turbo-charged power. A nautical salute to our boys for delivering so convincingly under the spotlight and in less-than-ideal circumstances!”
The production has also received outstanding reviews, with one reviewer praising the choir:
“The chorus were magnificent and lusty, the children’s chorus – taken from the Trinity Boys Choir – firm and secure (no wonder with Nicholas Mulroy training them along with his wife Annie, and his young teenage son Michael amongst his charges).”
Congratulations to all the students taking part. We wish them every success for the remainder of the run.
Experiences like this give our students the opportunity to perform in professional productions alongside internationally acclaimed musicians, building confidence, discipline and resilience while demonstrating what can be achieved through dedication and hard work.
The 2026 Glyndebourne Festival features six productions, including Billy Budd, alongside works by Mozart, Monteverdi, Rossini, Richard Strauss and Puccini. Tickets for the remaining performances are still available.
(with thanks to Glyndebourne Productions Ltd Photos: Tristram Kenton for the pictures)
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