Case Study: L’ Orfeo

CTS were delighted once again to be asked to build a new production for the wonderful Glyndebourne for the 2026 Festival. Over the past few years, we have built Don Giovanni in 2023, Carmen in 2024, and Figaro and Don Pasquale in 2025.

This production of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, directed by William Kentridge, with set design by Sabine Theunissen, lighting by Urs Schonebaum and video by Janus Fouché, is set within the world of an artist’s studio.

It was a particularly enjoyable project to realise, not least because of the extraordinary range of material finishes involved. More than 15 different material imitation scenic finishes were used across the set, alongside the construction challenges that come with large-scale opera: creating something that can play in repertoire while remaining relatively quick to set and strike.

This was also one of those productions where placing images of the 1:20 scale model alongside the finished, full-scale set really does justice to the design. Seeing the ideas, textures and details move from model box to stage is a lovely demonstration of the journey from design to realisation.

And here is a link the trailer on Glyndebourne’s YouTube channel which is worth a viewing: https://youtu.be/9gO05-O9z6E

CTS’s Construction Manager Alastair Head went to support the Glyndebourne production team fit the show up for and with Production Manager Tom Harrison. Tom’s comments on CTS’s work on L’Orfeo stand as a proud testimony to the care and commitment we give to all our productions.

“We had a very successful load in and fit up with Ali last week, and the quality of the build and the care taken by the scenic team is really incredible. I’d like to extend my personal thanks to the CTS team.” Tom Harrison PM.

Here are some photo’s of the project during its build phase at CTS. At the top of the page are some production photos by kind permission of Glyndebourne Festival Opera : © Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Richard Hubert Smith