Jobs
Garsington Studios Catering Partnership Opportunity for the 2026 Season onwards
Garsington Studios, the headquarters of Garsington Opera and home of a world-class, purpose-built rehearsal and performance studio, is seeking a partner to deliver internal catering services for the 2026 season onwards.
Primarily this will be for cast and crew and mainly between April and July, however there is an opportunity for an experienced and dynamic caterer to work alongside the Garsington team and help build a year round events business.
We are imagining a locally based operator who could utilise The Studios kitchen and café spaces as their base. Whilst the quality of the offer and reputation of Garsington Opera is of paramount importance, we seek an operator who can take ownership of food and beverage. We propose working together to craft a partnership arrangement which will provide internal catering services (paid for by Garsington Opera) and incentivise the caterer to deliver existing and indeed capture new business.
We wish to meet with potential partners in January 2026 with a view to appointing the successful caterer to commence in March 2026.
Within The Studios there is a well-equipped kitchen and servery which can be used by the caterer. There is a combination oven, induction range, refrigeration, microwave, tabling, blast chiller, preparation sinks and a servery.
If this partnership is of interest to you, then please contact Christopher Barber; chris@christopherbarber.me.uk for more information and an initial call to talk through further.
Learning & Participation Projects Officer (Full-time, fixed term contract, March – August 2026)
Garsington Opera is seeking a Projects Officer to support all aspects of the L&P programme over the busy summer season. The role will report to the Head of Learning & Participation and work closely with the Learning & Participation Coordinator and Youth Company Manager.
Post: Learning & Participation Projects Officer
Reporting to: Head of Learning & Participation
Salary: £25,500 pro rata depending on experience
Application deadline: 9am on Tuesday 6 January 2026
Chaperone
Post: Chaperone
Reporting to: Head Chaperone, who reports to Director of Artistic Administration and Head of Learning and Participation
Salary: £55 minimum call time up to 3 hours / £82.50 up to 5 hours / £110.00 up to 8 hours
Employment Status: Freelance. Please note this is not a full time position and the work is ad hoc as the company requires.
Application deadline: 10am on Monday 12 January 2026
Interview date: Wednesday 21 and Friday 23 January 2026 at Garsington Studios
Find out more in the job description linked below.
To apply please send a CV and the Chaperone Application Form to admin@garsingtonopera.org
Please ensure your CV and Application Form is attached in PDF format.
Traineeships
Stage Technician (Trainee)
Garsington Opera is looking to appoint a Stage Technician Trainee for our upcoming 2026 season. To assist the Head of Stage and Stage Management in the running of the stage during technical rehearsals, daytime changeovers and show running.
Dates of engagement: 1 May 2026 to 27 July 2026
Total fee: £6,250 paid in instalments on a bi-weekly basis
Application deadline: 9 am on Friday 9 January 2026
Find out more in the job description linked below.
To apply please send a CV and covering letter to rowan@garsingtonopera.org
Please ensure your CV and covering letter is attached in PDF format.
Season Roles
As a seasonal festival, each year there are various opportunities to work at Garsington Opera both on and off the stage in a wide variety of roles. To find out more about how to apply for these opportunities, please see our Seasonal Roles page.
Technical Stage Manager
To work alongside the Technical Director, Production Managers (where applicable) and the Production Co-ordinator in the running of the technical department for the 2026 season at Wormsley. Working in collaboration with the aforementioned, you will ensure the best use of Garsington resources for the realisation of the technical and production elements of each production.
Dates of engagement: 30 April 2026 to 29 July 2026
Total fee: £12,350 paid instalments on a bi-weekly basis
Application deadline: 9am on Friday 9 January 2026
Find out more in the job description linked below.
To apply please send a CV and covering letter to rowan@garsingtonopera.org
Please ensure your CV and covering letter is attached in PDF format.
Stage Technician
To assist the Head of Stage and Stage Management in the running of the stage during technical rehearsals, daytime changeovers and show running.
Dates of engagement: 1 May 2026 to 27 July 2026
Total fee: £8,250 paid in instalments on a bi-weekly basis
Holiday pay will accumulate and be paid at the end of the contract
Application deadline: 9am on Friday 9 January 2026
Find out more in the job description linked below.
To apply please send a CV and covering letter to rowan@garsingtonopera.org
Please ensure your CV and covering letter is attached in PDF format.
Deputy Stage Manager
Working within a team of Stage Manager, DSM and ASM to ensure the 2026 season production of Il ritorno d’Ulisse runs smoothly from rehearsals to the final performance.
Dates of engagement: 4 May 2026 – 25 July 2026
Total fee: £8,220 paid in instalments on a bi-weekly basis
Application deadline: 9am on Friday 9 January 2026
Find out more in the job description linked below.
To apply please send a CV and covering letter to rowan@garsingtonopera.org
Please ensure your CV and covering letter is attached in PDF format.
Assistant Stage Manager
Working within a team of Stage Manager, DSM and ASM to ensure the 2026 season production of Il ritorno d’Ulisse runs smoothly from rehearsals to the final performance.
Dates of engagement: 4 May 2026 to 25 July 2026
Total fee: £7,440 paid in instalments on a bi weekly basis
Application deadline: 9am on Friday 9 January 2026
To apply please send a CV and covering letter to rowan@garsingtonopera.org. Please ensure your CV and covering letter is attached in PDF format.
Running Props Technician
Garsington Opera is recruiting for two Running Prop Technicians for two separate periods.
Technician 1
Dates of engagement: 7 April 2026 to 26 July 2026
Total fee: £10,560 paid in instalments on a bi-weekly basis
Technician 2
Dates of engagement: 1 May 2026 to 11 July 2026
Total fee: £6,600 paid in two instalments
Please specify in your application covering letter which contract you are applying for or specify that you’d like to be considered for either.
Application deadline: 9am on Friday 9 January 2026
Find out more in the job description linked below.
To apply please send a CV and covering letter to rowan@garsingtonopera.org
Please ensure your CV and covering letter is attached in PDF format.
Production Assistant
Garsington Opera is recruiting for two Production Assistants for two separate periods.
Dates of engagement: 6 April 2026 to 2 August 2026
Total fee: £10,625 paid in instalments on a bi-weekly basis
Dates of engagement: 1 May 2026 to 9 July 2026
Total fee: £6,250 paid in instalments on a bi-weekly basis
Please specify in your application covering letter which contract you are applying for or specify that you’d like to be considered for either.
Application deadline: 9am on Friday 9 January 2026
Find out more in the job description linked below.
To apply please send a CV and covering letter to rowan@garsingtonopera.org
Please ensure your CV and covering letter is attached in PDF format.
Assistant to the Costume Supervisor
Garsington is recruiting two Assistants for two separate periods.
To assist the Costume Supervisor in the sourcing, buying and fitting of costumes for the 2026 Garsington Opera Season.
Assistant 1
Dates of engagement: 16 March 2026 to 8 July 2026
Total fee: £11,138 paid in instalments on a bi-weekly basis
Assistant 2
Dates of engagement: 23 March to 17 April
Total fee: £2,700 paid in two instalments
Please specify in your application covering letter which contract you are applying for or specify that you’d like to be considered for either.
Application deadline: 9 am on Friday 9 January 2026
Find out more in the job description linked below.
To apply please send a CV and covering letter to rowan@garsingtonopera.org
Please ensure your CV and covering letter is attached in PDF format.
Costume Department Alterations Assistant
To assist the Costume Supervisors in the fitting and altering of costumes for the 2026 Garsington Opera Season.
Dates of engagement: 6 April 2026 to 26 June 2026
Total fee: £7,200 paid in instalments on a bi-weekly basis
Application deadline: 9am on Friday 9 January 2026
Find out more in the job description linked below.
To apply please send a CV and covering letter to rowan@garsingtonopera.org
Please ensure your CV and covering letter is attached in PDF format.
Dye Room Assistant
To co-ordinate and carry out the dyeing and breaking down of costume fabrics as instructed by the Costume Supervisors for the 2026 Garsington Opera Season.
Dates of engagement:
20 – 26 April 2026
11 – 22 May 2026
1 – 14 June 2026
Fee: £600 per week
Application deadline: 9am on Friday 9 January 2026
Find out more in the job description linked below.
To apply please send a CV and covering letter to rowan@garsingtonopera.org
Please ensure your CV and covering letter is attached in PDF format.
Work Experience Opportunities
Each year, we offer a week of intensive work experience for a limited number of young people between the ages of 16 and 18. It’s a great chance to find out how a producing theatre works and to highlight the many career opportunities in producing and making shows, in our case particularly opera. This year our available work experience week is 13 – 17 July 2026.
This intensive experience covers a full range of departments across the organisation, offering the opportunity to learn how a theatre/opera business works and how all departments contribute to the company’s overall delivery of Opera. There will be opportunities to shadow various departments: Marketing, Learning & Participation, Company / Artist Management and backstage technical departments.
As part of this opportunity you will:
- Connect with creative industry professionals across various roles in the sector
- Discover the extensive range of career opportunities within a theatre/opera company
- Understand and learn the key skills required in the workplace: listening, speaking, problem solving, creativity, teamwork and staying positive
If you are interested in joining us for a week of introduction in opera, please complete the online form, and we will be in contact in due course. Closing date for our 2026 work experience offering is 31st January 2026.