G - Glyndebourne Archive
- G/CC - Correspondence
  - G/CC/1 - John Christie Correspondence
    - G/CC/1/2 - John Christie Correspondence, General Correspondence A-Z Correspondents, 1934 - 1962

John Christie Correspondence, General Correspondence, B Correspondents

Reference code: G/CC/1/2/3
Level: File
Title: John Christie Correspondence, General Correspondence, B Correspondents
Quantity & Format: 160 letters
Repository: Glyndebourne Archive
Creator(s): Christie, John
Scope and content: Contains correspondence to and from -
Hope Bagenal, Consulting Architect, 1953, 1957 and 1958 (3 letters, 1 concerned with the technicalities of the rehearsal stage, another with the Opera House acoustics)

Douglas Bailey, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, 1958 and 1959 (4 letters)

K.M.Balfour, 1960 (3 letters)

A.Balleny, W.W.Turner & Co. Ltd (Theatre Furnishers) Oxford St, 1945 (6 letters) new material for the theatre seats, including a sample of fabric

Heinz Bank, 1960 (2 letters)
John Christie’s Private Secretary writes, “...Mr Christie’s most most prized addition has been a Rehearsal Stage which was built last winter. The same size as the actual stage, and on the same level, so that one opera can be rehearsed there, even while a performance is being given on stage, only a few yards away.”

G.J.Barbour, Ringer Bowling Club, 1958 (1 letter)

Louis Barchard, 1960 (1 letter)

Sir Gerald Barry, International Literary Management, 1958 (2 letters)

Lilian Baylis, Sadlers Wells Theatre, 1937 (6 letters)

Unknown correspondent, BBC, 1941, 1943 and 1945 (3 letters)

P Beard , 1959 (1 letter)
P Beard writes, “Besides all its splendour of art, one invariably feels one is a guest, and that your hostship presides over every single detail of all you provide, and always have provided, and that it is primarily in this capacity as a guest that one is received in the audience at Glyndebourne."

Crommelin, Dowager Duchess of Bedford, 1954 and 1958 (7 letters)
John Christie writes, 27 August 1958, “We are just starting to build our new rehearsal stage which will improve our efficiency considerably. We can do all this without state aid…”

Sir Thomas Beecham, 1943 and 1946 (3 letters)
Beecham telegraphs, 27 March 1943, "Have just conducted two performances mostly with metropolitan singers of Mozarts Figaro for Montreal Festival in which Audrey as Suzanna has scored a brilliant and special success which I think will have fortunate results."

Margaret Belshaw (spelling may be incorrect), 1957 (1 letter)

M Belshaw, Christie Estate Ltd, 1943, 1958 and 1959 (12 letters)

George Bell, Bishop of Chichester, 1940

Stanley Bell, City Livery Club, 1960 (2 letters)

M.W.Bennitt, Ministry of Works, 1953 (3 letters)

Janet Berbridge, 1957 (2 letters) “...my grandson, John Gwilt the cellist. He is ready now to make an appearance in London, but I need not tell you how much background help is required when it comes to launching a new name.”

Mr Beveridge, 1960 (1 letter)

Alfred Bickham, 1938 (1 letter)

David Bicknell, E.M.I.Ltd, 1960 (2 letters + 2 pamphlets about Minifon recording equipment)
John Christie writes, “I want to record the many incidents of my life, so that some writer can write a book. My own recording apparatus makes such an unpleasant row that I do not think anybody with the hope of writing such a book could put up with it for more than a short time.”

E.W.Biggs, South Eastern Gas Board, 1960 (1 letter)

Dr Rex Binning, 1960 (2 letters)

James Birch, 1946 (2 letters)

Lady Edith Bird, Royal National Life-Boat Institution, 1958 (2 letters)
John Christie writes, “I have to confine my charitable work to the work of Glyndebourne, to local work, and to animals.”

Elinor Birley, Eton College, 1957 or 1958, (1 letter)

M.P.Birley, Eton College, 1959 and 1960 (5 letters)

Rhoda Birley (a signatory on the Glyndebourne Festival Society and wife of the artist Sir Oswald Birley, 1959 (1 letter)

H.J.Blackham, Friends of Austria, 1944 (3 letters)

Mr Blaker, 1958 (1 letter)

Harry Blech, The Haydn-Mozart Society, 1957 and 1958 (3 letters + paperwork for the Society)

Arthur Bliss, BBC, 1941 (1 letter)

Eric Blom, 1958 (1 letter)

Lady Violet Bonham Carter, 1946, 1955, 1958, 1959 and 1960 (10 letters)
John Christie writes, 01 August 1946, “I see in our tour of “Lureatia” a test of what the Arts Council has done. The standard we reached is nowhere near the standard we aim at, but it is better than what is now otherwise available. I feel in the circumstances we have done our work.”

Lady Violet writes, 04 July 1955, “Your power to take essential action immediately and so simply and naturally that no one can question it, is one of the many secrets of your success.”

Lady Violet writes, 11 June 1958, “Mrs Specker was entranced by Glyndebourne - (How shocking that she should never have been there before!”)

Lady Violet's 1959 letter is in response to John’s letter sent to every member of the first night audience following an unfavourable review in The Times of Der Rosenkavalier.

Jennifer Booth, 1959 (1 letter)

Benita Borrel, 1962 (2 letters)

Mrs Bosley, The Church of England Children’s Society, 1958 (2 letters)

Sir Adrian Boult, 1944 (1 letter)
John Christie writes, “Personally I believe that Austria is the bright musical spot in Europe and I am anxious that we should be closely connected to them.”

Adeline Bourne, 1943 (1 letter)

Mrs Brand, 1960 (1 letter)

Anne Brandt, 1958 (2 letters)

B.S.Braithwaite, East Sussex County Council, 1962 (1 letter)

Molly Breffitt, 1960 (1 letter)

Sir Edward Bridges, The Treasury, 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1951 (14 letters + notes on The Glyndebourne Trust) Letter of 18 June 1951 is entitled ‘The Arts Council and Covent Garden’

Charles Brill, 1949 (1 letter)

Tom Brocklebank, 1948 (1 letter)

Francis Bromfield, Gardiner Hunter & Co, 1958 and 1960 (6 letters)

Margaret Brooks, 1957 (1 letter)

David Brown, 1959 (2 letters)

Hon. Ursula Bruce, 1958 (1 letter)

Sylvia Buller, 1958 (1 letter)

Mrs Brocas Burrows, 1957 (1 invitation card)

Commander Hyde C Burton, 1959 (2 letters)

Nicholas Butler, New College Oxford, 1958 (3 letters)

R.A.Butler, The Home Secretary, 1957 (2 letters) regarding permission for Jani Strasser’s sister to visit from Hungary

Cyril Butterwick, Sotheby & Co, 1957 and 1958 (11 letters)
John Christie writes, 24 May 1958, “Jock Gough is our stage foreman, who has done marvels for 25 years.”

Mrs Buxton, 1938 (1 letter)
Unknown B correspondent, first name Mary, 1957 or 1958 (1 letter)
Unknown B correspondent, first name Robert, 1960 (1 letter)

Also includes -
Copy of a brochure entitled ‘Summer School for Singers’, 1960 (but it is unclear which letter in the B’s this document relates to)