“Glyndebourne is awash with larger-than-life characters. Walking round the red-brick backstage corridors – “round” is the word, as the place is circular – you’ll meet nobody prouder of their lot than the volunteer ushers in their gold medallions, unless it’s Vince the resident fireman, who once took great delight in extinguishing a picnicker’s unauthorised barbecue. Or the polyglot Ingrid, who mans the stage door, translates Norwegian books (including The Bookseller of Kabul), and has been appointed MBE for services to skiing, having coached the British Olympic team.”