Buxton’s internationally-renowned celebration of opera, music and literature (10th-26th July 2015) promises an exciting programme of events, with visits from some of the world’s finest musicians, performers and authors
This year’s music series features 36 concerts from award-winning and internationally renowned singers and musicians performing in Buxton Opera House, the Pavilion Arts Centre, St John’s Church and the Pavilion Café.
The most recorded chamber orchestra in the world, the English Chamber Orchestra will perform much loved pieces by Mozart and Tchaikovsky on the opening night in the Opera House. Singers with international profiles including Roderick Williams (star of the Last Night Of the Proms in 2014), sopranos Soraya Mafi, Rosalind Coad and Gillian Keith and tenor Ben Johnson will perform work from a wide range of composers.
Audiences can also experience performances from ensembles including the Halle Soloists, Schubert Ensemble, Fitzwilliam String Quartet, Elias String Quartet and Inner City Brass. Festival favorites La Serenissima will perform The Four Seasons featuring parts which were hand-written by Vivaldi’s father and housed in the Henry Watson Library, Manchester.
The festival fetaures international award-winning pianists Stephen Hough and Mei Yi Foo as well as up and coming talent Eudald Buch, Samson Tsoy and Pavel Kolesnikov, who will perform pieces from many composers including Rachaminov, Bach and Debussy.
The packed programme also includes Huddersfield Choral Society and jazz from the Alex Yellowlees Band, James Pearson Trio featuring Lizzie Ball, Chetham’s Jazz Ensemble and BBC One Show favourite Jay Rayner, who will entertain in late night shows in the Pavilion Café.
Always a highlight, this year’s literary programme features over 40 fascinating talks from best-selling and award-winning authors, personalities, historical, artistic, poilitical and musical experts.
Speakers including Antonia Fraser, Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, William Waldegrave, Miriam Margolyes and Bill Oddie will appear at this year’s festival alongside best selling authors including Helen Macdonald, Louis De Bernieres, Penny Junor and Henry Marsh.
Special anniversaries for 2015 including the 150 Anniversary of Alice in Wonderland, 800-year anniversary of Magna Carta and 200-year anniversary of The Battle of Waterloo, will be explored in fascinating talks by Robert Douglas–Fairhurst, Marc Morris and David Crane.
Experts on historial figures will also share their research. AN Wilson presents a portrait of Queen Victoria, Andrew Robert shares his studies on Napoleon and Helen Castor explores the gripping life of Joan of Arc.
Hilarious novelist Kathy Lette is joined on the Opera House stage on Sunday 19th July by popular actress and author Maureen Lipman and TV stars Meera Syal and Ronni Ancona in a free-wheeling evening about their lives and careers.
The Festival will end with a Literary Lunch on Sunday 26th July at the Old Hall Hotel. Acclaimed author Kate Mosse, BBC Foreign Reporter and historian Jonathan Fryer and Restaurater and renowned cookery book author Prue Leith will entertain guests after a three course meal.
For further details on the packed programme visit www.buxtonfestival.co.uk or call 01298 70395 for details. For Fringe events visit www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
Festival Programme
Opera
11, 14, 17, 21, 24 Giovanna d’Arco
12, 15, 18, 22, 25 Lucia di Lammermoor
16, 19, 23 Louise
13, 20 Dido and Aeneas
21, 23 Scenes from Operas 2pm
Music
10 English Chamber Orchestra 7.30pm
11 Soraya Mafi & Ian Tindale 12pm
11 The Alex Yellowlees Band 9pm
12 Roderick Williams & Susie Allan 12.15pm
12 The Schubert Ensemble 4pm
13 Eudald Buch 12pm
13 Maria Camahort Quintet 3.30pm
14 Members of The English Concert with Mary Bevan 12pm
14 Fitzwilliam String Quartet 3.30pm
15 Samson Tsoy & Pavel Kolesnikov 12.15pm
15 Sarah-Jane Lewis, Gareth Brynmor John & Simon Lepper 3.15pm
16 James McOran-Campbell & James Southall 12pm
16 Organ recital 5pm
16-17 The James Pearson Trio featuring Lizzie Ball 9pm
17 Mei Yi Foo 12pm
17 Eleanor Turner 3.15pm
18 Lutes & Ukes 12pm
18 Lucy Russell & John Butt 3.30pm
18 Chetham’s Jazz Ensemble 9pm
19 Ben Johnson & Sebastian Wybrew 12.15pm
19 Huddersfield Choral Society 7.30pm
20-21 Hallé Soloists 12pm
20 Rosalind Coad & Gregory Drott 3.30pm
22 Benjamin Baker & Robert Thompson 12.15pm
22 La Serenissima 7.30pm
23 Debussy and his Muse 12pm
23 Frith Piano Quartet 3.30pm
23 Organ Recital 5pm
23 The Jay Rayner Quartet 9pm
24 Stephen Hough 12pm
24 Laura Snowden 3.30pm
24 Another 100 Years of Jazz 9pm
25 Psappha 12pm
25 Inner City Brass 3.15pm
25 From Berlin to Bacharach 9pm
Talks and Literature
11 F Philip Holland 9am
11 A N Wilson 10.15am
11 Robert Douglas-Fairhurst 2pm
11 Selina Hastings 4pm
12 Andrew Roberts 10.15am
12 Poetry Writing Workshop 1pm
12 Claudia Renton 2pm
13 Sarah Quill 10.15am
13 Helen Macdonald 2pm
13 James Rebanks 4.45pm
14 Peter Hennessy 9am
14 Louis de Bernieres 10.15am
14 Richard Davenport-Hines 2pm
15 Jean Seaton 10.15am
15 Judith Flanders 2pm
15 Ferdinand Mount 5pm
16 Carole Hillenbrand 9am
16 Antonia Fraser 10.15am
16 Anne de Courcy 2pm
16 Masoud Banisadr 3.45pm
17 Peter Stanford 9am
17 Penny Junor 10.15am
17 Ken Howard and Harold Riley 2pm
17 Gordon Corera 4.30pm
18 Simon Rees 9am
18 Helen Castor 10.15 am
18 Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor 2pm
19 Mark Bostridge 10.15am
19 Historical Fiction Workshop 1pm
20 William Waldegrave 10.15am
20 Christopher Frayling 2pm
20 Will Hutton 4.45pm
21 Peter Moore 9am
21 Anthony King 10.15am
21 Marc Morris 2pm
22 John Hemming 10.15am
23 Tony Little 9am
23 Robert Sackville-West 10.15am
23 Miriam Margoyles 2pm
24 Lewis Dartnell 9am
24 Sinclair McKay 10.15am
24 Matthew Dennison 2pm
25 Helen Mort 9am
25 Bill Oddie 10.15am
24 Henry Marsh 2pm
25 David Crane 4.30pm
26 The Oldie Literary Lunch ft Kate Mosse, Jonathan Fryer and Prue Leith 12pm
Other events
12, 17 Buxton: It’s Background & Beauty guided walk 10am
18, 19 Flying The Nest 3pm
19 Evening with Kathy Lette, Ronni Ancona, Maureen Lipman & Meera Syal 7.30pm
25, 26 The Magical Storytelling Yurt 10am
