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Thursday 4 July 2019

Mozart travelogues, moon landings and Mansfield Park: the 2019 Lichfield Festival

2017 Lichfield Festival (photo Redlock Photography)
2017 Lichfield Festival (photo Redlock Photography)
The Lichfield Festival (festival director Damian Thantrey) opens on Friday 5 July 2019, providing nine days of music, dance, comedy, talks, family events and more. Headlined by K T Tunstall whose concert on Friday opens the festival, performers include the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, The Mozartists, and Voces8, with Jonathan Dove as featured composer.

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales returns for a second year of residency and with conductor Ainar Rubikis performing Elgar's Enigma Variations and Sea Pictures, with mezzo-soprano Polly Leech, and Shostakovich's Cello Concerto, with Andrei Ionita. Ian Page and The Mozartists present A Mozart Travelogue with soprano Louise Alder, harpist Oliver Wass (who performed in the premiere of my opera The Gardeners last month), and Gavin Edwards (horn).

Jonathan Dove is the festival's featured composers. Voces8 will be performing his new work (and celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landings), Jonathan will be in conversation with Kate Romano, his opera Mansfield Park is being performed by students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and Lichfield Cathedral Choir sing one of Jonathan's anthems in their Festival Compline..

Festival director Damian Thantrey has created A Celebration of Ivor Novello performed by Thantrey, soprano Rebecca Bottone and mezzo-soprano Polly Leech. and the Atea Quintet.

Other visitors include BBC Young Musician 2018 winner Lauren Zhang, returning Young Artists Michael Petrov, the Albion Quartet, Ensemble Hesperi performing 18th century Scottish Baroque music complete with a Highland dancer, Charles Court Opera's production of G&S's HMS Pinafore [see Anthony's review], a cappella group Black Voices performing Nina Simone, Kathryn Tickell and her band The Darkening.

Full details from the Festival website.

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