Perth Festival of the Arts: from Wallace and Gromit for brass band and The Magic Flute in Scots to the Czech National Symphony Orchestra and Tenebrae

In its 52nd year, Perth Festival of the Arts returns on 22 May to 1 June and on 8 June 2024 with a diverse programme of arts and culture. As ever, there is a strong classical music strand. Steven Mercurio conducts the Czech National Symphony Orchestra at Perth Concert Hall in a programme of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 and Bruch's Violin Concerto with soloist Chloe Hanslip. European ensemble II Giardino d'Amore present their programme, The New 4 Seasons, a musical theatre experience with music by Vivaldi, Piazzola and Richter.

The Scots Opera Project return to the festival with an innovative reinterpretation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. This ground-breaking production reimagines the classic within the confines of an asylum, performed in a Scots language translation. Whilst Scottish Opera will be presenting opera on a miniature scale with their Pop-Up performances. Principal Percussionist of English National Opera, Mick Doran, brings an irreverent, humorous, and moving show – An A-Z of Orchestral Triangle Playing - as he invites you into the real world of the orchestral musician

Scottish chamber music collective Hebrides Ensemble present Auld Alliance, a new programme celebrating the bonds between ‘Auld’ friends, Scotland and France, whilst the choir Tenebrae presents A Prayer for Deliverance with music by Holst, Cecilia McDowall, Joel Thompson, and Herbert Howells.  

On the Festival’s final evening, one of the world’s finest brass bands, The Fairey Band, presents a combination of music and animation, performing a brass band arrangement of Mussorgsky's I to accompany animated interpretations. This will be its first screening in Europe. And at the other end of the spectrum, there is a screening of Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers with John Notts' original music played by The Fairey Band.

Perth Festival’s Artists of the Year Concert returns with pianist Eleanor Pugley, multi-disciplinary artist Tallulah Rose, and singer-songwriter Alisa Black. One of Scotland’s largest exhibitions of contemporary Scottish Art – arTay returns in a new partnership with Perth legal firm Lindsays. Family events include Singing and Rainbows Under the Sea with opera singers Colleen and Katie in a magical underwater adventure with little ones

There are free concerts and events on the two Saturdays of the Festival – 25 May and 1 June, in venues throughout the city as the Festival launches their new Community Stages. The line-up includes Perthshire Brass, Perth Amateur Operatic Society, Perth UHI Popular Music Degree Showcase, Perth and District Pipe Band and singer-songwriter Debra Salem performing with Craigie Choir. 

Full details from the festival website.