Bath International Music Festival Brochure 2016 by Bath Festivals

Friday 20 May — Sunday 29 May 2016 Bath Box Office 01225 463362 bathfestivals.org.uk

Partners and Sponsors Festival Funders

Creative Partner

Festival Partners

ab Official Hotel and Restaurant Partners

Festival Supporters

Local Media Partners

Individuals

Trusts

Andrew Fletcher Sandra Le Marchant Lady Evelyn Strasburger Captain Brian Woodford

The Joyce Fletcher Charitable Trust The Roper Family Charitable Trust The Trevor Osborne Charitable Trust The Coles — Medlock Foundation

2 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Introduction

elcome to the Bath International Music Festival and our first programme as joint artistic directors. Building on what’s made it special in the past, we look forward to creating a fresh identity for the Festival in the next few years. What’s exciting us? There are so many fantastic songs and voices filling the extraordinary spaces in Bath and the surrounding area — Anne Carrere singing Edith Piaf at the Forum in Piaf’s centenary year; Nicholas Mulroy singing the great Schubert song cycles across the first weekend and then joining forces with jazz pianist Jason Rebello later in the week; Lera Lynn from True Detective bringing her dark Americana to Komedia; Tenebrae performing Brahms and Bruckner in Bath Abbey; Bath Camerata under their new musical director singing late-night Rachmaninov; Teddy Thompson unveiling his new album Little Windows and Mexican tenor Hector Sandoval singing great opera arias with the Bath Philharmonia. We continue to bring great artists to Bath — we are thrilled to be presenting a major Schubert programme by pianist Richard Goode and delighted to be welcoming the Philharmonia Orchestra back to the Festival with a concert of Elgar and Sibelius, conducted by Edward Gardner.

AWAITING

' The 2016 Bath International Music Festival brings you music from some of the world’s finest musicians, presented against the backdrop of our stunning world heritage city'

The jazz programme has grown this year — as well as saxophone master Branford Marsalis playing In My Solitude in Bath Abbey, the first Saturday will also feature an afternoon with writer and pianist Jay Rayner and the first Bath show by brilliant new cabaret group Kansas Smitty’s House Band. Party in the City is a special opening event, with thousands of musicians playing dozens of concerts in halls and streets across the city to delight tens of thousands of people. It symbolises how we want to strengthen the Festival’s place in the hearts of people in the region and beyond, and build partnerships that make the Festival thrive and grow. We want a new place for major young artists in the programme— so Philip Higham will be playing all the Bach Cello Suites across the Festival before joining the Navarra String Quartet, who are also in residence across the Festival, and in the Masonic Hall we have commissioned Alasdair Roberts, Twelfth Day and Ranjana Ghatak to perform new collaborations for the very first time in front of late-night audiences. There’s so much more for everyone to enjoy across the Festival, from free outdoor performances by legendary choreographer Rosemary Lee to talks, walks and even more concerts. It’s all packed inside this brochure — we hope to see you at the Festival in May. James Waters and David Jones FESTIVAL DIRECTORS

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 3

Strands

Classical Programme The 2016 Classical programme has some of the finest international musicians, and a host of young talent. Richard Goode is one of the world’s leading pianists, and it will be a very special occasion to hear him playing three of Schubert's finest and most unforgettable sonatas. We host another take on the piano recital, with a concert focusing on 19th Century superstar Franz Liszt, created by the witty and acclaimed pianist and author Kenneth Hamilton. We are particularly delighted to welcome the Philharmonia Orchestra to Bath, with a beautiful programme of Sibelius and Elgar, led by the renowned conductor Edward Gardner with violinist Valeriy Sokolov. As in 2015, we have created a residency so that audiences can get to know a particular musician: this time with cellist Philip Higham, who will be playing all of the Bach Cello suites, and joining the Navarra Quartet in Schubert's great string quintet. Other rising stars include the young Mexican tenor Hector Sandoval, singing opera favourites with the Bath Philharmonia, and guitarist Sean Shibe performing a fascinating programme including two pieces originally commissioned for the legendary guitarist Julian Bream.

Jazz, World and Folk The jazz programme opens with a fantastic first Saturday including the UK premiere of Branford Marsalis playing In My Solitude in Bath Abbey, bookended on the same day with Jay Rayner bringing us his jazz band and his Dining Hell, and later that evening with the fabulous Kansas Smitty’s House Band. On the first weekend we also have Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, bringing a spectacle of passionate music from Southern Italy, with stunning dance and thrilling vocals. The New Meetings strand brings together some of the UK’s most exciting young musicians, creating new collaborations across international borders — the young Scottish folk duo Twelfth Day are working with Syrian musician Maya Youssef; singer Ranjana Ghatak will join with bass player Liran Donin; and folk musician Alasdair Roberts joins melodeon player Andy Cutting for the first time. The final concert will be the English premiere of the global success story Piaf! The Show starring Anne Carrere, acclaimed internationally for her interpretation of the songs made famous by the legendary chanteuse. 4 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Highlights

p. 12 p. 10

Jay Rayner

Branford Marsalis: UK PREMIERE

p. 13

p. 19

p. 21

Kansas Smitty’s House Band

p. 16

Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino

Richard Goode

Teddy Thompson with Kelly Jones

p. 29 p. 25

Opera Favourites

p. 28

Lera Lynn

Tenebrae sing Bruckner and Brahms Booking dates Become a member and beat the queues with priority booking (See page 39)

p. 33

Philharmonia Orchestra

p. 35

Piaf! The Show

11 Early Release Events On Sale Now Patrons and Benefactors Booking Wednesday 16 March Friends Booking Saturday 19 March General Booking Thursday 24 March Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 5

Friday 20 May

Party in the City Various Venues in Bath City Centre 6pm — Midnight Free Event To kick off this year’s festival, we are returning with our legendary opening night — Party in the City. Thousands of performers will take over the city’s live music venues, churches, parks and museums to deliver Bath’s biggest, free event. Featuring the best of Bath’s choirs, orchestras and up-and-coming bands, expect to hear everything from rock to opera, and jazz to hip-hopera. We are also introducing two outdoor ‘festival hubs’ with great music, local food and drink, head to Parade Gardens and Queen Square for the best festival atmosphere on the night. Keep an eye out for Bristol’s Circomedia theatre school, filling the streets with circus performances and the Natural Theatre Company who will link our two hubs with their bizarre and whacky Natural Shuttle Bus*. Local favourites The Bohos are headlining Parade Gardens and returning to Bath Abbey are the Young Carers South West with Bath Philharmonia. Grab your friends, colleagues and partners and have a great night on us! *Not an actual bus

6 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

BITE THE BUFFALO PITC 2015

Go to bathfestivals.org.uk/music/partyinthecity To find out more about the biggest free show in Bath. Free Party in The City event guides will be available from the venues and Bath Box Office from the end of April. Supported by

Sandra Le Marchant

Friday 20 May

Learning & Participation: Music

Schools Procession and Commission with Shlomo Procession starts in Southgate at 5.30pm leading to the Abbey for a 6pm performance Free Event Our procession and commission puts children at the heart of the festival, celebrating their creativity and place in our community. Local school children have created colourful flags with artist Edwina Bridgeman and will process through the streets of Bath leading you into the Abbey. Here you will be greeted by our sparkling choir of school children who have created a brand new piece with acclaimed beatboxer Shlomo that explores and celebrates the children’s voices. Discover the power of the human voice and see a choir as you’ve never seen them before!

Building Bridges Building Bridges is a 2 year music project funded by Youth Music, using music to work with young people to develop resilience, confidence, and self-esteem as well as vital speaking and listening skills. The project will enable Music Leaders to build long-term, meaningful relationships with participants and work in collaboration with youth workers from B&NES Youth Connect whilst based at Southside and Peasedown St John Youth Hubs. The young people will be performing at a range of events across the music festival. BET Award We have been working with 10 brilliant students from the City of Bath College as part of the BET Award scheme which develops young people’s skills for enterprise and employability. The students have curated and produced an event for Keynsham as part of the Music Festival which you can find out more about on p32. For more information about our Learning & Participation programme please e-mail education@bathfestivals.org.uk Supported by The Joyce Fletcher Charitable Trust

Supported by The Trevor Osborne Charitable Trust

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 7

Saturday 21 May

Musical Rumpus: Run, Rindle, Rill 11am Wiltshire Music Centre / A5 £8 / £4 Under-18s Spitalfields Music award-winning, interactive opera series for babies and toddlers (0 — 2 .5 years) returns with Run, Rindle, Rill, a brand new multi-sensory adventure. Come on a magical journey with music by Vivaldi and explore a world of shapes, songs and sounds for you and your baby to enjoy. A Spitalfields Music production

Rosemary Lee in Bath Rising at The Circus: 11am / 1pm / 3pm / 5pm Melt Down at Royal Avenue: 11.30pm / 1.30pm 3.30pm / 5.30pm FREE EVENT Two live performances (repeated throughout the day) Originally presented in two central London squares, Rosemary Lee brings together an amazing team of collaborators (Fiona Millward, Henrietta Hale & Ben Nash) and local performers to recreate Rising & Melt Down in two historic locations in the heart of Bath. From a group of women passing fleetingly through The Circus to the quiet intensity of an all-male cast amongst a the green landscape of the Royal Avenue, these iconic spaces will be momentarily transformed, leaving lasting images forever imprinted in the mind of the spectators. Presented as part of Bath International Music Festival by Bath Dance and ICIA, University of Bath in association with Artsadmin. 8 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Navarra String Quartet 11am — 1pm Guildhall / A4 £25 / £21 / £17 / £12 Concessions available (p. 46) Haydn String Quartet Op 76 No 1 in G Peteris Vasks String Quartet No 3 Beethoven String Quartet in C sharp minor Op 131

Saturday 21 May

' ... compelling performances… hotly recommended' B B C M U S I C M AG A Z I N E 5 S TA R R E V I E W O F T H E N AVA R R A S R E C O R D I N G O F T H E VA S K S QUARTETS

Beethoven’s Quartet Op 131 is one of his most extraordinary works and formed the backdrop to the film A Late Quartet. Here it is combined with a beautifully elegiac work by the Latvian Peteris Vasks, and the programme opens with one of Haydn’s most life affirming quartets. The Navarra Quartet are one of the UK’s leading young quartets, last appearing in Bath in 2011 in a packed out concert. They join us again this year for a two concert residency (2nd concert on Sat 28 May — see p.34): this will be a great opportunity to hear their spirited and fresh approach, which has won them much international acclaim: 'The immaculately executed white-knuckle ride set up by the Navarras' GRAMOPHONE

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 9

Saturday 21 May

' The big, bearded bloke from MasterChef? Is he a jazz pianist too? Rayner, a restaurant critic and boulevardier, is the perfect communicator — sidling up to his audience with a ragbag of jokes and family anecdotes.. he conveys the sheer joy of playing and exploring the music he loves' TIMES

Jay Rayner 3 — 5.15pm Guildhall / A2 £25 / £18 / £12 Concessions available (p. 46) Jay Rayner — restaurant critic for The Observer, jazz pianist and One Show foodie — brings singer Pat Gordon Smith, bassist Robert Rickenberg and saxophonist Dave Lewis to spend an afternoon playing tunes by Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Blossom Dearie and Dave Frishberg from the Great American food and drink songbook. In the first half, he regales us with My Dining Hell, telling stories about the best and worst restaurants he’s ever eaten in, and reading some of the worst reviews his own work has ever received. Sponsored by

10 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Saturday 21 May

' Hogarth’s articulation... sparkled... a vivid, compelling performance' THE INDEPENDENT

ALISDAIR HOGARTH

NICHOLAS MULROY

Die Schöne Müllerin 5pm — 6.15pm St Swithin’s Church / A6 £18 / £12 / £8 Concessions available (p. 46) Nicholas Mulroy t e n o r Alisdair Hogarth p i a n o Schubert Die Schöne Müllerin The first of three concerts of song led by Alisdair Hogarth at this year’s festival, which will journey through two of Schubert’s most famous song cycles, before joining jazz pianist Jason Rebello for a special evening of iconic classical songs with a twist. This first concert presents Schubert’s passionate cycle of young love and heartbreak: this music packs an extraordinary emotional punch. Alisdair Hogarth is a versatile and exciting pianist. He is a founder member of the acclaimed Prince Consort, he regularly broadcasts for the BBC and Classic FM and he has an international career both as a soloist and accompanist Here he is joined by Nicholas Mulroy, who is building a strong reputation for his dramatic and emotionally telling performances. 'A radiant sound that just gets more ravishing as it gets higher. It is hard to imagine anyone singing it better' S Y D N E Y M O R N I N G H E R A L D O N N I C H O L A S M U L R OY

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 11

Saturday 21 May

' Three-time Grammy winner Marsalis has long explored the creative possibilities of the jazz quartet; his warm, expressive saxophone has enhanced many a classical ensemble and transformed countless rock and pop performances. Now comes the American maestro’s first solo album In My Solitude, and what a glorious affair it is. Whether playing soprano, alto or tenor saxophone on Hoagy Carmichael’s evergreen Stardust, his own inventive The Moment I Recall Your Face and a handful of soaring improvisations, he eschews virtuosic flurries in favour of meaning and feeling' E V E N I N G S TA N DA R D * * * *

Branford Marsalis: In My Solitude 7.30pm Bath Abbey / A1 £25 / £20 / £15 Concessions available (p. 46) Growing up in the rich culture of New Orleans, Branford was drawn to music along with his siblings Delfeayo, Jason and Wynton Marsalis, becoming recognised as one of the world’s great jazz saxophonists. He’s always been eclectic, playing with Sting on the Dream of the Blue Turtles tour, featuring in and scoring several Spike Lee films including Mo’ Better Blues, leading the Tonight Show Band and playing classical scores, as well as helming a superb quartet that packed the Forum in the 2009 Bath Festival. We are proud to present the UK premiere of one of his most exciting events. In My Solitude (the title of his latest Sony/Okeh album) is a solo performance for cathedrals and sacred spaces, created anew in each different city. It ranges from standards such as Stardust through to improvisations on Bach, shot through with a gospel influence. It’s different every time, and in the exceptional acoustic of Bath Abbey it will reflect the joyous spiritual energy of a great creative player. Sponsored by 12 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Saturday 21 May

' London’s new Swing Princes' E V E N I N G S TA N DA R D

Nuala Honan 7.30pm Midsomer Norton Town Hall / A7 £5 / £3 Concessions available (p. 46) Nuala Honan, is a soulful woman with a knack for writing compelling and relevant songs, she won Most Outstanding Female Vocalist — South Australian Music Industry Award. She is performing with Emi McDade and Simon Allen. 'a voice that would smack you round the ear when you least expected it' F R O OT S

Kansas Smitty’s House Band 10pm Guildhall / A3 £25 / £18 / £12 Concessions available (p. 46) Kansas Smitty’s House Band have been packing their own East London basement and selling out the legendary jazz club Ronnie Scotts with an incendiary combination of swing, blues, R&B, New Orleans marching band music and the wild end of gospel. Their first album was chosen as one of the top jazz albums of the year by The Telegraph, and the band relentlessly pursue a sound of their own, creating a passionate audience for their stunning live show. 'If jazz is going to survive, it needs more bands like this one' S U N DAY T I M E S

Sponsored by

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 13

Sunday 22 May

On Tour with Liszt: A Concert with Conversation 11am — 12.45pm Assembly Rooms / B2 £25 / £21 / £15 / £10 Concessions available (p. 46) Kenneth Hamilton p i a n o Franz Liszt: Transcendental Etude No.1: Preludio Grand Concert Paraphrase: God Save the Queen Transcendental Etude No.3: Paysage (Landscape) Schubert/Liszt: 'Leise flehen meine Lieder' Donizetti/Liszt: Reminiscences of Lucia di Lammermoor Frederic Chopin: Etudes from op.25 (Ab major, C# minor, C minor) Nocturne op.9 no.2 (Revised Version) Mazurka in C-sharp minor, op.30 no.4 Liszt, Chopin, Thalberg, Pixis, Herz, Czerny: Hexameron (Grand Bravura Variations on a Theme from Bellini’s I Puritani)

14 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Concert pianist and broadcaster Kenneth Hamilton takes us on tour with Franz Liszt in 1840’s Britain — playing a selection of the pieces he played, and vividly describing the triumphs and tribulations of the great composer’s motley band of fellow artists as they travelled shambolically from London to Limerick via Bath and — more often than not—the back of beyond. Liszt was a massive celebrity in his day ... '... he revolutionised 19th-century concert life with his recitals and European tours. At the height of what Heinrich Heine (and later, Ken Russell) called Lisztomania, Liszt became one of the most famous people in the world. His discarded cigar butts were worn as relics by adoring fans, the piano strings that would break under the strain of his transcendental pianism were transformed into high-society jewellery… he was heralded as virtual royalty in the continent’s capitals. He left Berlin after a two-week residency in 1842 in a carriage drawn by six white horses, the head of a procession of hundreds of other coaches…' TOM SERVICE , THE GUARDIAN

Kenneth Hamilton is described as 'an outstanding virtuoso — one of the finest players of his generation' by Moscow’s Kommersant Daily, and as 'a performer full of energy and wit' by the New York Times. In the glittering setting of Bath’s Assembly Rooms, this concert will take you back to the glory days of Liszt’s celebrity.

Sunday 22 May

' Nicholas Mulroy as Evangelist has a powerful dramatic sense — mercilessly harsh — meticulous …it would move the hardest heart… all confirmation of this as my new benchmark'. B B C M U S I C M AG A Z I N E

ALISDAIR HOGARTH

Winterreise 4pm — 5.20pm St Swithins Church / B3 £18 / £12 / £8 Concessions available (p. 46)

Festival Evensong 3.30 — 4.30pm Bath Abbey Free event Bath Abbey Choir Peter King d i r e c t o r Duo Seraphim — Francisco Guerrero Canticles in A — Stanford I Saw the Lord — Stainer Join us for the annual festival service at Bath Abbey with their acclaimed Music Director, Peter King, and the Choir of Bath Abbey.

Nicholas Mulroy t e n o r Alisdair Hogarth p i a n o Schubert Winterreise Regarded by many as the finest of all song cycles Winterreise follows a heartrending physical psychological journey driven by some of Schubert’s most intense and compelling music. The second of Alisdair Hogarth and Nicholas Mulroy’s concert series, following on from Schubert’s Schöne Müllerin on Saturday 21 May, and leading on to the full length concert where they will join jazz pianist Jason Rebello and mezzo soprano Anna Huntley on Weds 25th at Wiltshire Music Centre. Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 15

Sunday 22 May

' As they exulted in their heritage, the tambourines were propelling a chromatic, zigzagging melody with edgy attacking harmony vocals and fiery dance pieces' NEW YORK TIMES

Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino 7.30pm Assembly Rooms / B1 £20 Concessions available (p. 46) Italy’s leading traditional music ensemble were described by The Guardian as “an exhilarating reworking of the tarantella, the hypnotic percussive dance said to cure the bite of the tarantula” when the paper chose their last album as one of their Top Five albums of the year and gave it a four-star review. Led by Ludovico Einaudi’s violinist Mauro Durante, Canzoniere create a wild spectacle, full of energy, passion and stunning dance. 'Awe-inspiring, stirring and soulful — Canzoniere are contagiously spreading the rhythms of Puglia round the world' SONGLINES

'Canzoniere bring fiery dance pieces, wailing unaccompanied vocal harmonies and, best of all, the thoughtful and angry Solo Andata' G U A R D I A N

16 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

In Conversation

6.15pm / Assembly Rooms / B4

Mauro Durante, leader of Canzoniere, joins David Jones to talk tarantulas, tarantellas, trance dancing, winning the Amnesty Peace Prize for the group’s song about refugees, and a short lesson in how to pronounce the group’s name. Free but ticketed.

Sunday 22 May

Shakespeare in Georgian Bath Bath Spa University is delighted to be the Festival’s Creative Partner in 2016. Since the 1950’s generations of students have performed under the leadership of artistic directors including Yehudi Menuhin, Sir Michael Tippett and Joanna MacGregor. This year, our Masters students celebrate the Shakespeare anniversary at the Old Theatre Royal on 22 May and our artist in residence Isabel Villanueva will perform music by Schubert, Prokofiev and Martinů on 23 May (page 18).

7.30 — 9.40pm Old Theatre Royal at Bath Masonic Hall / B5 £20 Concessions available (p. 46) Students from Bath Spa University’s College of Liberal Arts present A Shakespeare Ode by Bath’s own musical genius, Thomas Linley junior, alongside a miniature opera, Thomas and Sally by Thomas Arne, the composer associated with Garrick’s revival of the bard in Georgian England: a perfect combination for the Shakespeare anniversary year. This is a rare opportunity for opera lovers to see and hear this colourful piece of Georgian opera, performed by award winning postgraduate students.

Professor Christina Slade, Vice-Chancellor

In Partnership with

Assembly Rooms Bennett Street, Bath, BA1 2QH

Bath Abbey 12 Kingston Buildings, Bath, BA1 1LT

Central United Reformed Church 7 Argyle st, Bath, BA2 4BA

Venue Information

Komedia 22-23 Westgate Street, Bath, BA1 1EP

Midsomer Norton Town Hall The Island, Midsomer Norton, BA3 2HQ

St Swithins Church The Paragon, Bath, BA1 5LY

Old Theatre Royal, Masonic Hall 12 Old Orchard Street, Bath, BA1 1JU

The Forum 1A Forum Buildings, Bath, BA1 1UG

Victoria Hall Church Street, Radstock, BA3 3QG

Guildhall High Street, Bath, BA1 5AW

Paulton Library 1-2 Hill Court, High Street, Paulton, BS39 7QG

Igloo, Abbey Hotel North Parade, Bath, BA1 1LF

St Mary’s Bathwick Darlington Street, Bath, BA2 4EB

Wiltshire Music Centre Ashley Road, Bradford-on-Avon, BA15 1DZ

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 17

Monday 23 May

' Isabel Villanueva is a risk taker'

Isabel Villanueva viola Charles Wiffen piano

THE STRAD

1 — 2pm Assembly Rooms / C2 £16 / £11 Concessions available (p. 46) Martinu Viola Sonata Prokofiev 5 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet Schubert ‘Arpeggione’ Sonata The 'Arpeggione' Sonata is one of Schubert’s most haunting and charming works full of beautiful melodies and rich harmonies. Prokofiev’s 'Romeo and Juliet' contains some of his most ravishing music which is perfectly suited to the viola in these arrangements Isabel Villanueva is an outstanding young Spanish viola player, celebrated for her lyrical, almost bel canto style. She is building a formidable reputation, not only for her playing but also as a champion of her chosen instrument. Pianist Charles Wiffen, from Bath Spa University, has toured extensively in the UK and abroad. This concert is presented in partnership with Bath Spa University, where Isabel Villanueva is currently in residence. Supported by our Creative Partner

Bath, City of Music Walk 3 — 5pm Location printed on ticket / C3 £9 At the beginning of the eighteenth century, music in Bath was a rudimentary and largely alfresco affair; by the end of the century the city’s musical life rivalled that of London. Join Andrew Swift and Kirsten Elliott as they evoke the sounds of Georgian Bath and introduce the extraordinary individuals who made Bath a City of Music. 18 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Monday 23 May

' Ever subtle and ever supple, he maintained a fragile fusion of virtuosity and introspection' FINANCIAL TIMES

Richard Goode piano 7.30 — 9.45pm Assembly Rooms / C1 £29 / £24 / £17 / £12 Concessions available (p. 46) Schubert Piano Sonata in C minor, D.958 Schubert Piano Sonata in A, D.959 Schubert Piano Sonata in B-flat, D.960 Hearing Richard Goode play Schubert is an unforgettable spiritual experience. The intensity of expression combined with wonderful serenity make him one of the truly great musicians of our time. To hear him play Schubert’s final three piano sonatas will be a privilege. Richard Goode is one of the great interpreters of Classical and Romantic music, and this will be a special opportunity for audiences in Bath to catch him while in the UK. 'That golden singing sound, along with Goode’s keen imagination, intelligence and sensitivity, made this an unforgettable performance' WA S H I N G T O N P O S T

Supported by Captain Brian Woodford

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 19

Tuesday 24 May

' The unpretentious depths and organic, naturalistic flow to his playing are spellbinding: the highest possible recommendation' THE HERALD

Bach Cello Suites 1 Philip Higham cello 1 — 2pm Central United Reform Church / D3 £15 Concessions available (p. 46) Bach Cello Suite No 1 in G BWV 1007 Bach Cello Suite No 4 in E flat BWV 1010 The first of three concerts in which brilliant young Scottish cellist Philip Higham performs all 6 of Bach’s cello suites. Built around dance movements these works draw a simply staggering range of colours from one instrument. The six Bach cello suites are the best known pieces written for solo cello, often featuring in sound tracks for film and television. They are frequently arranged for other instruments from violin to charango and even to a rap version. These three concerts will take place in some fascinating venues around Bath, from St Swithins, Bath’s only remaining Georgian church, to the Central United Reform Church, right by the beautiful Pulteney Bridge, to Bath’s original Theatre Royal, which now houses the Masonic Hall. 20 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

In Conversation

5.30pm / The Igloo at the Abbey Hotel / D2

Join cellist Philip Higham as he joins James Waters to discuss the Bach Cello Suites, as he embarks on his voyage through three concerts playing all six of the suites.

Tuesday 24 May

' One of the most gifted singer-songwriters of his generation' N E W Y O R K T I M E S

Teddy Thompson with Kelly Jones + Sunny Ozell 7.30pm Komedia / D1 £20 Concessions available (p. 46) Teddy Thompson has written and toured with his parents Linda Thompson and Richard Thompson, but in the last few years he’s emerged as a great singer and songwriter in his own right, able to capture a lifetime in a twominute song. His new Cooking Vinyl album Little Windows with Texan singer Kelly Jones sounds like he was raised on The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly — as he says, 'Country music was what I was brought up on. I was always attracted to songs that had a brilliant pun or a clever turn of phrase, but came from a dark, bitter place. As a writer, I’ve always gravitated towards that feeling'. 'A glorious set of country-edged duets' GUARDIAN

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 21

Tuesday 24 May

Bath Camerata 10 — 11pm St Mary’s Bathwick / D4 £20 / £14 Benjamin Goodson c o n d u c t o r Rachmaninov Vespers All Night Vigil There is little that is more moving than the sound world created by Rachmaninov in his dark and richly romantic Vespers of 1915. Inspired by his own deep faith, this extended meditation includes some of the most hauntingly beautiful music you will ever hear. The award-winning Bath Camerata, under their director Benjamin Goodson, will take you on a journey of the spirit and the senses in the atmospheric surroundings of one of Bath's most beautiful churches.

22 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Bach Cello Suites 2 1 — 2pm St Swithins Church / E2 £18 / £12 / £8 Concessions available (p. 46) Philip Higham c e l l o Bach Cello Suite No 5 in C Minor Bach Cello Suite No 3 in C

Wednesday 25 May

'Philip Higham is undoubtedly one of the most impressive young British cellists I have heard in a decade, possessing that rare combination of refined technique with subtle and expressive musicianship …he has all the qualities of a worldclass artist' THE STRAD, REVIEW OF WIGMORE HALL CONCERT

Early in his career Philip Higham won the Leipzig Bach Competition which gives his interpretations invincible authority as he continues his traversal of Bach’s wonderful works for solo cello with their extraordinary range of musical expression. This is part 2 of our series of all the Bach cello suites — see page 20 and page 26 for the others in the series.

Lost Pleasures: Walk 3 — 6pm Location printed on ticket / E3 £9 Join Andrew Swift and Kirsten Elliott as they explore some of Bath’s most out of the way corners in search of the city’s lost pleasure gardens. Steps and muddy footpaths will be encountered on this extended three-hour walk, which also visits the venues of more dubious delights. You have been warned.

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 23

Wednesday 25 May

The Prince Consort with Jason Rebello 7.30 — 9.20pm Wiltshire Music Centre / E4 £18 Concessions available (p. 46)

' Sexy neo-soul, jazz, funk, Latin grooves and the sweeter end of jazz-fusion combine in a joyous cocktail of broad stylistic — and commercial — appeal' ALL ABOUT JA ZZ

ANNA HUNTLEY

Continuing our song theme we present an event specially created for Bath International Music Festival. World-renowned British jazz pianist Jason Rebello joins the Prince Consort for a unique concert that will explore celebrated voice and piano repertoire with a twist. Alisdair Hogarth and Jason Rebello at two pianos will be joined by Prince Consort member tenor Nicholas Mulroy and mezzo soprano Anna Huntley for an exploration of some of the greatest songs of all time, including works by Schubert, Schumann, Debussy, Brahms and Gershwin.

ALISDAIR HOGARTH

Alisdair Hogarth p i a n o Jason Rebello p i a n o

Anna Huntley m e z z o s o p r a n o Nicholas Mulroy t e n o r

T H E S C OT S M A N

'Rebello reveals that pop, soul and complex, jazz textures are not polar opposites but joyful places on the spectrum that is simply great music'

JASON REBELLO

Anna Huntley is a 'fast rising British talent' ( T H E G U A R D I A N ) , celebrated for her ability to get 'right under the skin of the character… with a superbly placed sense of drama'

JA ZZWISE

Supported by Lady Evelyn Strasburger JP HOE

Bath Festivals Presents 7.30pm Komedia / E5 £5 The Flamenco Thief, Tamu Massif, and JP Hoe Programmed by the team at Bath Festivals, we bring you an evening of fantastic local music from Bath’s The Flamenco Thief, performing a hypnotic set of genre defying flamenco, and Bristol’s Tamu Massif, touring with his new material that is a mirage of thick vocals, reversed guitar and logic-heavy inspiration. We end the evening with Canadian folk rock star JP Hoe, on a rare visit to Bath with his latest album Hideaway.

24 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Wednesday 25 May HECTOR SANDOVAL

'The Mexican tenor (Sandoval) has everything he needs for a great career: bright gold in his voice, good looks, temperament and acting talent. In short a singer and actor par excellence' NEUE BONNER ZEITUNG

Opera Favourites – From Carmen to Nessun Dorma 7.30 — 9pm The Forum / E1 £34 / £25 / £20 / £17 / £12 Concessions available (p. 46) Bath Philharmonia Miriam Murphy s o p r a n o Rebecca Afonwy-Jones m e z z o Hector Sandoval t e n o r Jason Thornton c o n d u c t o r

soprano

Verdi Overture La Forza del Destino Bizet Carmen (final scene) Mascagni Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana Verdi Pace, Pace from La Forza del Destino Verdi Aida (final scene) Saint-Saens Softly Awakes my Heart from Samson and Delilah Puccini Intermezzo from Manon Lescaut Puccini Nessun Dorma from Turandot Giordano Andrea Chenier (final scene) A thrilling evening of popular and exciting operatic numbers performed by the city’s own Bath Philharmonia and three fantastic singers led by Mexican tenor Hector Sandoval who sings major roles in Europe’s finest opera houses. A programme including excerpts from Verdi’s Forza del Destino, Bizet’s Carmen and Giordano’s Andrea Chenier is topped off with a helping of Puccini’s Nessun Dorma — what else could one want? This will be a glamorous and inspiring evening, with some of the world’s best loved opera arias, and some glorious instrumental interludes. Supported by the Roper Family Charitable Trust

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 25

Thursday 26 May

' There are countless minutely wrought corners in the subtlety of his phrases and their direction through each suite that give this performance a powerful personality' GRAMOPHONE

Bach Cello Suites 3 1 — 2pm Old Theatre Royal at the Masonic Hall / F4 £15 Concessions available (p. 46) Philip Higham c e l l o Bach Cello Suite No 2 in D minor Bach Cello Suite No 6 in D

The Tenebrae Effect – Choral Workshop 11.30am — 1.30pm St Mary’s Bathwick / F3 £25 (£20 if purchased with a ticket for the Tenebrae 7.30pm concert in Bath Abbey) Concessions available (p. 46) Join Tenebrae for an engaging and informative choral workshop, led by Artistic Director, Nigel Short. Tenebrae’s inspirational workshop method, The Tenebrae Effect, provides an insight into the elements that make Tenebrae’s sound and interpretation to music so unique. Workshop repertoire will include Anton Bruckner’s Locus Iste and Ave Maria. Tenebrae advise that most value is brought to performers with prior experience in choral singing. 26 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Philip Higham concludes his fascinating cycle of all of Bach’s timeless cello suites, in the atmospheric setting of Bath’s original Theatre Royal, where Sarah Siddons appeared and which Jane Austen would have visited. Now run as a Masonic Hall, it provides a beautiful setting with a great acoustic, perfect for this intensely beautiful and spiritual music.

Thursday 26 May

A Constellation of Crescents: Walk 3 — 5pm Location printed on ticket / F5 £9 Join Andrew Swift and Kirsten Elliott as they explore the city’s northern slopes, where tier upon tier of crescents arose in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This walk includes some stiff climbs as well as some of Bath’s most dramatic urban panoramas.

Sam Eason + Lauren Castle 7.30pm Paulton Library / F6 £4 / £2 Sam Eason is a singer/songwriter from Bristol. Learning lessons from the masters like Bob Dylan, James Taylor and Ryan Adams, Sam likes to keep his song writing simple and to the point. The Sam Eason Live Experience™ will generally find Sam playing solo with the occasional use of a looping pedal to add layers to his sound, with appearances by his songbird wife to bring the yin to his vocal yang.

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 27

Thursday 26 May

' I’m writing about Lynn, who is a clear star on the rise. As a matter of fact, let’s just cut the last three words of that last sentence: she’s a star'

Lera Lynn + Isobel Holly 7.30pm Komedia / F2 £18 Concessions available (p. 46)

HUFFINGTON POST

Last year, we brought you The Hot Sardines before they were huge — this year, the smart money is on Lera Lynn as the Bath discovery of 2016. If you’ve watched the HBO series True Detective, you’ve seen Lera Lynn singing in the Black Rose bar. They’re her songs you hear, written by her with T-Bone Burnett and Rosanne Cash, and her noir alt. country is utterly compelling: as Rosanne Cash says, “Lera has a voice you want to crawl inside. It’s so evocative, mysterious and carries real authority”. Come and see Komedia turn into an American roadhouse, and don’t miss Isobel Holly, Bath’s 16 year old vocal sensation who opens the show.

ISOBEL HOLLY

28 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Thursday 26 May

' Choral music doesn’t get more magnificent than this' CLASSIC FM

Tenebrae sing Bruckner and Brahms 7.30 — 9pm Bath Abbey / F1 £33 / £25 / £15 Concessions available (p. 46) Tenebrae Nigel Short c o n d u c t o r Bruckner Locus iste Bruckner Virga Jesse Bruckner Os justi Brahms Fest-und Gedenksprüche Rheinberger Mass for double choir Bruckner Ave Maria Bruckner Tota pulchra es Bruckner Christus factus est Brahms Ave Maria Brahms Drei Motetten Brahms Geistliches Lied Rheinberger Abendlied

Bruckner and Brahms performed by Tenebrae in Bath Abbey will be irresistible. Their blend of sheer beauty of sound with elemental power make them the ideal interpreters of this wonderful romantic music. Tenebrae are one of the finest international vocal ensembles. Their recording of Brahms and Bruckner motets has been nominated for the BBC Music Magazine awards 2016. The sound of these pieces is overwhelmingly beautiful, and this concert will be a very special and intense experience, amidst the beautiful late Gothic architecture of Bath Abbey. 'Nigel Short and Tenebrae have come up with a beautifully balanced and contrasted programme… What superb singing: technically immaculate, somehow lucid and voluptuously beautiful at the same time.' B B C M U S I C M AG A Z I N E (***** PERFORMANCE / ***** RECORDING)

Supported by our Creative Partner

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 29

Thursday 26 May

NM Ranjana Ghatak & Liran Donin: New Meetings 9.30pm Old Theatre Royal at Bath Masonic Hall / F7 £16 Concessions available (p.46) Singer Ranjana Ghatak grew up within classical Indian vocal music but has evolved a glorious style of her own that’s all about contemporary Britain. She’s worked with Akram Khan and Nitin Sawhney and played with Seb Rochford from Polar Bear and beatboxer Jason Singh. For the first of our three mid-evening shows in the New Meetings strand, she’s invited lyrical bass player Liran Donin from Led Bib to join her and create new music for the Bath Festival.

30 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

' Ghatak’s mesmeric melodies take centre stage. Her milky tones wash over in waves like a lubricated lullaby, gently lulling you into a state of semi-hypnosis' THE UPCOMING

Friday 27 May

' … great sensitivity and with a complete focus on the music… a very special performance' C L A S S I C A L G U I TA R M AG A Z I N E

Sean Shibe Guitar Recital 1 — 2pm St Swithins Church / G2 £18 / £12 / £8 Concessions available (p. 46) Sean Shibe g u i t a r Dowland Two Fantasias for solo guitar Walton Five Bagatelles Britten Nocturnal after John Dowland Sean Shibe is a remarkable talent. At the age of only 24 he has a series of concerto performances to his credit as well as a spell as one of the BBC’s New Generation Artists. He is driven by an evangelistic zeal to affirm the guitar as a major recital instrument and his performances generate a remarkable atmosphere.

Sean’s programme opens with some hauntingly beautiful music by the great Elizabethan Lutenist John Dowland. He follows it with two works dedicated to the world-famous English Guitarist Julian Bream. The Britten Nocturnal After Dowland is a compelling series of variations based around Dowland’s Come, Heavy Sleep. Walton’s Five Bagatelles were premiered at the Bath Festival in 1972 and express a variety of optimistic moods from the sparkling to the languid, from the smoky to the seductive, concluding with a brilliant finale. 'Played by, I believe, the finest acoustic guitarist I have ever heard, Sean Shibe' THE HERALD

Supported by Andrew Fletcher

No Swinging on Sundays: The Story of Sydney Gardens: Walk 3 — 5pm Location printed on ticket / G3 £9 Join Kirsten Elliott and Andrew Swift as they uncover the fluctuating fortunes of Bath’s most popular Georgian Pleasure Gardens. As well as seeking out such delights as a Merlin Swing, Bath’s other sham castle and a hermit’s habitation, they will tell the story of how a canal and a railway came to be driven through this sylvan retreat.

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 31

Friday 27 May

Bath Festivals Presents... Acoustic Showcase 7pm Bonzo Lounge, Keynsham G6 See bathfestivals.org.uk for more details A lively evening of acoustic music featuring local bands, specially curated by students from City of Bath College, as part of the BET (Bath Education Trust) Award programme.

' Alasdair Roberts discovers the inner mystery of traditional music and shows that if this infinitely expressive material is respected, it may reward us with results that sound utterly unprecedented' * * * * * T I M E S

NM Alasdair Roberts & Andy Cutting: New Meetings 9.30pm Old Theatre Royal at Bath Masonic Hall / G7 £16 Concessions available (p. 46)

ANDY CUTTING

Alasdair draws upon Scottish folk music as a singer and guitarist, but creates his own songs when he records for Drag City, where he sits alongside outfield rock acts like Will Oldham and Joanna Newsom. He’s inspired by collaborating, and for his concert in the New Meetings series, he’s chosen to work for the first time with the legendary melodeon player Andy Cutting, who’s currently playing with Chris Wood, June Tabor and Martin Simpson. ' Hearing Andy Cutting play is like going through the wardrobe and finding Narnia. His music is glorious, joyful, moving, subtle, emotionally charged, a totally spell-binding experience that is never long enough' J U N E TA B O R

32 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Friday 27 May

' Gardner is consistently highly impressive... deeply imaginative, wholly at one with the music...' I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E C O R D R E V I E W

Philharmonia Orchestra 7.30 — 9.40pm Forum / G1 £36 / £28 / £22 / £17 / £12 Concessions available (p. 46) Philharmonia Orchestra Valeriy Sokolov v i o l i n Edward Gardner c o n d u c t o r Sibelius Finlandia Sibelius Violin Concerto Elgar Symphony No 2 One of the world’s great orchestras comes to the Bath International Music Festival. “Rarely, rarely, comest thou, Spirit of Delight!” — Elgar inscribed this symphony with a quotation from Shelley and it can be seen as a golden evocation of landscapes that inspired Elgar’s work — from the Malvern Hills to Venice to Tintagel, with a slow movement often seen as a funeral march for Edward VII. In Edward Gardner this music could not have a better interpreter, as he has won worldwide praise for his approach to Elgar. Sibelius’s brilliant and haunting violin concerto will thrill with Valeriy Sokolov, and there is no more sparkling opening to a concert than Sibelius’s Finlandia. Valeriy Sokolov’s sound has been compared to “silk and steel”, and he has already carved out a major international career as a self-proclaimed “natural born fiddler”. This will be an exceptional opportunity to hear a great symphony orchestra in Bath, in a lyrical and fascinating repertoire, exploring two great composers’ complex passion for place. Sponsored by

In Conversation

5.30pm / The Igloo at the Abbey Hotel / G4 Join James Waters Artistic Director in conversation with James Williams, Director of the UK Programme at the Philharmonia Orchestra

Champagne Fundraising Reception Pre-concert from 6.30pm and during interval Ballroom, Forum / G5 £20 Join fellow concert-goers and the Festival’s Artistic Directors for a glass of champagne before and during the interval of the Philharmonia concert, one of the highlights of this year’s Festival. Kindly supported by the Forum

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 33

Saturday 28 May

' A major talent... Higham offered object lessons in lyrical sensitivity, musical architecture and expressive insight...' WA S H I N G T O N P O S T

Gaz Brookfield 8pm Victoria Hall, Radstock H3 £5 / £3

Schubert’s String Quintet 11am — 1pm Guildhall / H2 £25 / £21 / £17 / £12 Concessions available (p. 46) Navarra String Quartet Philip Higham c e l l o Ravel String Quartet Schubert String Quintet in C Schubert’s C major quintet is a true masterpiece which finds itself right at the top of the choices for Desert Island Discs! Fresh from his cycle of the Bach cello suites, Philip Higham joins the Navarra Quartet, back in Bath for their second concert of the Festival, to add the richness of a second cello. Ravel’s String Quartet contrasts perfectly with its ravishing colours and sparkling harmonies 'The excellent Navarra String Quartet' THE GUARDIAN

34 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Gaz Brookfield is a solo acoustic musician based in Bristol. Often playing as many as 200 gigs a year, Gaz’s relentless and never-ending tour schedule takes him to every corner of the country and beyond. The last few years saw him play at over 100 UK festivals, including Glastonbury, Beautiful Days, Bearded Theory and many more, firmly cementing him as a festival favourite for the future. Gaz headlines the finale of ‘Round About Radstock’ in association with DNA Arts. You can receive a £1 ticket discount by producing a complete ‘Round About Radstock’ trail card on the door! For more information, see page 40. www.gazbrookfield.com

Saturday 28 May

' Anne Carrere conquered Broadway!' NBC NEWS

Piaf! The Show starring Anne Carrere 7.30pm Forum / H1 £36 / £28 / £22 / £17 / £12 Concessions available (p. 46) In Edith Piaf’s centenary year, Bath Festivals is proud to present the first performance in England of Piaf! The Show, starring Anne Carrere. It has toured the world collecting ecstatic reviews for Anne Carrere’s stunning performance of Piaf’s songs with a superb four-piece band (piano, accordion, double bass and percussion). Charles Dumont, the composer of Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien, Mon Dieu and dozens of Piaf’s songs, saw the show last year and said that it was 'the best show ever made about the life of Edith Piaf'. Piaf! The Show is packed full of great songs from Mon Légionnaire through to La Vie en Rose and there’s a stunning backdrop of film from post-war Paris and unseen photographs from the life of Piaf. Best of all, there’s the joyous spirit of Anne Carrere, who says “I love all the songs because her hundreds of songs spoke in a universal language — Love! My favourite song of all is L’Hymne à L’Amour — for me, that’s a great moment in Piaf! The Show” 'Piaf’s are very big shoes to fill, but Anne Carrere rises to the challenge, coming very close to nailing pretty much every aspect of the singer’s voice and mannerisms' TIMES

'Piaf was an artist who seemed, almost uniquely to convey a place and a moment in time, and it is Anne Carrere, in a show partly inspired by the film La Vie en Rose, who gets closest to Edith Giovanna Gassion’s turbulent presence' B R I A N M O R T O N / B B C

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 35

Saturday 28 May

' Subtle and delicate, impressively spooky, they have created an atmospheric, eerie style in which their fine harmony vocals are matched against their subtle and delicate playing to gently unnerving effect.' GUARDIAN

MAYA YOUSSEF

NM Twelfth Day & Maya Youssef: New Meetings 9.30pm Old Theatre Royal at Bath Masonic Hall / H4 £16 Concessions available (p.46) Twelfth Day are a stunning Scottish duo — they both sing, Esther Swift plays all kinds of harps and Catriona Price is a thrilling fiddler and if you throw in a handful of grit and guts, and add their great sense of humour, you’re pretty much there. Syrian musician Maya Youssef plays the kanun, a gorgeous lyrical instrument that’s part of the zither family, and Twelfth Day have invited Maya to join them for what promises to be a sublime climax to the New Meetings programme. 36 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Sunday 29 May

Family Music Day Parade Gardens Drop in Workshops 11am — 2pm Performances on the band stand 11am — 3pm Entrance to Parade Gardens: £1.50 adults / £0.80 concessions. FREE to Discovery Card Holders and children aged 0 — 5. Building on the success of last year’s Family Music Day we are back in Parade Gardens to celebrate the joy of making music. Ever wondered what it’s like to play a cello or violin? Sarah Moody is back with her wealth of instruments for you to have a go with. Drop into the workshops in our musical marquees and explore the gardens with our popular treasure hunt. We’ll have bright young musicians playing on the bandstand, so bring your family and a picnic and enjoy a musical day by the river. Supported by the Joyce Fletcher Charitable Trust

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 37

Become a Patron

We need to raise over £1.2 million every year to bring world class arts events to your doorstep. As a charity with now less than 25% of our income from public sources, your support is essential to help make this happen. We believe that the arts enhance the well-being of the whole community; enriching lives and helping to fulfil potential — and we want to make it fun and exciting! Please become part of our 100 Club and join us at the heart of Bath Festivals and play a vital role in developing our programmes, our audiences and our year-round education work. John Cullum DL Chair of Bath Festivals From £750 year, support our future and enjoy exclusive benefits, including: Priority booking and Patrons’ Box Office; pre-reserve the best seats to selected events Invitations to exclusive events, including year-round receptions hosted by current Patrons, gala dinners and literary lunch; Advance information with newsletters and programme previews; Acknowledgement at every festival; Priority booking and Patron benefits at St Magnus International Festival.

For more information Visit bathfestivals.org.uk/ patrons or call Rosie Fearon, Development Manager on 01225 462231.

Thank you for your generous support: Paragon Patrons David and Karin Embleton Andrew Fletcher Trevor Osborne Peter Stormonth Darling CT Circus Patrons Ken and Vera Barnes John and Yvonne Cullum Jane Drabble and Bill Nemtin The Mayden Foundation Crescent Patrons Lucy Aspin Anthony and Fenella Avison John and Rosalie Challis Rob and Deborah Clements Lloyd and Claire Cossins-Price Dermot and Janet Coughlan Michael Coxon Fenella and Sam Dyson John and Liz Everitt Richard and Yasemin Hall Simon and Catriona Heale William and Wera Hobhouse Paul and Claire Jackson Conrad Jones Sheila McCormack Bel Mooney Nigel and Stephanie Pollard Brent and Fiona Pollard Bob and Diana Potter

38 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Chris and Denise Rogers Roger and Janet Rolls Andrew Rutherford DL Chris and Jan Shepley Jim and Hiroko Sherwin Marcelle Speller Ian Stockley Clivette Taylor Bob and Jean Tyrrell Brian Woodford Hugh and Jill Wright Ian and Janet Wilson Lucy Woodroffe Nicholas Wylde Our Anonymous Patrons Life Patron Lady Evelyn Strasburger Thank you for the generous support of: All our Friends and Benefactors Principal Benefactors Dr R P Clacey Dr Marianna Clark William Peter Gunning Dr C R Lovell Anne Marston Richard and Bea Salter Mrs Shirin Deacon

Support Your Festival

Your Support Matters We are an arts charity delivering over 400 events a year in Bath. We believe that engagement with the arts has a powerful, positive impact on the quality of life, culture, and economy of our community and you can play a vital role in making this happen. To find out how please visit bathfestivals.org.uk/ support-us Registered Charity No. 801617

Become a Friend Enjoy. Save. Support

Friends

Benefactors

£30 (£50 joint) per annum

£100 a year

Up to one week priority booking

All Friends’ benefits plus:

Invitation to Friends’ events

Acknowledgment on our website

Discounts and special offers from sponsorship partners

Up to two weeks priority booking

Advance mailing of the Festival brochure

Festival Champion

Regular updates from Bath Festivals

£500 a year

Principal Benefactors £250 a year All Benefactors’ benefits plus: Invitation to the Patrons’ reception Acknowledgment in our brochure and website

All Patrons benefits plus: Opportunity to meet artists after performances** Autographed album from your favourite Festival artist Dedicated assistance with booking tickets and making hospitality arrangements

Refunds on tickets* *TWO TICKETS PER EVENT AND UP TO THREE DAYS PRIOR TO EVENTS **TO BE ARRANGED IN ADVANCE AND SUBJECT TO ARTISTS AGREEMENT

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 39

What else in on

There’s so much to enjoy in Bath. To find out more about what’s on see the event listings we provide on bathboxoffice.org.uk Here are a few of our favourites from other exciting organisations and museums across the city.

Bath Children’s Literature Festival Friday 30 September — Sunday 9 October 2016 The largest dedicated Children’s Literature Festival in the UK, ten days and over 120 events featuring the biggest names in Children’s Literature. The Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2016 expect big things.

Bath Fringe Festival Friday 27 May — Sunday 12 June Bath Fringe crams in 200 events in 17 days and covers all the art-forms they can find. Look out for new events in new venues and be prepared as the city is invaded by some brilliant street performers and artists. bathfringe.co.uk

bathfestivals.org.uk

Round-about Radstock Saturday 28th May 12 — 6pm, Radstock* Back by popular demand DNA arts takes you on a journey of exploration. Round-about Radstock is a day of free arts activities, workshops, performance, live music, dance, street theatre and food, all taking place in unusual locations across the town. Perfect for the family on May bank holiday. Will you complete the trail and win the prizes? boomsatsuma.com/dna 40 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

The Holburne Museum An exquisite exhibition Impressionism: Capturing Life, on show until 5 June 2016 at the Holburne Museum, brings together 28 masterpieces from British public collections to celebrate the Impressionists’ observations of humanity. Coming soon Stubbs and the Wild 25 June to 2 October 2016 holburne.org

18 – 24 April 2016 The best of British Fashion Spring/Summer ‘16 trends in store and on the catwalk

ADVERT

Get your tickets now

bathinfashion.co.uk @bathinfashion #bifloves Supported by

Catwalks

Talks

Workshops

Shopping

Bath in Fashion is a Bath Business Improvement District event

01225 860 100 / WILTSHIREMUSIC.ORG.UK

Films

Cherish it. Play it. Hear it.

D A N C E YO U R H E A R T O U T T O I T.

ADVERT

Pres enting the f irst high-res olution player piano wor thy of the re vered Steinway & S ons name. T h e S t e i nw a y S p i r i o i s a m a s t e r p i e c e o f a r t i s t r y, c r a f t s m a n s h i p a n d e n g i n e e r i n g t h a t d e l i v e r s a l l t h e n u a n c e a n d p a s s i o n o f l i v e p e r f o r m a n c e s b y t o d a y ’s m o s t r e n o w n e d m u s i c i a n s f r o m c l a s s i c a l t o j a z z t o r o c k . S T E I N W A Y. C O . U K / S T E I N W A Y- S P I R I O

STEINWAY HALL

L O N D O N Q Q = ã ~ êó ä É Ä ç å É = ä ~ å É I= ä ç å Ç ç å = ï N ì O Ç Ä

Ñ ç ê = ã ç ê É = á å Ñ ç ê ã ~í á ç å = ç ê = í ç = ~ ê ê ~ å Ö É = ~ = é ê á î~í É = ~ é é ç á å í ã É å í = í ç = É ñ é É ê á É å Å É = í Ü É = ë í É á å ï~ó = ë é á ê á ç = ~í = ç ì ê = ä ç å Ç ç å = ë Ü ç ï ê ç ç ã ë I = éäÉ~ëÉ=Å~ääW

0 2 0 7 4 8 7 3 3 9 1 ç ê = É ã ~ á ä = á å Ñ ç ] ë í É á å ï~óK Å ç K ì â

Where to stay

Official Hotel and Restaurant Partner The Abbey Hotel Our Official Hotel Partner is located in the heart of the city, meaning this independently owned 60-bedroomed hotel is brilliantly located for the Roman Baths, Thermae Spa, Abbey, main shopping areas and our Festival venues. The much-acclaimed Allium Restaurant serves a varied and seasonal menu from 12 until 9pm including light dishes and salads, and the contemporary Art Bar is perfect for coffee, cocktails and afternoon teas. Festival goers will receive the warmest of welcomes from our Hotel and Restaurant partner - ticket holders receive 10% off in Allium Restaurant and Art Bar. Abbey Hotel guests receive 10% off tickets to the Festival. 1 — 3 North Parade, Bath BA1 1LF 01225 461603 / abbeyhotelbath.co.uk

Hotel Partners Brooks Guesthouse Brooks Guesthouse is a stylish boutique townhouse, 350 meters below the Royal Crescent and a mere seven minute walk to the city centre. All bedrooms have designer wallpapers, comfy beds and goose down bedding. All bathrooms have Hansgrohe power showers. We offer a delicious breakfast, an honesty bar and free, superfast WiFi. 1 Crescent Gardens, Upper Bristol Road, Bath BA1 2NA 01225 425543 brooksguesthouse.com Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel The five star Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel is the perfect accommodation venue for Bath's five star Festivals. Sydney Road, Bath BA2 6NS 0344 879 9106 macdonaldhotels.co.uk/ourhotels/macdonald-bath-spa-hotel

SACO Bath SACO Bath offers a beautiful Aparthotel, right in the heart of ancient and historic Bath. We've restored an entire Georgian terrace to create a range of stunning studio, Brooks Guesthouse one and two bedroom apartments, so it's a truly unique and special away from home experience for stays of any length. 37 St James's Parade, Bath BA1 1UH 01225 486540 sacoapartments.com/bath

Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel

The Francis Hotel The Francis Hotel offers an oasis of elegance with an eclectic SACO Bath edge that reflects the vibrancy and exuberance of the Regency period. At convenient proximity to the Roman Baths, Pump Room, Thermae Bath Spa, Jane Austen Centre, No.1 Royal Crescent, Theatre The Francis Hotel Royal, as well as the city's elegant shopping, culinary and cultural For more information heart. about accommodation in Bath, Queens Square, Bath BA1 2HH visit visitbath.co.uk or call 01225 424105 Bath Tourist Information Centre francishotel.com on 0906 711 2000 (50p/min).

44 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Acknowledgements

Festival Directors David Jones and James Waters

Image / Credit / Page Anna Huntley / © Kauppo Kikkas / p.24 Alisdair Hogarth / © Richard Ecclestone / p. 11, 15, 24, 32 Bath Camerata / © Julian Foxon / p.22 Bath Cathedral / © Bath Tourism Plus / p.3 Bath Philharmonia / © Martin Tompkins / p.25 Bath Spa Opera / © Nick Spratling / p.17 Bite the Buffalo / © Julian Foxon / p.6 Branford Marsalis / © Darlene Susco / p.5, 12 David Jones and James Waters / © Julian Foxon / p.3 Isabel Villanueva / © Michal Novak / p.18 Jason Rebello / © Ava Williams / p.24 Jay Rayner / © Levon Bliss / p.5 Jay Rayner / © Shawn Pearce / p.10 JP Hoe / © / p.24 Kansas Smitty’s / © Rah Petherbridge / p.5, 13 Lera Lynn / © / p.5, 28 Lion and Lioness / © The Daniel Katz Gallery / p.40 Maps / © Bath Record Office / p.23, 31 Maya Youssef / © Carine Mneimneh / p.36 Navarra String Quartet / © Sussie Ahlburg / p.9, 34 Neil Pugh / © / p.5 Nicholas Mulroy / © Raphaelle Photography / p.11 Philip Higham / © Kaupo Kikkas / p.20 Philip Higham / © Tall Wall Media / p.23 Philip Higham / © william knight / p.26 Piaf! The Show / © Rafal Klek / p.5 Piaf! The Show / © Alainbiguet / p.35 Ranjana Ghatak / © Maike Zimmermann / p.30 Richard Goode / © Steve Riskind / p.5, 19 Rosemary Lee Dance / © Hugo Glendinning / p.8 Sam Eason / © Oxana Mazur / p.27 Sean Shibe / © B Ealovega / p.31 Schools Procession / © Julian Foxon / p.7 Shlomo / © Ben Hopper / p.7 Teddy Thompson and Kelly Jones / © / p.5, 21 Tenebrae / © Nick White / p.5, 29 Tenebrae Workshop / © Ali Webb / p.26 Twelfth Day / © Tom Barnes / p.36

Bath Festivals Board of Trustees John Cullum Chair Carol Baines, David Bates, Celia Mead, Councillor Chris Pearce, Ian Stockley, Stephen Taylor, Richard Turner CMG OBE, Anna Williams Chief Executive Belinda Kidd Finance Director Lynne Gregory Development Jacqueline Kingsley, Rosie Fearon, Clodagh Moynan Finance & Administration Rebecca Wheeler, Danny Brothers Festival Production Kate Hall, Judith Robinson, Elizabeth Coyle, Oliver Corbett Learning & Participation Hazel Plowman, Sarah Dowie Bath Children’s Literature Festival Gill and John McLay Marketing & Communication Anna White, Matt Gilford Press & PR Sally Reeves & Caroline Hook

Bath Festivals would also like to thank the following for their invaluable support: The festival volunteers, event managers, freelance production team and the managers and staff of all the Festival venues.

Box Office Zoe Bailey, Chloe Merritt, June Price, Pam Twohig, Samantha Hamlin. Brand and Festival Design Smith and Milton Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 45

How to Book

When to Book 11 Early Release Events On Sale Now Patrons Booking 16 March Friends Booking 19 March General booking 24 March

How to book In person at Bath Box Office

By telephone on 01225 463362 Online at bathfestivals.org.uk Online booking opens at midnight By post to Bath Box Office at the address below — cheques made payable to ‘Bath Box Office’ Please note postal bookings are dealt with alongside telephone and counter bookings.

Booking Bath Box Office Bath Visitor Information Centre Abbey Chambers Abbey Churchyard Bath BA1 1LY 01225 463362 boxoffice@bathfestivals.org.uk www.bathfestivals.org.uk

Booking details Your tickets will be posted to you for a charge of £1 or free of charge if you include a stamped addressed envelope with your booking. Otherwise your tickets will be held for collection at the Box Office, or at the venue from one hour before the event. Booking by credit card either in person or by telephone incurs a £2 transaction charge. Booking by debit card either in person or by telephone incurs no charge. All online bookings incur a transaction charge of £1.

Box Office opening hours Monday to Saturday 10.30am — 5pm Sunday & Bank Holidays Closed (open on Sundays and Bank Holiday 10am — 4pm during the festival only) 46 Book online: bathfestivals.org.uk

Concessions Concession prices are available to under–18s, full– time students, unemployment benefit claimants, visitors with a disability and those whose sole source of income is a DSS state retirement pension. Concessions are only available when a separate price is given in brackets. Only one concession may apply per ticket. Please note W/C spaces and free carer tickets are not available to book online. Standby ticket offer Under–18s, full–time students, unemployment benefit claimants, visitors with a disability and those whose sole source of income is a DSS state retirement pension may purchase unsold tickets for £5 on the door 30 minutes before the event. Seat allocation is subject to availability and at the Box Office’s discretion. This offer will not apply to sold out events. Group bookings We offer one free seat for every ten purchased to the same event when booked at the same time. Bath Festivals welcomes visitors with disabilities Please advise the Box Office of your requirements when making a booking. Access details can be found on page 17 or by visiting the Access Statement on our website bathfestivals.org.uk/ accessibility. Visitors with a disability who need to bring a personal assistant are offered one free ticket. If you require a BSL interpreter, please enquire at the Box Office as soon as possible and we will do our best to accommodate this. Other booking information Please quote the event code when booking. Event times are approximate and doors open 15 minutes before each event. Tickets are nonrefundable, but if an event sells out we are happy to offer returned tickets for resale. A £2 per ticket handling charge will apply on all resold tickets. Please note we cannot refund card transaction, postage or online booking fees. Programmes and performers may be subject to change. All information in this programme was correct at the time of going to press. Filming Some events or shows may be filmed or photographed. Buying a ticket affirms your consent to the filming, sound recording or photographing of yourself as a member of the audience.

Diary CODE ARTIST

TIME / VENUE

Friday 20 May Free

Party in the City: Schools commission with Shlomo

From 5.30pm / Southgate

Free

Party in the City

from 6pm / Various venues in Bath City Centre

Saturday 21 May A4

Navarra String Quartet

11am — 1pm / Guildhall

Musical Rumpus: Run, Rin dle, Rill

11am / Wiltshire Music Centre

Free

Rosemary Lee in Bath

11am — 5pm / The Circus

Jay Rayner

3pm / Guildhall

Die Schöne Müllerin

5pm — 6 .15pm / St Swithin’s Church

Branford Marsalis In My Solitude

7.30pm / Bath Abbey

Nuala Honan

7.30pm / Midsomer Norton Town Hall

Kansas Smitty’s House Band

10pm / Guildhall

Sunday 22 May B2

On Tour with Liszt: A Concert with Conversation

11am — 12.45pm / Assembly Rooms

Free

Festival Evensong

3.30 — 4 .30pm / Bath Abbey

Winterreise

4pm — 5 .20pm / St Swithins Church

Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino: In Conversation

6.15pm / Assembly Rooms

Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino

7.30pm / Assembly Rooms

Shakespeare in Georgian Bath

7.30 — 9.40pm / Old Theatre Royal at Bath Masonic Hall

Monday 23 May C2

Lunchtime Recital with Isabel Villanueva

1 — 2pm / Assembly Rooms

Bath, City of Music Walk

3 — 5pm / Location printed on ticket

Richard Goode: Schubert

7.30 — 9.45pm / Assembly Rooms

Tuesday 24 May D2

Philip Higham: In Conversation

5.30pm / The Igloo at the Abbey Hotel

Bach Cello Suites

1 — 2pm / Central United Reform Church

Teddy Thompson with Kelly Jones

7.30pm / Komedia

Rachmaninov Vespers with Bath Camerata

10 — 11pm / St Mary’s Bathwick

Wednesday 25 May E2

Bach Cello Suites 2

1 — 2pm / St Swithins Church

Lost Pleasures: Walk

3 — 6pm / Location printed on ticket

The Prince Consort with Jason Rebello

7.30 — 9.20pm / Wiltshire Music Centre

Bath Festivals Presents

7.30pm / Komedia

Opera Favourites – From Carmen to Nessun Dorma

7.30-9pm / The Forum

Thursday 26 May F3

The Tenebrae Effect — Choral Workshop

11.30am — 1 .30pm / St Mary’s Bathwick

Bach Cello Suites 3

1-2pm / Old Theatre Royal at the Masonic Hall

A Constellation of Crescents: Walk

3-5pm / Location printed on ticket

Sam Eason + Lauren Castle

7.30pm / Paulton Library, Paulton

Lera Lynn + Isobel Holly

7.30pm / Komedia

Tenebrae sing Bruckner and Brahms

7.30 — 9 pm / Bath Abbey

New Meetings: Ranjana Ghatak & Liran Donin

9.30pm / Old Theatre Royal at Bath Masonic Hall

Friday 27 May G2

Sean Shibe Guitar Recital

1pm- 2pm / St Swithins Church

No Swinging on Sundays: The Story of Sydney Gardens: Walk

3-5pm / Location printed on ticket

Philharmonia Orchestra: In Conversation

5.30pm / The Igloo at the Abbey Hotel

Champagne Fundraising Reception

6.30pm / Ballroom, Forum

Bath Festivals Presents: Acoustic Showcase

Bonzo Lounge, Keynsham

Philharmonia Orchestra

7.30-9.40pm / Forum

New Meetings: Alasdair Roberts & Andy Cutting

9.30pm / Old Theatre Royal at Bath Masonic Hall

Saturday 28 May H2

Schubert’s String Quintet

11am — 1pm / Guildhall

Piaf! The Show

7.30pm / Forum

Gaz Brookfield

8pm / Victoria Hall, Radstock

New Meetings: Twelfth Day & Maya Youssef

9.30pm / Old Theatre Royal at Bath Masonic Hall

11am — 3pm / Parade Gardens

Sunday 29 May Family Music Day

Bath Box Office: 01225 463362 47

Highlights

p. 12 p. 10

Jay Rayner

Branford Marsalis: UK PREMIERE

p. 13

p. 19

p. 21

Kansas Smitty’s House Band

p. 16

Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino

Richard Goode

Teddy Thompson with Kelly Jones

p. 29 p. 25

Opera Favourites

p. 28

Lera Lynn

Tenebrae sing Bruckner and Brahms Booking dates Become a member and beat the queues with priority booking (See page 39) 11 Early Release Events On Sale Now Patrons and Benefactors Booking Wednesday 16 March

p. 33

Philharmonia Orchestra

p. 35

Piaf! The Show

Friends Booking Saturday 19 March General Booking Thursday 24 March