Overture: Friends Newsletter Autumn 2022

DEAR FRIENDS

ON 24TH FEBRUARY RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE TRIGGERING A CHAIN OF REACTIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. IN ADDITION TO THESE MACRO EVENTS, THE LINGERING EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, TRAIN STRIKES, ROADWORK DISRUPTIONS AND A 3-DAY HEAT WAVE, RESULTED IN THE AUDIENCE ATTENDANCE FOR THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL BEING 15% LOWER THAN THAT OF THE 2019 FESTIVAL. WHAT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY CLEAR IS THAT THE PERFORMING ARTS INDUSTRY ACROSS THE UK IS FACING UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES BROUGHT ABOUT BY EXTERNAL EVENTS BEYOND ITS CONTROL.

And yet, despite my rather gloomy opening, the booking figures of the Friends of BIF were only 2% lower than our figures in 2019. This clear expression of the loyalty of our 2000 plus Friends is both remarkable and hugely encouraging and the kind of support that will sustain us through these troubling times. However, once the booking opened to the

public, we tracked a decline in ticket sales which never improved. But the drop in attendance to our main offering – the operas and the musical – is very worrying. The positive reviews (mostly 4 stars and one 5 star) that the operas/musical received did little to give us the final box office boost we needed. I have conferred with colleagues in the industry about this phenomenon and was struck by a report from Mark Pemberton, CEO of the Association of British Orchestras who noted that his statistical analysis of an overall audience loss showed a drop-off of 30% in Autumn 2021 and 15% in Spring 2022. He suggested that ‘15% of our audiences will never come back.’ If that is indeed the case, how then do we plan and budget for the future?

But am I being too pessimistic? After all, the 2022 Festival was a huge success: We started a new jazz series which surpassed its income/attendance targets, brought in at least 300 new people to the festival and was thoroughly enjoyed by all; the book festival smashed all its Opera House events with an

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF BIF

“We need to continue to be ambitious, continue to strive to put the best operas, the best musicians, the best authors on our stages.”

Michael Williams with his wife Ettie and their two daughters

abundance of literary luminaries producing enough Opinion Forming talks to last a lifetime; the music series was universally lauded for the brilliance of its musicians and it came within a hairbreadth of its target; the level of singing and the quality of production in our operas were exceptional; Antonio e Cleopatra was a sparkling gem and well attended; our coproduction with the Buxton Opera House, Gypsy, was a rollicking, brassy affair led by a West End star; the new Music Theatre Wales opera, Violet, had everyone talking for days afterwards; Our Future in Your Hands was a moving, thought provoking work featuring a confident children’s chorus and an orchestra mostly made up of our Young Instrumentalists; our walks were sold out and Buxton was bathed in glorious sunshine for most of the three weeks. And we didn’t have to wear masks or social distance from one another!

So, given the challenges I’ve laid out, am I advocating for safer programming and a reduced festival? Quite the opposite. It’s new, exciting, ambitious, quality programming that attracts audiences in a recession. We need to continue to be ambitious, continue to strive to put the best operas, the best musicians, the

best authors on our stages. I take heart knowing that theatre and music have survived pandemics, wars, and depressions.

And the 15% audience losses? Now is not the time to increase our ticket prices, nor to start an Appeal or raise subscriptions. Instead, we must begin a campaign to bring more people to next year’s festival. If every Friend of BIF brings one person to the festival, we will have an additional 2000 patrons to make up for what we lost since 2019. If you could help us by clearing out your study (or pitching a tent in your backyard!) and inviting a friend, family member to stay for a few nights to experience the joy that is the Buxton Festival in summer, we will get through these difficult times.

There is a deep-rooted passion for culture in Britain to keep the arts alive. We must continue to grow our reputation, raise sufficient finance for the challenges ahead and have faith that if we build a bold, extraordinary Festival of quality, people from all over the UK and beyond will come to Buxton to support our ambition.

MICHAEL WILLIAMS, CEO

Many people, voices and organisations make Buxton International Festival possible. We are hugely grateful to our Friends and Festival Circle members, to our volunteers, funders, corporate partners and sponsors, to our community partners, to the individuals who have donated, and to the Trusts and Foundations who have supported us this year. We could not do it without you.

Your support has been vital in ensuring the success of the Festival, enabling us to create opportunities for young artists and to develop outreach projects within our community. We are deeply grateful for your generosity.

Joanne Williams, Development Manager

Joanne.williams@buxtonfestival.co.uk

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

“What do you get if you combine a soprano shimmying to a baroque orchestra, an aristocratic household with a pug fixation, and gags about Arts Council funding and the local water? The answer is 48 hours in Buxton…the Opera Festival is back in full Technicolour: unapologetically ambitions and fizzing with energy”

Guardian HHHH

Gypsy

‘Snappy and Stylish… a definite hit.’

The Stage HHHHH

‘Kerryson’s show was pacey, presenting narrative and character astutely. Right at the centre was the Rose of Joanna Riding, delivered in a warm and vibrant voice that lasted with ease’ Opera Now HHHHH

La donna del lago

‘Inventively staged and gloriously sung.’ The Telegraph HHHH

‘A riot of coloratura’ The Times HHHH

Viva la Diva

‘A hugely entertaining romp… clever, funny, sharp and closer to reality than most of us would care to think’ Opera Now HHHHH

‘The audience loved it, from the jokes about badly behaved prima donnas and pretentious directors to the non-stop visual slapstick. The singing was seriously good’. The Guardian

Antonio e Cleopatra

‘Cleopatra gets the dazzle. And at Buxton there was plenty of it from a captivating young soprano Ellie Neate who shone dramatically and vocally.’

Opera Now HHHHH

‘The music is brilliant with soaring arias and emotion-filled duets… a rare opportunity to hear a beautifully performed small-scale opera’.

Sheffield Star

Our Future in Your Hands

‘This work is inspiring and timely’

Sheffield Times

‘The results were terrific, and the young singers invested the music with an incredible energy’

Planet Hugill

WHAT YOU SAID

‘Wonderful! All the performances I attended (and there have been many) have been superb’

‘A good eclectic mix as always. Nice to hear different operas and ‘modern’ music too. The literature side is very varied as always. Keep up the excellent work’

‘Nothing I have seen has been less than excellent’

‘A very interesting programme – some beautiful recitals, interesting talks and enjoyable and well sung operas’

'The jazz tonic worked a treat'

‘The musical direction by Festival artistic director Adrian Kelly, is full of energy and impact’ Theatre Reviews North

NEW FESTIVAL DATES AND LINE UP

Buxton International Festival is excited to announce our 2023 season, including Bellini’s La sonnambula, Lully’s Phaëton, and a new work The Land of Might-have-been with music by Ivor Novello, written by the co-creator of Georgiana, Michael Williams, winner of the 2019 UK Theatre Award.

LA SONNAMBULA

Music by Vincenzo Bellini, libretto by Felice Romani, based on a scenario for a balletpantomime written by Eugène Scribe Adrian Kelly Conductor Harry Fehr Director Nicky Shaw Designer

Dates: Sat 8 July 7.15pm, Wed 12 July 7.15pm, Sunday 16 July 2pm (matinee), Wed 19 July 7.15pm, Sat 22 July 7.15pm

A Buxton International Festival production.

La sonnambula will be conducted by the Festival’s Artistic Director Adrian Kelly and directed by Harry Fehr. Many will remember Harry Fehr’s acclaimed production of another Bellini opera at BIF, I Capuleti e I Montecchi, in 2106, which was coincidentally the last Bellini opera performed at BIF. He has established an international reputation for thought-provoking productions explored through clear story-telling.

La sonnambula premiered in Milan in 1831 and is Bellini’s most important work, alongside Norma, which was released just six months later. The opera semi-seria (literally, half-serious) is his first great masterpiece, renowned for its exhilarating melodies and dazzling vocal pyrotechnics.

The theme of sleepwalking fascinated the public of the day, and Bellini explores all the musical possibilities of this mysterious phenomenon and the complex moods of his heroine. Amina, a Swiss village girl, is engaged to fellow villager Elvino and everyone is looking forward to their wedding. Then a mysterious stranger, Count Rodolfo, arrives whose admiration for Amina provokes jealousy and misunderstanding. The situation is exacerbated when Amina is discovered in Rodolfo’s room at the local inn late at night. All is

happily resolved when it becomes clear that Amina is an innocent sleepwalker, a somnambulist.

In the hands of another composer, the subject material might seem simple, but the story of innocence rewarded is the perfect complement to the inspired purity of Bellini's melodic style. ‘Bellini is the master of bel canto’, says Adrian Kelly, ‘while the story is very gentle and sweetnatured, the music is sublime, and showcases the art of operatic singing at its finest. For me it suits Buxton down to the ground because it’s a very strong piece of music which is known, but it really doesn’t get performed all that often’.

PHAËTON

Music by Jean-Baptiste Lully, libretto by Philippe Quinault, after a story from Ovid's Metamorphoses.

Christian Curnyn Conductor Netia Jones Director/designer Anna Morrissey Co-director/choreographer

Dates: Sunday 9 July 2pm (matinee), Thursday 13 July 7.15pm, Monday 17 July 7.15pm, Thursday 20 July 7.15pm

A Buxton International Festival and Early Opera Company Production

As court composer to Louis XIV, Jean-Baptiste Lully knew how to please the Sun King: write an opera on the legend of Phaëton, the vain son of Helios, who races his father’s chariot across the sky, but in the process sets the Earth on fire only to be struck down by a lightning bolt from Zeus. The political message was clear: whoever challenges the Sun King will be struck down. The resulting opera is a stunning timeless portrait of human frailty and imagination and established Lully as the master of the French Baroque music style. After

its premiere in 1683 at the Palace of Versailles, Phaëton reigned supreme on the Parisian stage until the mid-18th century.

Christian Curnyn and the musicians from Early Opera Company will collaborate with the film maker Netia Jones to present their version of this rare baroque masterpiece. ‘French baroque, is something that isn’t often performed in the UK and we think that it’s the first staged version of this piece or any Lully in the UK, certainly in a major theatre’, says Adrian Kelly. ‘We will be using baroque singers, high tenors known as haute contres. It’s a very particular style and a beautiful piece of music.’

Netia Jones will design and direct the production with visual effects and scenic transformations of the baroque stage through projection. Expect music of extraordinary drama and beauty and a production with spectacular visuals.

‘When your director is a video artist as resourceful and inventive as Netia Jones… you get a very heady brew…hypnotic, magical, elegant.’ The Stage

THE LAND OF MIGHT-HAVE-BEEN

Music by Ivor Novello, book and lyrics by Michael Williams, arranged with additional composition by Iain Farrington.

Iwan Davies Conductor

Kimberley Sykes Director

Nicky Shaw Designer

Dates: Friday 7 July 7.15pm, Tuesday 11 July 7.15pm, Saturday 15 July 2pm & 7.15pm, Tuesday 18 July 7.15pm, Friday 21 July 7.15pm

A Buxton International Festival and Norwich Theatre production.

Brought together in a summer of love, torn apart by war, only one would survive to tell their story.

We are excited to premiere a new musical written by Michael Williams, co-creator of the UK Theatre Award winning opera Georgiana. The Land of Might-have-been is built around the songs of Ivor

Novello and tells a story loosely based on the lives of Vera and Edward Brittain before and during the first world war. Vera Brittain, the author of the best-selling war memoir, Testament of Youth and Ivor Novello, the most successful British musical theatre composer of the 20th century were both 21 years old when Keep the Home Fires Burning brought cheer to the British public faced with the grim reality of war in Europe.

The story follows Vera and Roland, and Edward and Bobbie who unexpectedly fall in love over a long hot summer in Buxton in 1914. They all have their own ideas about their glittering futures but are faced with the prejudice and conventions of their time. Vera is determined not to become a traditional young married woman but wants to attend Oxford University and live an independent life. Her brother, Edward, dreams of becoming a musician and composer but must hide his secret love for Bobbie from his family and society. Roland wants to attend Oxford University and be an acclaimed poet, and Bobbie, forced to follow in his father’s footsteps, would rather search for a new way of life that would include Edward.

The war in Europe shatters all their hopes and dreams but compels Vera into a life-long campaign for peace and equality.

Return to the halcyon days of that long-ago perfect summer where ragtime was sweeping through every ballroom; where debutant balls were the Tinder of today and chaperones were the curse of every young woman in love; where the call of King and Country stirred the imagination of young men everywhere and the power of love kept hope alive in the darkest of times.

Iain Farrington’s new orchestral arrangement of songs like My Dearest Dear, Waltz of My Heart, My Life Belongs To you and Why Is There Ever Goodbye captures Ivor Novello’s extraordinary gift of melody and harmony. ‘Novello’s music is central to the musical theatre traditions of this country’ says Adrian Kelly. ‘The Land of Might-have-been fuses those songs that everyone knows with the story of the Brittains, who have strong ties with Buxton and Derbyshire. It’s exciting to have the director Kimberley Sykes on board. She’s worked with the likes of the RSC, and has got real vision for this piece.’

Critical acclaim for the Festival can be reviewed in these pages but it truly felt like BIF was back in full force this year with a rich, varied programme of quality performances we hope you relished. It was a real pleasure to catch up with so many Friends, and also have the opportunity to welcome new audience members to Buxton, especially those who joined us for the jazz offering.

Despite the range and standard of the events offered overall bookings were down on prepandemic levels. The arts are sadly not immune to the uncertainty and economic pressures buffeting all our lives. We are acutely aware of the squeeze on everyone’s budget and in response have committed to no increase in the Friends’ Membership costs or the ticket prices for 2023. We are

also working on new ticketing offers to make the Festival even better value for money next year.

During COVID we said the support of the Friends had been more important than ever before, but as we look to 2023 we must make that statement again. Membership renewals are due in November, and we ask again for your generosity by maintaining (or upgrading) your membership. We’re also calling on our loyal Friends to consider introducing someone new to the Festival next year – many of you already attend with family or friends but might there be others in your networks who would enjoy the Festival experience? We need your help to grow our audiences again.

“We have committed to no increase in the Friends’ Membership costs or the ticket prices for 2023. We are also working on new ticketing offers to make the Festival even better value for money next year.”

In return, our commitment is to work hard to provide artistic delights that form part of the antidote to the challenges we all face.

PETE SPRIGGS Chairman, Friends of BIF

UPCOMING EVENTS

A

CONCERT AND AFTERNOON TEA AT LYDGATE HOUSE

We are delighted to welcome friends back to the beautiful venue of Lydgate House in Chapel-en-le-Frith at 2pm on Saturday 19th November 2022.

Join us for drinks and a concert with baritone Emyr Lloyd-Jones and award-winning pianist Zany Denyer, followed by afternoon tea. You may recognise Emyr from his performances at previous Festivals and the BIF Roadshows. This year he appeared in the chorus of La donna del lago and Viva la Diva. Zany studied at the RNCM and Royal Academy of Music, and has recently won the 2022 CAVATINA Intercollegiate Chamber Music competition at Wigmore Hall with his ensemble ‘Trio Havisham’.

Tickets are available from lee.barnes@buxtonfestival.co.uk at £40, with a special discount of £5 per ticket to any person purchasing 2 tickets or more. We are always keen to meet new people and if you would like to invite a friend to the concert the £5 discount applies.

– Programme –

R Quilter Go lovely rose

D E Edwards The Cloths of Heaven

F Schubert Am feierabend

F Schubert Du bist die ruh

R Wagner O du mein holder abendstern (Tannheuser)

F Chopin 4th Scherzo

F Chopin Nocturne in F Sharp Minor

A Mozart Deh vieni alla finestra  (Don Giovanni)

B Britten Look through the port (Billy Budd)

C Debussy Romance

J Ravel Don quichotte a dulcinee

F Tosti Non tamo piu M Williams Y Cymro

We are grateful to Merryl and Peter Webster for kindly hosting the event.

Zany Denyer

Emyr Lloyd-Jones

JOHN WHIBLEY HOLIDAYS

We’ve enjoyed travelling with a number of Buxton Friends in what has been a fairly “normal” year at last, so we’re planning ahead now for 22-3 with a wide range of opera holidays to choose from.

As always we are pleased to make a contribution towards Friends fundraising for each opera holiday booked by a Friend of Buxton Opera. We’re also pleased to be able to offer Buxton Friends an additional £50 towards any opera holiday if you send in a copy of this article.

Please get in touch with us by email john@whibley.co.uk 01663 746578 and we’ll happily send you further info about the opera holidays listed below.

Opera in Vienna 1-5 December 2022 Meistersinger, Andrea Chenier and Tosca

Christmas Oratorio & Opera in Leipzig 8-12 December 2022

La Traviata and Lohengrin with Christmas Oratorio in the Thomaskirche

Amsterdam by Train 25-29 January 2023

Handel: Giulio Cesare plus Brahms and Mozart concerts at the Concertgebouw

Wagner’s Ring in Dresden 26 January-2 February 2023

Willy Decker’s production at the Semperoper

Opera in Zurich 15-18 February 2023

Roberto Deveraux and Eugene Onegin

Elphi and Opera in Hamburg 22-26 February 2023

Così fan Tutte and Lucia di Lammermoor plus Isserlis Järvi and the NDR orchestra at the Elbphilharmonie WNO in Llandudno 31 March – 2 April and Bristol 25-27 April 2023

Magic Flute and Blaze of Glory New York Met’ 10-16 April 2023

Rosenkavalier, Tosca, L’Elisir and a concert with the NY Philharmonic WNO in Bristol 25-27 April 2023

Magic Flute and Blaze of Glory Ring in Budapest 14-19 June 2023

The annual semi-staged performances at the breathtaking Müpa concert hall Opera at Garsington and Longborough 28 June-2 July 2023

L’Elisir, Ariadne and Bartered Bride

Buxton International Festival 12-15 July 2023

La sonnambula, Phaëton and The Land of Mighthave-been Savonlinna Opera Festival 16-20 July 2023

Romeo & Juliet, Magic Flute and Barber of Seville

A MESSAGE FROM NICK WARD AND THE NORTHERN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

“After 38 seasons leading, and mostly directing, the NCO I have finally stepped down to leave my wonderful job to someone of a younger generation. My last appearance with the orchestra was in the pit at Buxton on July 23rd doing Viva la Diva. At the end of the performance I was hauled up on stage with Iwan Davies, the conductor.

The NCO began playing for the Buxton Festival in 1996, performing Handel's Amadigi. Everpresent since then, apart from the covid year 2020, we have enjoyed getting to know dozens of operas. Of the many conductors we've played for I would particularly mention Wyn Davies, who conducted many of our early performances (a wonderful light touch for comedies), Andrew Greenwood, who sadly died last year - some great Donizetti during his time - Stephen Barlow, who challenged us with the extremely difficult R Strauss Intermezzo in his first season and the present incumbent, Adrian Kelly, with whom we

Enjoying a curtain call with the cast of Viva la Diva

Nick at this year’s Festival

did Eugene Onegin in 2019 and then, due to covid and a baby expected in Switzerland! - only rehearsals of La Donna del Lago this year.”

Nick has performed in over 500 concerts with the NCO, with countless as leader in the orchestra pit at Buxton International Festival. NCO Chief Executive Charlie Rowley has paid tribute to Nick saying, “he leaves us an extraordinary legacy of music-making and a never less than entertained audience behind. He will be sorely missed.”

We would also like to extend our thanks to Nick for his incredible contribution to the Buxton International Festival and to wish him a very happy retirement.

NEW FACES

Helen Goodman is the new Artistic Administrator for BIF.

Helen joins the festival having been an independent producer in both theatre and dance, alongside work within sector and talent development at Hull UK City of Culture and then Manchester Jazz Festival.

She lives in Buxton with her family and is Co-Chair of Burbage Primary School Governing Board.

Susie Bennett is the

She moved to Buxton in 2018 after 20 years in the Fens, where she worked in voluntary sector resource management.

Despite having been brought up in Derbyshire (albeit the more gentle climes of Chesterfield...) and warned by all her family, she was still surprised by quite how cold it gets in the High Peak. A committed operagoer, she has been a fan of the Festival since arriving here, and is delighted to be part of it.

BIF BABY!

Congratulations to BIF’s Artistic Director Adrian Kelly on the safe arrival of his son Alexander Jacob Kelly. Born on 26 July 2022 and weighing just over 8.6 lbs. He is absolutely gorgeous and we are delighted to welcome him to the BIF family!

WE ARE PLEASED TO WELCOME TWO NEW TEAM MEMBERS AND A LOVELY NEW ARRIVAL!

new Finance Manager for Buxton International Festival.

AN UPDATE FROM PLATFORM 3

Platform 3 is the Learning and Engagement department shared by Buxton Opera House and Buxton International Festival. It aims to radically improve the lives of young people and the community in Buxton and the High Peak through regular, professional, engaging and high-quality opportunities and experiences for people throughout the region. Its vision is to inspire creativity and reduce isolation regardless of location, socioeconomic background and disability.

Since it started in June 2021 it has been working with primary and secondary schools across the region as well as engaging with Care Homes. It runs a community choir, singing clubs for young people, performing art sessions for 4-18 year olds, Technical Youth Theatre courses, an adult readers club and craft workshops to name a few. In August it ran its first-ever Summer School with a production of Matilda JR. It was open to everyone between the ages of 9 -16, and after a fortnight of rehearsals it culminated in two wonderful public performances at the Pavilion Arts Centre.

WE ARE DELIGHTED THAT BIF IS ONE OF THE LEAD PARTNERS IN A NEW CULTURAL CONSORTIUM, MADE UP OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM BUXTON CRESCENT HERITAGE TRUST, BUXTON OPERA HOUSE, BUXTON FESTIVAL FRINGE, BABBLING VAGABONDS THEATRE COMPANY AND REC YOUTH THEATRE. WE HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING FROM HISTORIC ENGLAND TO PUT ON A CULTURAL PROGRAMME IN AND AROUND THE HIGH STREET - SPRING GARDENS.

The geographical area of the Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) project is Spring Gardens and surrounding streets. There are separate funds being used for conservation-led repairs and restoration of buildings, whilst we add animation and vibrancy to the streetscape.

From the success of the pilot project, ‘Capturing a Moment’ in 2021 we are building a programme of events that will run until April 2024, please check out the website www.buxtonourstreet.co.uk.

BIF will be organising ‘pop up’ music events. We look forward to seeing you.

As well as bringing arts and heritage organisations together, this project is creating opportunities for local businesses.

Julian Glover welcomed author Oliver Bullough and Ukrainian MP for Odessa Oleksiy Goncharenko to Buxton, who both spoke very powerfully about Russia’s brutal attack on Ukraine and what it has meant for the country and its people, as well as the rest of the world. The event started and finished with beautiful performances by Ukrainian soprano, Inna Husieva. The DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has raised a staggering £380 million since it was launched in March 2022. The money has empowered local people and organisations to reach those most in need, providing food, shelter

£3.5K RAISED FOR UKRAINE

We are delighted to announce that the Festival’s fundraising event, ‘A Crime Against Peace’ held on 15 July, raised £3.5K for the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

and healthcare as well as sports and music activities for young people.

Vicky Dawson, BIF’s Book Director said: ‘It’s fair to say when Inna sang there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. We were delighted to welcome two such topical commentators to this year’s festival, especially as Oleksiy had to charge up to Buxton following appearances on BBC Today and Sky news that morning. A huge thank you is due to our audience members for raising a significant amount of money, which will be donated towards vital aid.’

BIF’s production of Pauline Viardot’s Cendrillon was a huge success in 2021, with sell-out performances, 5-star reviews and with one critic saying it was the best 75 minutes they’d spent in ages! The production is now being revived under the name Cinderella and will be touring Salford, Coventry, Huddersfield and Norwich. Book your tickets now to re-live the fun!

Soprano Inna Husieva with Emily Gottlieb, BIF Board Member and director Opera UK and Oleksiy Goncharenko

REMEMBERING MICHELLE WALTON

Michelle Walton’s sudden and untimely death will sadden many Friends who saw her excellent Festival performances twenty years ago. Her several Buxton roles ranged from the mezzo Ganymede in Galatea, to the soprano Fiorilla in Turco in Italia and that wide range, both vocal and dramatic, highlighted her ability and her versatility. All Michelle’s performances were characterised by excellent singing and a real feel for the stage, all delivered with a winning smile. Not too many couples can say that they met on stage, but Buxton played matchmaker in 1999 when Michelle first met her husband Mark Stone in Donizetti’s Night Bell. In sending our sympathy to Mark and their son, we remember with much affection a very talented and charming artist and colleague.

DONALD MAXWELL

DAVID DENTON – AN APPRECIATION

The critic David Denton, who died recently at the age of 82, was one of a unique group of individuals who attended the very first Buxton Festival in 1979. He was ever-present, along with his devoted wife Rona, for the next 40 years. After a career in heavy industry in Sheffield, he became a noted music critic working for a number of publications including The Strad, Sheffield Star and for many years The Yorkshire Post reviewing operas, concerts and CDs. His reviews of operas at the festival were always fair. In July 2018 I interviewed David on his festival memories. It was a joy to hear some wonderful tales of the early years. At the end he told me, ‘I’ll go anywhere in the world to see an unusual opera, and Buxton is an absolute goldmine for me.” Wise words indeed!

MARK SUTHERLAND

Board Member Mark Sutherland (left) with David Denton

MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDATION

The Buxton Festival involves a family of organisations that support and produce the event, and this year the Buxton Festival Foundation celebrates its twentieth anniversary. Younger than the Festival or the Friends it exists to help secure the longterm future of the Festival. The Buxton Festival Foundation is a separate charity with its own trustees, shown in a recent photograph. Bottom right is the Foundation's Chairman, Jane Davies, who ran the Festival in the 1990s. The other trustees, clockwise from bottom left are Kate Redford, Philip Barton, John Young and Colin Gregory, who between them have a range of legal, accountancy and banking experience appropriate for their roles. Above all they all share a passion for the ability of music and the arts to transform lives and for playing their part in helping the Festival to flourish in its wonderful Buxton home.

Throughout its association with the Festival the Foundation’s role has been, with the support of generous legators and donors, to support specific productions, talented and emerging young singers and build an endowment for the future sustainability of the Festival. The Foundation has been fortunate this year to receive two legacies. The first legacy of £25,000 was left to us by Paul Berry. Born in Birmingham he studied at St Peter’s College, Oxford and went on to a career as an actuary. Music was always at the forefront of his life, closely followed by cricket, theatre, and railways. The second legacy, which is

substantial, was left to us by Anthony John Faulkner from Sheffield, a long-standing friend. We are most grateful to Mr Berry and Mr Faulkner for their generosity. As a consequence of their generosity and that of other donors the Foundation has committed to granting the Festival £25,000 per annum over the next three years. The first of these grants will be used to enable the Festival to engage exceptionally talented singers to appear in the Buxton International Festival 2023.

If you enjoy the Festival and would like to help secure its future, please consider leaving a legacy to the Buxton Festival Foundation (Registered Charity No. 1096269). This can be very tax efficient for your estate, and you can leave money for specific projects if you wish, such as helping to develop young performers or commissioning new work. If you need more information or would like to discuss what is involved please contact the Foundation’s Chairman, Jane Davies, via the Festival Office on 01298 70395 or by email foundation@buxtonfestival.co.uk.

SUPPORT A SINGER OR MUSICIAN

Do you have a special event, birthday or anniversary coming up and are looking for something unique for your nearest and dearest?

We have the perfect gift for you and future generations – support a BIF singer or musician during the 2023 Festival.

During the Festival we can arrange tickets for the performance and the chance to meet the artist, always a joy!

The choice is yours, to support us in any of the following ways:

£50 - goes towards travel costs for a young artist

£250 - a week's accommodation during the festival

£500 - towards mentoring and coaching young artists

£1000 - to sponsor a young singer in an opera or a solo recital

Join us as we nurture and create performance opportunities for young singers and musicians. Whether singers are in the cast of an opera perfor ming for the first time, a soloist giving a recital or part of an ensemble

in our concert series your support will help them at an exciting and pivotal moment in their careers.

WHAT OUR YOUNG ARTISTS SAY

“I’ve had such a wonderful time, BIF does so much for young artists, it truly is a springboard for careers.”

“As well as taking part in operas and concerts, the coaching and advice about career progression made the whole experience amazing.”

WHAT OUR SUPPORTERS SAY

“There is so much talent among young singers but also so much competition - it gives me great pleasure to sponsor a singer that I believe will and should go far in their career.”

To find out more contact Joanne at joanne.williams@buxtonfestival.co.uk

Young artists in BIF 2022 La donna del lago production

Louise Adler who was supported by Ariane at this year’s festival