Overture: Friends of Buxton International Newsletter Spring 2024

DEAR FRIENDS

A MESSAGE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, ADRIAN KELLY

Another year has seemingly flown past and preparations for the next Festival are gathering pace. Just as Nicola Benedetti sold out months before we opened last summer, both of Carlos Acosta’s performances in the final week this year are also sold out.

I have visited Buxton a few times over the last weeks, and it has been reassuring to find that there is a real sense of anticipation about this year’s programme. The team in the office works hard all year round to promote the Festival and it has been particularly satisfying to see Buxton’s offering featured prominently in the culture sections of national newspapers.

While I always enjoy the frenetic weeks of the Festival itself, perhaps the most satisfying part of the process for me is seeing the many different strands which make an opera coming together. Casting the operas is always a challenge. So much of the success of each production depends on the chemistry between the performers and for me the first day of rehearsals in London feels like something of a day of reckoning. The stage director and the designers have already prepared diligently together for months in advance, the soloists have studied and memorised their roles with vocal coaches, and conductor and répétiteur have done their best to internalise the music. While some artists will already have been part of the Festival before, many will be working for the company for the first time.

Hearing the chorus and soloists with the orchestra for the first time after a month of rehearsals with just a piano accompaniment is a thrilling moment

stage of the Buxton Opera House for the first time. Hearing the chorus and soloists with the orchestra for the first time after a month of rehearsals with just a piano accompaniment is also a thrilling moment. Rehearsals on stage are always eventful. From my perspective in the pit, watching stage directors and their assistants dashing around trying to make the most of their time in spite of technical issues or wardrobe malfunctions can be entertaining and almost relaxing. Then, of course, the tables are turned, and time with the orchestra is precious, and the pressure to get everything coordinated between the stage and the pit is intense. And then, seemingly quite suddenly, opening night is upon us and with it the magical moment when the orchestra has tuned, the house lights are dimmed, the preparations are at an end.

It’s tremendously fulfilling to oversee an opera production from the very beginning to its conclusion. So many people come together to make a performance possible, and there is no greater reward for all this effort than to hear the response of an appreciative audience.

I am very much looking forward to the Festival, and I hope you enjoy it.

Adrian Kelly

In the following weeks, all being well, the whole endeavour starts to take shape. There are some key moments which always focus the mind, like hearing how two voices sound together in a duet for the first time or running an entire act in the rehearsal room. Later on, I am always excited to see the set on the

EXCITING NEWS!

News just in! Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram are new additions to this year’s line-up and will be appearing at Buxton Opera House with their book Head North. Join the Mayors of Manchester and Liverpool City on Saturday 6 July at 12.30pm.

Head North proposes an ambitious plan to rewire and reimagine our country beyond the Westminster bubble. This is a timely discussion around Northern voices and culture, devolution and the failed promises of ‘leveling up’.

Former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown says: ‘This is a path-breaking book by two dynamic

Book your tickets now by ringing the Box Office on 01298 72190, or visiting buxtonfestival.co.uk

devolution and worked tirelessly in the truest sense towards the goal of levelling up. Their book, Head North, is a book of ideas and personifies the billing of all our BIF book events as both entertaining and opinion forming.’

Since taking up their respective posts in 2017, Burnham and Rotheram have been vocal about the challenges of modern British politics, and the failed attempts at ‘levelling up’ by successive Tory administrations. Their new book makes a compelling argument that the ‘Westminster knows best’ decision-making approach is not working.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF THE FRIENDS OF BUXTON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

‘The best AGM ever’ was not a quote I was expecting to hear when we held the Friends’ AGM back in March. The comment might have been prompted by the exceptionally low bar of the previous year’s gatherings, but I’d like to think it was due to the buzz generated by the 70 plus Friends who joined us to both reflect on the success of the 2023 Festival and hear more about the 2024 offering! The event finished with a varied and enjoyable recital from the Trilogy Ensemble recognising International Women’s Day.

As I write, Priority Booking has just closed. Sales are up on last year, which appears to confirm the Festival Team’s hope that the 2024 programme provides an attractive range of events to challenge, inspire and delight. Friends membership numbers are also up.

We’re all looking forward to welcoming Friends old and new to Buxton this July. Your support, in all its forms, is vital to the success and growth of what’s shaping up to be another rather special Festival.

All are welcome to join us for a cuppa, an informal catch-up and the chance to hear the Festival Young Artists and interns perform –there’s no need to book. On Wednesday 10 July we have the Young Artists performing at 1.00pm then a special chance to hear the Williams-Howard Prize winners ‘Colour my Song’ recital at 1.45 – 2.45pm. For more background, please see the article on page 13. On Wednesday 17 July, Young Artists are performing at 1.00pm and 2.00pm.

Before then we’d encourage you to attend one of the various Friends’ Events taking place (see page 5). These events are open to all.

The now traditional ‘Friends’ Days’ are once again on the two Festival Wednesdays – with the now familiar free ‘Drop In’ event at the Assembly Rooms running from 11:00 – 15:00.

We’re all looking forward to welcoming Friends old and new to Buxton this July. Your support, in all its forms, is vital to the success and growth of what’s shaping up to be another rather special Festival.

Pete Spriggs

Pete Spriggs with the Trilogy Ensemble following their performance at this year’s Friends AGM

FRIENDS EVENTS: ALL WELCOME!

OPERA DISCOVERY DAY

The Drawing Room at the Buxton Crescent Hotel

10am – 1.30pm, Wednesday 22 May, £35

Enhance your enjoyment of the Festival with in-depth introductions to this year’s opera productions. Speakers include conductor Iwan Davies (Ernani), designer Semi Fendall (Ernani) and director Nick Bond (The Boatswain’s Mate).

EMILY BROWN TRIO AT TISSINGTON HALL

Tissington Hall 6.30pm – 8.30pm, Thursday 20 June, £40

FRIENDS’ DAYS IN THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS

The Buxton Crescent Hotel 11am – 3pm, Wednesday 10 and Wednesday 17 July, FREE

You are warmly invited to the majestic Assembly Rooms each Wednesday of the Festival for the Friends’ Days. They’re a chance to gather with Friends, grab a cup of tea or coffee, have a chat and enjoy some free musical interludes.

SAVE THE DATE

MUSIC

AT BURBAGE HOUSE

Burbage House, Buxton Friday 11 October

More information coming soon!

Visi t buxtonfestival.co.uk and click on ‘Friends Events’ to book. Alternatively contact the Festival office on 01298 70395 or email friends@buxtonfestival.co.uk

DON’T FORGET TO ORDER YOUR 2024 BIF PROGRAMME BOOK

The 2024 BIF Programme Book again brings you all you wish to know about the Festival, as well as noteworthy articles:

• John Allison (Editor: Opera Magazine) writes about Ernani in ‘Hugo and Hernani, Verdi and Venice’

• Katharina Kastening (Director: La Tragédie de Carmen) shares insight into the opera in her ‘Director’s Note’

• Christopher Webber (Musicologist and Writer) gives a perspective on the ‘Huge, glowing triumph’ of Ethel Smyth’s The Boatswain’s Mate and writes on Haydn’s ‘Freedom to Experiment’ in La Canterina

Pre-ordered programme books are available at £12 each. There will also be copies for sale during the Festival at £15. Phone the Box Office on 01298 72190

ADRIAN KELLY INTRODUCES THE CAST OF

ERANI

ROMAN ARNDT ERNANI

Tenor Roman Arndt was a finalist in the Song Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World in 2019. He made his UK debut in 2022 singing the Duke of Mantua in Verdi’s Rigoletto for Opera North.

NADINE BENJAMIN ELVIRA

Nadine Benjamin MBE is well known to the Friends of the Buxton Festival. She is an inspirational performer, with the ability to deliver deeply emotional performances. She has already sung a few of Verdi’s heroines including Amelia in Un ballo in maschera and the title role in Luisa Miller. I know that Elvira is a dream role for her, and I am excited to accompany her in this adventure.

ANDRÉ HEYBOER DON CARLOS

French Baritone André Heyboer has sung at some of the world’s most prestigious opera houses including the Opéra de Bastille, the Dutch National Opera and at the Salzburg Festival. His repertoire include the title roles in Verdi’s Macbeth and Luisa Miller and Nabucco, as well as Baron Scarpia in Puccini’s Tosca and Athanaël in Massenet’s Thaïs.

ALASTAIR MILES SILVA

British bass Alastair Miles has had a distinguished career which has taken him to opera houses all over the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna State Opera and the Royal Opera House. He sang Silva in Ernani at Welsh National Opera when it was last staged by a UK opera company.

ADRIAN KELLY INTRODUCES THE CAST OF

LA TRAGÉDIE DE CARMEN

NIAMH O’SULLIVAN CARMEN

The young Irish mezzo-soprano Niamh O’Sullivan was a member of the prestigious opera studio at the Bavarian State Opera. Since then she has sung Charlotte in Massenet’s Werther for Irish National Opera and made debuts at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and at Opernhaus Zürich. She is also a keen recitalist and a member of the BBC New Generation Artist Scheme.

ERIN ROSSINGTON MICAËLA

Soprano Erin Rossington studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Her roles to date include Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Così fan tutte and the title role in Judith Weir’s Miss Fortune.

From the 2024/25 season she will be an associate artist at Welsh National Opera.

She will also be a member of the Buxton Festival Chorus, singing in Ernani.

ELGAN LLYR THOMAS DON JOSÉ

Tenor Elgan Llyr Thomas was an ENO Harewood Artist, where he sang the role of Nanki-poo in the revival of Jonathan Miller’s iconic production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado. He has recently sung Rinuccio in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi for Scottish Opera, as well as the Duke in Verdi’s Rigoletto for Opera Holland Park.

STEFFAN LLOYD OWEN ESCAMILLO

Welsh baritone Steffan Lloyd Owen studied at the RNCM. Recent performances include the Doctor in Verdi’s Macbeth for Mid Wales Opera and Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte for Opra Cymru.

Next season he joins the International Opera Studio at Opernhaus Zürich, where he will make his debut singing the role of Silvano in a new production of Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera.

ADRIAN KELLY INTRODUCES THE CAST OF

IL TRIONFO DEL TEMPO E DEL DISINGANNO

ANNA DENNIS BELLEZZA

Soprano Anna Dennis is no stranger to Buxton audiences. In 2021 she dazzled in the role of Galatea in Handel’s Acis and Galatea when the Early Opera Company last visited the Festival. And in 2023, she gave a consummate vocal and dramatic portrayal in Music Theatre Wales’ production of Tom Coult’s Violet. We are delighted to welcome her back.

HILARY CRONIN PIACERE

Hilary Cronin is a rising star, described by the Telegraph as “surely the stand-out Handelian soprano of the moment”. She has collaborated with groups such as the English Concert, The Sixteen and the English Baroque Soloists. This is her Buxton debut.

JORGE NAVARRO COLORADO TEMPO

Spanish Tenor Jorge Navarro

Colorado sang the role of Damon in Acis and Galatea in Buxton in 2021. Elsewhere he has performed with some of the finest baroque ensembles in Europe, including the Lautten Compagney, the Capella Cracoviensis and the Bach Consort Wien.

HILARY SUMMERS DISINGANNO

Contralto Hilary Summers has enjoyed a brilliant and extraordinarily varied career, winning a Grammy for her recording of works by Pierre Boulez, conducted by the composer, and performing in world premieres of pieces such as Elliot Carter’s What next? and Miss Prism in Gerald Barry’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Alongside this, she is one of the leading baroque contraltos. She has a particularly strong connection with Christian Curnyn and the Early Opera Company, and recorded the role of Disinganno on the EOC’s 2011 recording of the work.

NADINE BENJAMIN RECITAL AND LUNCH AT MOORCROFT HOUSE

The Friends of BIF were treated to a superb afternoon with Nadine Benjamin MBE this April. The soprano made a stop-off in Buxton en route to Melbourne, where she’s taking on the title role in Tosca for Opera Australia. The sell-out event at Moorcroft House was kindly hosted by Pat and Philip Holland, with Nadine performing her own choice of songs, accompanied by Andrea Kmecova. The programme included Verdi, Roussel, Liszt, Strauss and Puccini. The intimate nature of the event will be a contrast for Nadine. Her commitments ‘down under’ entail a venue that accommodates a 7,000-strong audience!

Nadine returns to Buxton this summer when she’ll be performing as Elivra in Verdi’s Ernani. Ernani will be performed on Sat 6, Wed 10, Fri 12, Sun 14 and Wed 17 July in Buxton Opera House.

SONG 2024 –AN INVITATION

Three years ago, Michael Harper, Vocal Tutor with the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) and Buxton International Festival Board Member, established a competition and repository of scores to promote the study and performance of art songs by African diaspora composers. He named it in honour of his grandfather, Chester Ambrose Williams, Sr and teacher and mentor, Helen Palmer Howard. The Williams-Howard Prize was born.

Michael’s research led him to a treasure trove of art songs that had rarely been heard including those by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Harry T. Burleigh, Margaret Bonds, Florence Price, Errollyn Wallen, Shirley Thompson, Dominique LeGendre, and many other established and novice composers.

Now in its third year, the annual competition aims to stimulate and engender an environment for championing this beautiful and extraordinary music. The Williams-Howard Prize awards three monetary prizes to singer/ piano duos; performance training at Cooper Hall in Somerset; and the chance to sing a recital at the Buxton International Festival.

This year’s recital will be part of the Friends’ Day drop-in event in the Assembly Rooms at the Buxton Crescent, running from 1.45 –2.45pm on Wednesday 10 July 2024. The recital will feature all three winners –Brennan Alleyne and Alex Bradford; MerelMagali Cox and Marianne Huang Yueyin; and James Connolly and Marianne Huang Yueyin. Everyone is welcome to attend this free event, which will once again provide a showcase for upcoming talent from the RNCM. Please add the date, time and venue to your Festival diary – we very much hope you can join us!

THE BOOKSHELF

BOOKS

DIRECTOR

VICKY DAWSON SHARES HER REFLECTIONS ON THIS YEAR’S CHOICES.

There is always a six-week gap between my delivery of a completed BIF Book programme (on 15 Jan this year) through page proofs to the actual brochure landing on doorsteps in late February. This feels like the longest six weeks of my festival life as, beyond my colleagues in the office, no one really knows who is going to be coming to Buxton come July and I don’t know how each author is going to land with our loyal but exacting audience. Decisions and confirmations of authors are made as early as September of the year before and as late as ... copy deadline day (“Two days after!” shouts BIF Marketing Manager, Harriet). As a Festival which is traditionally weighted towards ideas and current affairs the programme invariably provokes differing reactions. “Vicky’s left-wing programme” has been known to be applied to the same lineup which another potential ticket purchaser considers to be “chock full of old Tories”. Both genuine quotes, by the way.

As I knew this was probably going to be an election year, I thought I’d stay clear of sitting MPs with books. The exception I made was for Caroline Lucas who is standing down at the election after 14 years in parliament. As our only Green MP Caroline will be with us to talk about her vision for Another England: How to Reclaim our National Story. She suggests that the British championship for the natural world shows that there is more that binds us than sets us apart.

I try where possible to encourage political balance on stage, hence last year Iain Dale (a former Conservative candidate) interviewed Alastair Campbell (a former Labour spindoctor). Other regular BIF interviewers are

journalists who have spent careers not showing their political colours. Navtej Johal is already a familiar face and voice across the BBC as a roving Midlands correspondent. Do look out for Nav. He is a young journalist going places and will be with us to interview Clive Myrie with his own memoir on his rise through the BBC to news anchor and presenter of Mastermind.

One of the most memorable events I’ve seen at Buxton was an event I programmed in 2019 about artificial intelligence. I was genuinely moved by the ideas, particularly around care robots, that came from the stage. The international conversation around AI has moved on in the last six years. I’m glad to present two varied authors talking about AI once again. Nigel Toon is a tech entrepreneur who suggests there are enormous and positive opportunities for society through AI. Comedian, mathematician and Radio4 stalwart Timandra Harkness suggests equally there isn’t a problem with AI as such, but with our own technological self-absorption and thoughtlessness.

Since programming Hannah Barnes and her book Time to Think: The Inside Story of the Collapse of the Tavistock’s Gender Service for Children, Hannah’s been shortlisted for the Baillie-Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction and GIDS has been formally closed. Again, I’ve looked at gender identity before in the BIF programme with a much-commended talk in 2022 by Zoe Playdon on Ewen Forbes-Sempel and the battle for both his inheritance and acceptance of his chosen gender. Sometimes ‘balance’ comes across the years of literary programming.

Vicky Dawson Books Director

LOOK OUT FOR THE WATERSTONES POP-UP SHOP

The Waterstones pop-up book shop is a Festival stalwart. It houses signed copies of our speakers’ books, plus an array of others. It’s incredible to see how quickly it is assembled at the start of the Festival, and there’s genuine sadness when it packs up and goes when the Festival is over.

The Waterstones team have become firm Festival friends over the years. Waterstones Bookshop Manager Sarah Martin shared this message:

“Waterstones is thrilled to be back at BIF this year. The Festival is a highlight of our bookselling year, bringing together Booksellers from all over to help build the bookshop, staff the author signings and recommend books. Buxton is such a beautiful setting to be bookselling in and the visitors to our festival shop always make us feel so welcome.

“We’re very fortunate in our jobs as

Booksellers to be constantly surrounded by fellow booklovers and this is always intensified when we’re part of a literary festival. The atmosphere at Buxton is fantastic, it is a great pleasure for us to be able to help readers come together with authors, and the nature of the BIF programme creates a great space for the discussion of stories and ideas.

“This year, BIF has provided us with a stellar line up and there’s much for us to be excited about, but we will be particularly looking forward to Bookseller favourite, William Sieghart, with his Poetry Pharmacy series. We were also very excited for Helen Rebanks - she sold very well for us in HB over Christmas - and Donna Leon who always delivers.”

Sarah Martin Waterstones Bookshop Manager

DEAR FRIENDS

A MESSAGE FROM THE JAZZ DIRECTOR, NEIL HUGHES

When I approach programming for 20 gigs over 17 days, I always look for a balance – across instrumental, vocal, genre, geographies, different tempos at different times of the day and just the broadest church possible for a listening audience. So many variables exist, including availability, auditorium size, and touring schedules.

Yet, through a series of calls, emails, and serendipity, this year I have ended up with a series of larger bands that are set to delight the audience. Here are four highlights:

1

The whole of the International Festival kicks off on Thursday 4 July with Ian Shaw’s brand new album Greek Street Friday, written and produced with Jamie Safir. Ian is very well known to Buxton already, but we have never had him with a nine-piece band. It’s a real treat to welcome such a tour de force to kick off our festival. Inventive songwriting, soaring melodies and a beautiful delivery led me to have complete confidence that we are hitting the high notes from gig number one.

2

I got to listen to Jef Neve’s new album

That Old Feeling just after lockdown, as I knew the young British singer Sam Merrick. Jef is a pianist from Belgium who hasn’t visited the UK for a number of years. He’s well-known for his jazz and orchestral pieces, but this album is a delight because of its vocal performances by Sam, Monique Harcum and Madeleine Peyreux, among others. We have Monique and Sam joining the band for a Sunday session full of tunes from Paul Simon and Marvin Gaye. A real coup for Buxton.

3

And making Sunday very special indeed, we are delighted to welcome Zoe Rahman and her new project, Colour of Sound, for another octet performance on Sunday evening. With large auditoriums, we are fortunate at Buxton to be able to attract musicians at the top of the game and Zoe fits the bill perfectly with her most compelling work to date.

4 The big question I had for 2024 was how to follow Wynton Marsalis at the Opera House as our closing gig for the jazz weekend. Last year was very special, with Alan Barnes leading a UK quintet to huge applause with Wynton as guest. Despite all of our worries, one phone call solved the puzzle. Adrian Cox updated me about his new project Clarinet Fantasy which sounded terrific in its quintet format, especially as this is one musician who has played with the Maestro’s band at both the Lincoln Center and in London.

Enquiring further, I found out that the project included strings and the New Orleans vibe, which we had last year from Wynton, so our finale fell into place. Providence, indeed.

With a jazz quintet stage, plus a four-string quartet lead by Gabriella Swallow, Adrian had one last surprise, the addition of Tommy Blaze from BBC Strictly Come Dancing to guest vocal throughout the evening. The idea moved from potential to reality very quickly, and the name New Orleans Social Club was given to ensure everybody understood the atmosphere we were striving for. It’s going to be a blast.

We have world-class performances from musicians who grace stages globally at Buxton International Festival. That’s always the aim.

Of course, this is only a taster of the festival. These four shows demonstrate how album releases and new music can affect which ensembles are on tour.

We also have Alan Barnes returning, Parliamentary Awards winners Ubunye, Judi Jackson and Madeline Bell, Mica Millar and many, many others.

I look forward to seeing you this July.

NEIL HUGHES Jazz Director

BUXTON, WYNTON MARSALIS AND ME…

British Jazz Artist Alan Barnes is back in Buxton this July, after his outstanding sellout performance with Wynton Marsalis last year. Alan recollects the once-in-a-lifetime performance opportunity, and how it came about.

Spring last year, my phone rings and it’s Neil Hughes. Neil and I go back a long way to the days when he was putting on jazz gigs at The Cinnamon Club, Bowdon, right opposite my old school Altrincham Grammar. Later on, when he took over the Southport Jazz Festival from Geoff Mathews, he’d also carried on the tradition of presenting my octet as a Sunday night finale. For the last couple of years Neil had been programming BIF jazz so when I saw his name come up I did rather hope that he might want to book that band again. However, what he actually wanted this time was a little bit different:

‘Do you fancy putting together a band to play Buxton this year?’

‘Sure’

‘It’ll be a five piece with a special guest.’

‘Ok - who is the guest?’.

Wynton Marsalis

Several thoughts went through my head. First was ‘really? Wynton Marsalis? Why me?’ and the second was, ‘I wonder which area of Wynton’s music we would be expected to cover? ’I was familiar with lots of his records going right back to the early 80s (when I first saw his quintet with his brother Branford at the Festival Hall) and there was some really heavy stuff in there with some of the greatest players around. It covered everything from hard bop to metric modulation and also reached back to the earliest traditional styles.

I also thought, ‘I’m going to keep this to myself until I’m sure it’s happening.’ Although I’ve been lucky enough to tour and record with some stellar US brass men, Warren Vache, Conte Candoli and Freddie Hubbard amongst them, the idea of playing with someone that good was still daunting for me.

The next surprise from Neil was: ‘He wants a classic New Orleans line-up: piano, bass, drums, clarinet doubling saxophone and trombone’. Ok, so we were looking at music as he had performed on the soundtrack of ‘Bolden’. Very authentic early jazz.

It’s a specialised area, and I immediately thought of a young pianist, Joe Webb, who had knocked me out on the couple of occasions I’d heard him. He really had those early stride styles down, had an engaging personality, and seemed open and easy to work with.

Having got him on board I asked him to recommend bass and drums and he suggested his regular trio members Will Sachs on bass and Will Cleasby on drums. Keeping things young, I then got hold of Daniel Higham on trombone. I’d heard him in many modern contexts such as the Ronnie Scott’s Big Band, but I’d noticed he’d been doing gigs with the young band Kansas Smitty’s so I knew he’d be right for this concert.

Arriving early for the central London rehearsal I found all the musicians I’d booked already playing which was a nice surprise, especially as they sounded great in this style.

Wynton arrived, we stopped playing and he shook hands with everyone in turn and made a short speech about how he wasn’t going

to be difficult in any way so we could relax. Then he said, ‘Right, what can we play without music?’ Here are the tunes we sorted out that afternoon:

Oh When the Saints, Making Figures, St James Infirmary, Don’t Go Away Nobody, Just A Closer Walk With Thee, Lil Liza James, 219 Blues, Joe Avery Blues, Cherokee.

The amount of detail we went into was incredible to me and completely unexpected. I’ve played most of these tunes before and not given much thought to them other than ‘these are easy changes to hear and play on’. I expected a quick top and tail on each piece and an early bath. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Wynton talked us through each tune making suggestions about ensemble playing, rhythmic feels and, above all, keeping the interest throughout. Rather than finding this restricting, it gave us the freedom to create within boundaries. The ensembles really benefitted from this approach.

We played for four hours that afternoon, with full solos on all run-throughs. Wynton was in the middle of a gruelling European schedule that month with the Lincoln Center Band, and I felt that he was just enjoying the blow with a small band. Another nice surprise was Wynton taking charming vocals on a couple of the tunes.

In the break, he said, ‘It’s really great playing this music with such young guys.’ Then, looking at me, he said, ‘And you too, Pops!’

He was also telling lots of stories about people he knew including Tony Williams (being able to impersonate any jazz drummer) and Elvin Jones. I was particularly taken with his account of being in Danny Barker’s kids band. After every run-through, however noisy and inaccurate, Danny would always declare, ‘And that’s jazz!’

On the day of the concert in Buxton, we rehearsed for another couple of hours, really nailing things home until we had memorised precisely what would happen on each tune.

The concert had an absolutely electric atmosphere - we could feel the audience

willing us to do well. It was the second concert of the day: Nicola Benedetti had played in the afternoon and there was a real sense of occasion. The band was on top form and everything went off just as it should.

At the end we played a scorching version of Cherokee, with Wynton channeling his inner Dizzy to perfection. This was the only tune that was unscripted, and we all stretched out on this familiar territory with a little bit of relief. There was a huge ovation and a segue to the pub. It was one of the truly unforgettable nights of my life.

Catch the Alan Barnes Swingtet on Monday 8 July at 12.30pm. For tickets, visit buxtonfestival.co.uk, box office 0129872190.

MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDATION

The Foundation continues to work with the Friends and the Festival to secure the longterm financial future of BIF by managing its endowment. And, against a backdrop of consistent political and economic headwinds, it is pleasing to report that our externally-managed investment fund has shown a positive overall return since the beginning of 2022, and was valued at £408,106 at 1st April this year. At the same time we have taken advantage of the higher level of UK interest rates to increase our income from shorter-term deposits and the total assets of the Foundation now stand at around £470k.

The Festival’s endowment is built on the generosity of those who have enjoyed the Festival in the past and who left a legacy to enable future generations to do so. Those who have declared their intention to do the same (members of the Malcolm Fraser

Circle, named after one of the founders of the Festival) may now benefit from the same priority booking period as that accorded to the Director’s Circle level of Friends’ Membership. If you wish to take advantage of this in future and have not yet informed us of your intention to leave a legacy to the Festival, please contact me by email at chairman@bffs.world or via the Festival office so we can make sure you receive the appropriate booking code in future.

Finally, the most enjoyable task of the Foundation’s trustees is to discuss with Michael and Adrian how we can support their planned programme for each year’s Festival. This year we are delighted that our grant will contribute to the cost of hiring the orchestra of Opera North to play for the Festival’s production of Ernani.

Jane Davies

The orchestra of Opera North

A GUIDE TO WHAT’S NEW AT BUXTON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 2024

From dawn to lights out – 2024 has more to offer than ever before, so we’ve put together the Top Seven new things to check out at this year’s festival

1

Dawn Run

20 July at St John’s Church

The early bird catches the worm and the innovative vocal ensemble, Stile Antico, stages three choral events on one day starting with a welcome coffee at 5.30am - a definite first for BIF. ‘Toward the Dawn’ (6.00am), ‘Garden of Heavenly Delights’ (10am) and ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ (2pm) feature the music of Byrd, Taverner, Palestrina, Lassus and Monteverdi, amongst others.

2

Five New Operas

It’s the first time BIF has staged five brand new operas in one festival and, leading the way as ever, we are one of only a few festivals across the UK to ever do this. Don’t miss:

• Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘Ernani’ 6, 10, 12, 14 and 17 July

Buxton Opera House

• George Frideric Handel’s ‘Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno’ 7, 11, 15 and 18 July

Buxton Opera House

• Peter Brook’s adaptation of Bizet’s ‘La Tragédie de Carmen’ 5, 9, 13 and 16 July

Buxton Opera House

• Ethel Smyth, ‘The Boatswain’s Mate’ 8, 14 and 19 July

Pavilion Arts Centre

• Joseph Haydn’s ‘La Canterina’ 7, 11, 18 and 20 July

Pavilion Arts Centre

3

Poole’s Cavern

9, 11, 16 and 18 July at Poole’s Cavern

A brand new venue for 2024 - Buxton goes underground for ‘Opera in the Cavern’, 45-minutes of opera favourites deep in the limestone caverns amongst the crystal stalactites and stalagmites.

Festival Hub in the Theatre Bar

We’re excited to announce there will be a brand new Festival Hub in the Theatre Bar, adjoining The Old Hall Hotel. It will be open every day for the Festival. Drop in to chat all things BIF!

Jazz Day Tickets

5, 6, 7 and 8 July at all jazz venues

Due to popular demand, we are offering oneday ‘stroller’ tickets for all things jazz. A lovely way to drift through the day with a specially discounted package of tickets with access to every jazz event that day.

Let’s Dance

20 and 21 July, Buxton Opera House

The fabulous Cuban dancer and choreographer Carlos Acosta blazes a trail for dance as he rounds off this year’s festival with On Before, a must-see event at Buxton Opera House. 4 5 6 7

Pump Room Talks

2024 sees the return of the Pump Room Talks, last seen (and heard) in 2019. Not quite a first, but they feel like new to us. Join Dr Richard Gaunt for ‘Living with the Georgians’ (6 July), Dr Peter Collinge for ‘Buxton Crescent and its People’ (10 July), and Dr Amanda Blake Davis for ‘Derbyshire and the Making of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein’ (17 July).

YOUR FESTIVAL NEEDS YOU!

Buxton International Festival is one of the UK’s leading arts events, taking place each July in the beautiful spa town of Buxton, but did you know that Buxton International Festival comes to London too? Before we present our opera productions on stage in the charming Buxton Opera House we have four weeks of rehearsals in London.

The Festival features the most promising rising stars in the performing arts world, as well as prominent international singers performing in a packed summer programme of more than 120 events over a 17-day period.

Each May and June we have several artists who need to find accommodation in London during our rehearsal period and this is where you can help. Do you live or have a second home in London and are you able to accommodate an artist or two? If you have

a spare room in your home for an artist to stay or accommodation you might not be using yourself towards the end of May to late June, we would be delighted to hear from you. Those offering accommodation are able to charge rent and currently most hosts ask for a small amount each week to cover their expenses. Typically hosts will allow a guest staying with them to share their kitchen facilities so they can make their own meals.

If you are able to offer a room for a performer to stay in your home or some other accommodation, then we would very much like to hear from you.

Please give Lee Barnes a call on 01298 70395 or email lee.barnes@buxtonfestival.co.uk to find out more and let us know what you can offer and where in

TOP-NOTCH NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR BUXTON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

We are delighted to report that Buxton International Festival received top-notch national recognition in The Sunday Times not once, but twice.

On 6 March, The Sunday Times listed “Seven of the Best Places in the UK to Enjoy Classical Music”, with Buxton coming in at number three, appearing alongside such greats as Glyndebourne and Aldeburgh festivals. Journalist Lucy Thackay said: “Buxton is one of the few places you can hear world-class musicians and composers in one of the UK’s loveliest settings”. She went on to say “a break in this Peak District spa town is a delight at any time of year, but it’s most sonorous in July,

when the annual music festival comes to town.” And just a week later, The Sunday Times listed Buxton as “One of the Best Places to Live in 2024”. Journalist Jayne Dowle said: “High art meets high living in this lofty spa town”, citing the town as a cultural powerhouse whose international festival is “an embarrassment of riches”.

Commenting on the features, Michael Williams BIF’s CEO said: “We are so pleased to see that BIF has built a reputation as one of the best summer festivals in the UK. Every year, we go from strength to strength and we are delighted to share this Derbyshire jewel around the country.”

INTRODUCING…

We are pleased to welcome three new faces to the Boards of the Friends, the Festival and the Foundation respectively:

MANDY TRAVIS

Born in Hazel Grove and brought up in Disley, Mandy has always had a deep love of music and singing.

Her career was a diverse one: starting as a junior bank clerk, later becoming one of the first qualified Schools Bursars in the country, then having the opportunity to explore her creative side, working at a popular independent ladies wear shop in Marple, as a stylist and buyer. After a brief stint in local government, she then went back to finance working at a local financial advisors.

Having had a career which veered from finance to fashion and back again, Mandy moved to Buxton from Disley in 2019 with her husband Nigel.

One of the main reasons behind the move to the town being the wealth of arts and music on offer, particularly the festival which they had visited for a number of years.

“To have all this on our doorstep is a joy.” She is currently a member of Buxton Musical Society and enjoys performing choral works with them.

Another passion is opera, a genre she was introduced to when her son started his training to become an opera singer.

It is such a diverse art form. There really is something for everyone: a mantra that her son, Bradley, has made his professional focus. Mandy is honoured to be able to use her skills to help support Buxton International Festival as a Trustee of the Friends.

BRADLEY TRAVIS

Bradley was brought up in Disley, Cheshire and music has always been a central part of his life. He sung and performed regularly in school productions and choirs as a child. Rather unexpectedly, this led him to studying to be an opera singer at the Royal Northern College of Music,

and latterly at the Royal College of Music International Opera School.

Following a number of years as a professional opera singer, performing major roles for several UK opera companies, Bradley made a change, devoting his career to making opera accessible for all. This came after working on a project making a new opera with young people with special needs. He realised: “this is where the really important work is going on!”

He then joined English Touring Opera (ETO) as their Associate Artist (Education), being promoted to Head of Learning & Participation a couple of years later. Since joining them he has commissioned 13 new operas for children and young people, writing one of them, directed operas on the ‘main stage’ and for family audiences, and devised multiple national workshop programmes.

Alongside his ETO role, he continues to work as a freelancer, and this summer he will be working in Buxton with the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company, directing and starring in HMS Pinafore.

ANDREA OLIVER-AUSTIN

CEO of Plush Upholstery Workshops and Philanthropist

Andrea lives in Altrincham with her grown-up family and dogs, and has had a varied career, initially as a litigation lawyer, and then in a commercial role in change management. While taking time out with her young family, she took up upholstery and furniture restoration, and now runs traditional upholstery/furniture restoration workshops from her home studio. Andrea is also an adviser to a family charitable trust, making grants to charities dealing with homelessness, violence against women, as well as environmental courses and in support of the arts. She also sits on a panel of female philanthropists who work towards supporting smaller under-supported charities. Andrea is delighted to join the Buxton Arts Festival Foundation as a trustee.

Outside of her roles, Andrea regularly wild swims and walks, she collects art and enjoys theatre, music and dance of all genres.

NICK BOND AND HIS FESTIVAL EXPERIENCES

Nick Bond is a freelance director who graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts with a distinction in MA Theatre Directing. His association with Buxton International Festival began when he directed The Enchanted Pig (2021). Shortly afterwards he became a Young Associate Board Member and went on to be the assistant director for La Sonnambula in 2023. This year, Nick returns to Buxton to direct The Boatswain’s Mate.

When did you know directing was what you wanted to do?

The lightbulb moment happened for me at university where I studied music and drama. I was a member of all the societies, trying everything out, doing a bit of performing and a bit of singing. By the time I had got to the second year, I realised I wanted to give directing a go.

The Musical Theatre Society invited students to pitch production ideas for a show. Me and a couple of friends put together a pitch for ‘Seussical the Musical’, and we won. We had so much fun and it sparked something in me. We were very lucky with our talented cast and it was very well received, with great reviews and award nominations.

Tell us about when you first worked at Buxton International Festival?

The Enchanted Pig in 2021 was my first professional directing gig. I’d actually applied to be a Young Associate Board Member in 2020 but I didn’t get it. My CV must have interested Michael Williams though, because it wasn’t long before we were sharing ideas for a show on zoom. I suggested to him that Buxton should put on something entirely created, performed and designed by young artists.

We had just done Pig at Uni. I put together a proper pitch to Michael and Adrian Kelly with a budget and cast and video snippets from our show. They loved it.

We are very proud of our operas at the Pavilion Arts Centre. What do you think makes it such a stand-out venue for small operas?

PAC is great. It’s a little black box that is both limiting and versatile at the same time. When we were doing Pig we had to go to all these wonderful, fantasy locations like the Milky Way and the sun. There was no way we were going to create something - aesthetically or visuallythat showed all that in any kind of realistic way. Instead, we had to be imaginative, creative and playful, not only with the cast and production but also the audience.

Tell us a bit about your role as a Young Associate Board Member for BIF?

It’s been great. It’s really taught me about how a large arts organisation works, from creative planning and marketing, to budgets and risktaking.

There is always space for me to air what I (and the other young associates) think. Every opera company is trying to figure out how to attract young audiences so it’s great that everyone is so open to our thoughts and ideas. At the same time, we have learnt so much from the experience of everyone else on the Board. It’s really helped me develop my confidence in speaking up and giving my opinions. All that has been super helpful to me in looking ahead to my future career, maybe as a young artistic director or CEO one day!

What would you say to 16-year-old Nick about becoming a director?

Go and watch as much as you can and take advantage of the under 35 Next Gen tickets whilst you can. I’d say try things out, join everything, try and watch lots of film, theatre, ballet and opera. And don’t stress about trying to find your thing straight away because it will just happen.

Our PAC operas for 2024 are La Canterina and The Boatswain’s Mate. Visit buxtonfestival.co.uk to book your tickets.

FESTIVAL HUB AT THE THEATRE BAR

The Festival team is creating a Festival Hub at the Theatre Bar, adjoining the Old Hall Hotel and opposite Pavilion Gardens. It will be open every day of the Festival. Drop in if you have any questions or queries, with your feedback or to have a chat with the team.

INTERNET FRAUD

Sadly, internet fraud is a threat against which we all need to be on our guard. If you receive a suspicious email that purports to come from the Friends, please ignore it or, if in doubt, contact us on 01298 70395 or friendsmembership@buxtonfestival.co.uk.

The Friends will never send an unannounced request for money from you. If you pay your membership by direct debit (our preferred method) you will receive an advisory email a few days in advance of your subscription being taken out of your bank account.

Q&A WITH DR LEAH BROAD ON ETHEL SMYTH

Dr Leah Broad is a multi-awardwinning writer, historian and public speaker who will be interviewing at BIF this year. She specialises in 20-century cultural history, especially women in the arts. Her first book, Quartet, is a group biography of four women composers: Ethel Smyth, Rebecca Clarke, Dorothy Howell and Doreen Carwithen. BIF caught up with Leah to discuss Ethel Smyth, who composed The Boatswain’s Mate.

How and when did you first encounter Ethel Smyth? And which came first for you, Ethel or her music?

It was definitely Ethel’s music first. It was a recording of her Mass that I heard and I absolutely loved it. When I went to find out who the composer was, it was this woman. She is surrounded by so many myths that she really intrigued me. I wanted to find out more about the composer at the centre of these incredible, and sometimes unbelievable, stories. It turns out the most unbelievable ones are true!

elements of her musical style remained very consistent.

Do you think Ethel’s musical style was influenced by the misogyny she faced as a female composer?

I think the topics that she chose to write about were definitely influenced by the prejudices that she faced. For example, The Boatswain’s Mate is very heavily influenced by her experiences in the suffragette movement. She’s one of the few composers who actively tackled misogynist attitudes in her music.

Having said that, I think Ethel Smyth very much had her own style and I’m not sure that was influenced by gender prejudice. Things got worse for her in that way, whereas the

Do you think she threatened her musical peers/contemporaries?

Absolutely. The thing that comes across most in the way that other composers responded to Ethel, is shock. Shock that a woman was capable of writing the music of the quality that she wrote. Once they got to know her and her music, they realised she was worth taking very seriously. She is very explicit in her memoirs about the kind of strategies she used to counter that sense of surprise. For example, she’d say: “Yes, I know you think a woman couldn’t have written this, but trust me, I did. Let me play it for you.” And she wasn’t writing small songs, she was writing enormous operas

and that was another level of disbelief that she had to get past.

Ethel was writing at an extraordinary time in women’s history and yet it seems her music largely died in popularity when she did. Why do you think it took so long for her to be rediscovered?

This was one of the saddest things I came across when writing my book. At the time of her death, she had three honorary doctorates in music, she was the first woman to be made a Dame for her services to composition – in other words, she was extraordinarily famous. And yet in her diary, she talks about being afraid of dying because she thought her music would die with her and there would be noone left to fight for it. I rather naively thought that because she was so incredibly famous, that could never have happened. But when I read her obituaries, the over-riding theme was that she was an interesting writer (she wrote books as well) who made a stir because she composed music that was ambitious for a woman. And that was it.

I think what happened is that her reputation circulated as a sort of funny anecdote. A lot of her music wasn’t published and it certainly wasn’t recorded. After she died, people ignored her music. It was not until the 1990s when the composer and conductor, Odaline de la Martinez, conducted The Wreckers at The Proms, that the music started to be able to speak for itself. There was a good 50-year gap when Ethel Smyth was just a “funny footnote”, which is tragic.

Writing the book made me realise how much difference one person can make. Obviously Odaline made a difference and also, when Henry Wood was in charge of the Proms, he regularly programmed women’s work. When he died, almost exactly at the time Ethel Smyth died, women disappeared from The Proms.

It is said that the protagonist in The Boatswain’s Mate might be modelled on fellow suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst. Do you think that’s true?

Absolutely, it’s definitely true. Ethel Smyth wrote this opera when she was living in Egypt and pleasingly her letters to Emmeline Pankhurst, written at that time, have all survived. It’s made quite clear in her letters that the character of Mrs Waters is modelled

on and inspired by Emmeline. Much of the opera is built around Ethel’s time as a suffragette, with in-jokes and stories. This is definitely an opera saturated with suffragette thinking and suffragette humour.

I don’t think the opera is a love story or homage to Emmeline, but I do think that her song Possession is. The song is about loving someone so much you have to let them go. It’s a heart-breaking piece, so beautiful, and I think that is a very personal love story dedicated to Emmaline.

Do you think we have reached the point when a female composer’s name on a concert programme is unexceptional?

No. Urgh - I wish that was true! In the UK, I think a lot of institutions are getting better at including women’s music on their programmes year-round, but it’s still very variable. I’m really heartened to see that Buxton has The Boatswain’s Mate on its roster this year.

The majority of literature that I consume now is written by women –– but that’s definitely not the case with the concerts that I go to. When Virginia Woolf talked about women composers she said she thought writers had it bad, but crikey, women composers really had their work cut out because the music world was so prejudiced.

However, when you look at the women who are composing now, there is so much rich and inventive composition out there that I hope it will change the needle on people’s perceptions of what is normal.

If you met Ethel Smyth for dinner, would there be topics of conversation you’d have to avoid?

Yes, nearly ALL politics! Her views are not at all compatible with my 21st century perspective. I would love to talk to her about her gender and her sexuality though. I think she was quite uncertain about how to speak about herself and I guess the way we think and talk about gender and sexuality today – with new vocabularies and conceptual frameworks –would make it much easier for her.

Tickets to The Boatswain’s Mate are now at limited availability. Visit buxtonfestival.co.uk to secure your seats.

WE’RE ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET AND YOU’RE INVITED!

5 – 8 July 2024

We’re starting BIF 2024 in style and are rolling out the red carpet for our opera premieres and to welcome Golda Schultz and Gary Matthewman, and Adrian Cox with his New Orleans Social Club, to Buxton.

Book tickets for our evening events, from Fri 5 July to Mon 8 July, and join us for live music and treats outside Buxton Opera House.