The Buxton International Festival

THE BUXTON OPERA FESTIVAL

FOUR NIGHT HOLIDAYS | 7 & 16 JULY 2023

The Buxton International Festival was originally founded to present little known operas in the town’s magical opera house, designed by Frank Matcham. The Festival has extended its remit considerably in the past decade or so with one of the most varied and wide ranging programmes of any UK festival. The operas still hold centre stage but throughout the day visitors can enjoy recitals, concerts and a dynamic literary festival, all taking place at different venues throughout the town. Buxton is a lovely spa town in the heart of the glorious Peak District.

the itinerary

Our tours are based at the 4* Buxton Crescent in the very centre of Buxton, recently reopened after a lengthy renovation. This historic hotel has a lounge, bar, and restaurant. There will be a visit to Renishaw Hall. Renishaw has been the seat of the Sitwell family for almost 400 years. Alexandra Sitwell now lives at Renishaw; she inherited the house from her father Sir Reresby Sitwell, the 7th baronet. When he died in 2009, Alexandra Sitwell came to live at Renishaw, thus separating the house from the baronetcy for the first time. We will visit the house and explore the Italian gardens which were awarded the Historic Houses Association/Christie’s Garden of the Year award in 2015. We also visit Tissington Hall. Built in 1609, Tissington has been in the ownership of the same family ever since - the present incumbent is Sir Richard FitzHerbert. The house is a perfect example of a Jacobean manor house and presides over the picture-perfect estate village. There will be a guided tour of Tissington Hall and time to enjoy the garden before returning to Buxton.

Pavilion Gardens, Buxton

TOUR INFORMATION

DEPARTURE DATE & PRICES

DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 7 & 16 July £1,657 £396

Our prices are per person, based on two people sharing a double/twin room.

WHAT WE INCLUDE

• Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Four dinners • Tickets for performances as described • All sightseeing entrance fees and gratuities • The services of the Kirker Tour Leader

MUSIC PROGRAMME

The 2023 Buxton International Festival promises to be a thrilling experience for all opera lovers. The three contrasting works will be a treat for everyone who enjoy operas which put the voice at the forefront of the piece. Works from the 18th and 19th centuries will be performed alongside a newly created work for the theatre set to music by Ivor Novello. Performances take place in the Opera House and begin at 7.15pm with the exception of Orlando, which will be performed in the Pavilion Arts Centre on 10 July at 2pm. 8 & 19 July: La sonnambula by Bellini (1801-1835) First performed at Teatro Carcano, Milan on 6 March 1831. La sonnambula is for many the quintessential bel-canto opera, a seemingly endless flow of glorious music, dazzling arias and romantic duets, simultaneously romantic, amusing and tragic. 9 & 17 July: Il re pastore by Mozart (1756–1791) First performed at the Residenz Theatre in the Archbishop’s Palace, Salzburg on 23 April 1775. Written for the Archbishop of Salzburg when the composer was just 19. This opera, too, is a work of stratospheric virtuosity, youthful but with many hints of the musical glories that lay ahead for the composer. 10 July (matinee): Orlando by Handel (1685–1759) First performed at the King’s Theatre, London on 22 January 1733. Orlando is one of three works by Handel based on the novel Orlando Furiouso. After just ten performances, the opera disappeared from view. Its fortunes were revived following a performance with Dame Janet Baker in Birmingham in 1966. 18 July: The Land of Might-Have-Been by Ivor Novello (1893-1951) This is the first performance of a work telling the story of Vera Brittain and her brother Captain Edward Brittain. The book and lyrics are written by Michael Williams and the music is arranged by Iain Farrington.