Friday 20 May – Saturday 4 June 2011
Salisbury International Arts Festival returns in 2011 with a packed programme of theatre, dance, circus, film, music and spoken word in locations around the historic city.
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Download PDF brochure here
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On the Festival’s opening night the sky becomes a stage in a performance by world famous Argentine company Voalà. The programme also includes a new music commission, WhereTwo Worlds Touch; outdoor performances of classic Shakespeare; and a performance by Jasmin Vardimon Company. This year’s programme will reflect a focus on the themes of China, Dance and Air, and events will take place across the region in locations as diverse as Salisbury Cathedral, Old Wardour Castle and Stonehenge.
Maria Bota, Festival Director, says:
“In 2011 Salisbury once again offers the opportunity to see world-class artists from the diverse fields of theatre, dance, film and music. Our wonderful landscape offers magical settings for the Festival to entertain, inspire and transform our lives.
We tonight also welcome a new principal sponsor to the Festival. Sir Christopher and Lady Benson join Friends Provident as joint Principal Sponsor in 2011 and we are very grateful for their support.’
Highlights of the festival programme in 2011 include:
- Argentine company Voalàopen the festival with a breathtaking airborne show 100ft above the crowds
- A celebration of East and West through poetry, story and song, the world première of Festival commission WhereTwo Worlds Touch, with original music composed by Howard Moody and Helen Chadwick
- A fast-paced evening of adventurous and sexy circus from Australian company Circa
- Constable Recital with world-class musicians Iain Burnside, Andrew Kennedy and Lisa Milne in a performance of music and words inspired by the paintings of Constable
- Atmospheric outdoor performances of two of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays, Hamlet and As You Like It, by the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre at Trafalgar Park and Old Wardour Castle
- Performance of the acclaimed ‘Yesterday’ by Jasmin Vardimon Company, a piece marking the company’s tenth anniversary, featuring breath-taking duets, striking solos and iconic moments from the Company’s repertoire
- In Salisbury Cathedral The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra performs a programme of music inspired by the themes of air and dance, including Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, Tchaikovsky’s Francesca da Rimini and Ravel’s Bolero
- A family friendly spectacle with music, dance and fireworks, Party in the Close marks the end of the festival
The full festival programme will be announced on Monday 21 February 2011. Tickets to the events highlighted above are available to Festival Friends 7-13 December 2010 and to the general public from 14 December 2010. Buy tickets by phone Monday – Friday 10am–2pm on 0845 241 9651, or online at www.salisburyfestival.co.uk
You can save money with our GroupSave discount - 3 or 4 people travel for the price of 2 when you travel together at off-peak times. For more information and to book your tickets, visit www.southwesttrains.co.uk or simply call 0845 6000 650.Waterloo, Southampton and Exeter.Travel to Salisbury with our travel partner South West Trains - who run direct trains to Salisbury from London
Ends
Notes to Editors:
For more information or images please contact Rosa Corbishley, Salisbury International Arts Festival - rosa@salisburyfestival.co.uk or 01722 330 914 or 07912 109 132
Event listings for highlights
Friday 20 May 9pm
Voalà
Free Opening Night
Market Place
World famous Argentinean company Voalà present a breathtaking airborne show 100ft above the crowds to launch the Festival.
Supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and Salisbury City Council
Saturday 21 May 7pm and 9pm
Two Worlds – World Première
Festival Commission
Salisbury Cathedral
£15
A celebration of two worlds, this event will inspire with poetry, story and song - the meeting of the East and West, of Christian and Muslim. It will include original music by two leading UK composers, Howard Moody and Helen Chadwick, and will feature brass, percussion and over 200 voices made up of Salisbury Festival Chorus and Salisbury Community Choir. Words are drawn from East and West from poets including Rumi, Hafi z, Hildegard of Bingen, and Lalla.
Sponsored by Fawcetts and supported by the Friends of the Festival
Saturday 21 May 7.30pm
Circa
City Hall
£20, £16.50, £10
Breathtaking, beautiful and sexy. The sheer force of daring and ingenuity of Circa will transform your vision of circus. Multi-skilled performers explore (and extend) the limits of what circus can do, producing a contemporary artform that is both delightful and inspiring. Age guidance 12+.
Sponsored by On Foot Holidays
Thursday 26 May 7.30pm
Constable Recital
With Iain Burnside, Andrew Kennedy and Lisa Milne
Wilton Church
£20, £17.50
Join these stars of the opera stage for a magical evening of music and words inspired by the paintings of Constable. This jewel of an event has been commissioned by the Festival to coincide with the Constable exhibition taking place at Salisbury Museum.
Sponsored by Smith and Williamson
Friday 27 May 6.30pm
Saturday 28 May 1.30pm and 6.30pm
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
Hamlet
Trafalgar Park
£19.50, £12.50 (under 16s)
The beautiful and gracious Trafalgar Park is an idyllic setting for Shakespeare’s tale of revenge and intrigue, Hamlet. Directed by the Globe’s acclaimed artistic director Dominic Dromgoole this will be a superb night of drama in a stunning location.
Sponsored by Friends Provident
Tuesday 31 May, Wednesday 1 June, Thursday 2 June 6.30pm
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
As You Like It
Old Wardour Castle
£19.50, £12.50 (under 16s)
The magic of the semi-ruined Wardour Castle is perfect for Shakespeare’s tale of disguise and mistaken identity, As You Like it. Every role comes to life in a production that combines great gales of laughter with magical moments of emotional depth.
Thursday 2 June 8pm
Jasmin Vardimon Company
Yesterday
Salisbury Playhouse
£14, £12.50
A stunning night of dance from one of the UKs leading companies. Yesterday is a piece interwoven with new choreographic material, live video and animation featuring some of the most breath-taking duets, striking solos and iconic moments selected from the Jasmin Vardimon Company’s repertoire. Age guidance 14+.
Supported by The Blavatnik Family Foundation
Friday 3 June 7.30pm
City Of Birmingham
Symphony Orchestra
With conductor Andris Nelsons and Jennifer Pike violin
Salisbury Cathedral
£50 (including a champagne reception), £35, £30, £25.50, £18.50, £11
With a programme inspired by themes of air and dance, acclaimed chief conductor Andris Nelsons will have you on the edge of your seat in the glorious Salisbury Cathedral. Featuring Vaughan Williams’ beloved and ethereal The Lark Ascending with Jennifer Pike, Tchaikovsky’s pictorial Francesca da Rimini and Ravel’s sprightly and sensual Bolero.
Supported by Sir Christopher and Lady Benson
Saturday 4 June, gates open at 7pm
Party in the Close
Cathedral Close
Up to 27 April – Early Bird Discount £15.50,
£8.50 under 16s,under 5s free,
£45 Family ticket (max 2 adults).
From 28 April – £17.50, £10.50 under 16s,
under 5s free, £48 Family ticket (max 2 adults).
On the door – £19, £12 under 16s, under 5s free,
£50 Family ticket (max 2 adults).
The climax of Salisbury International Arts Festival, Party in the Close once again provides a fantastic evening for families and friends as they celebrate the Festival coming to a close.
Supported by Salisbury Journal and sponsored by Vogel’s
Salisbury International Arts Festival
- The 38th Salisbury International Arts Festival runs from Friday 20 May – Saturday 4 June 2011
- The 2010 Festival featured 11 premieres and exclusives of which 9 were commissions by Salisbury International Arts Festival
- The annual 16 day Salisbury International Arts Festival blazed into life in 1974 with a performance by Paco Pena and is a leading commissioning and producing Festival which attracts over 60,000 attendances each year and contributes £3m to the regional economy
- Salisbury International Arts Festival won silver in ‘Tourism Event of the Year Award’ run by Enjoy England Tourist Board at the South West Tourism’s ‘Tourism Excellence Awards’
- Salisbury International Arts Festival is supported by Principal Sponsor Friends Provident, Sir Christopher and Lady Benson, Wiltshire Council and Arts Council England – South West. National Media Partner is The Telegraph Media Group and travel partner is South West Trains
- The full Festival programme will be announced 21 February 2011