The 2008 Salisbury International Arts Festival launches
a vibrant programme of events
‘Celebrating 35 Years’
This year’s Salisbury International Arts Festival delivers a dazzling array of events including: a midnight to dawn theatre production - Hotel Medea; Zulu dancers at Stonehenge; Tinariwen,a band of guitar-poets from the southern Sahara and the World Premiere of Vikram Seth’s collaboration with composer Alec Roth.
Praise for Salisbury International Arts Festival:
“...A sampler of delights both new and unimagined” –
Guardian Guide
“Some partnerships have stardust sprinkled on them” –
The Times on ‘Shared Ground’
“An embarrassment of Riches” –
The Big Issue
The 2008 Salisbury International Arts Festival, which takes place from 23rd May to 8th June, presents a host of new cultural experiences. The Festival, which has gained a reputation for programming an inspirational mix of world-class events, this year delivers a diverse programme of over 100 concerts, plays and exhibitions including World Premieres, special one-off exclusives and Festival commissions. With an artistic focus on SONG, an environmental focus on VEGETATION and a cultural focus on AFRICA, this year’s Festival promises to be a unique and spirited event.
Festival Director Jo Metcalf, whose four year tenure ends after the 2008 Festival comments: “I called the 2005-2008 Festival series RESONATE and over the past three years I’ve explored the way festivals have the ability to impact on individuals and communities - broadening minds and creating understanding. The 2008 programme is the culmination of this vision with the theme of REJOICE -and there is much to celebrate this year: the Festival celebrates its 35th year and Salisbury Cathedral, host to many of the Festival’s concerts, celebrates its 750th anniversary.”
African Showcase
The 2008 Festival will showcase African culture through a mix of music, performance, visual art and film. Highlights include Zulu dancers The Lions of Zululand(sponsored by South African Tourism)performing traditional dances and songs at the ancient site of Stonehenge on 27th and 28th May and again at Danebury Hillfort on 29th May and electrifying Kora virtuoso N’Faly Kouyaté who brings his seven-piece group Dunyakan to Salisbury on 24th May. There is also a rare opportunity to see one of Africa’s hottest new acts Tinariwen, a rock band from the southern Sahara, on 25th May.
Peace Weekend
A series of concerts, talks and debates exploring the notion of peace in the modern world will be held on the final weekend starting on Friday 6th June with the Rainbow Choir (proudly presented by The Innovation Group) when 77 children from Gugulethu township in South Africa will unite with the Salisbury Community Choir to perform Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. The Festival will also exclusively welcome Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop DesmondTutu to Salisbury where his presence will be central to the ‘Peace Weekend’. Archbishop Tutu will be in conversation with ITV news anchor Mark Austin on Saturday 7th June, and on Sunday 8th June he will deliver a sermon in Salisbury Cathedral.The ‘Peace Weekend’ which is proudly presented by Smith & Williamson will end with the Festival’s spectacular closing concert Africa: Rejoice (proudly presented by South African Airways), held in the Cathedral Close and featuring an exhilarating line-up of some of Africa’s best contemporary bands.
World Premiere
The World Premiere of The Traveller - the third piece in the four year Festival commission Confluences - a collaborative work between Vikram Seth and Alec Roth will be performed on 31st May in Salisbury Cathedral. This new work, which is scored for tenor (Mark Padmore), violin (Philippe Honoré), chorus and orchestra (Britten Sinfonia) takes its inspiration from India and in addition to writing six new poems, Vikram Seth will translate more than twenty Indian texts from a rich variety of sources to create a work themed on the ages of man.
Theatre
Theatre is high on the agenda this year. Brazil’s Zecora Ura Theatre Company in partnership with London-based Para-Active push the boundaries with their midnight to dawn production Hotel Medea. This unique event, commissioned by the Festival, will be performed on 23rd, 24th and 25th May. At the stroke of midnight the Salisbury Arts Centre will be transformed into Hotel Medea – in the beds, rooms and corridors of the mythical hotel, the audience will experience a stunning reinterpretation of this Greek tragedy.
Following sell-out runs in New York and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, LeslieLewis Swordbrings her spellbinding one-woman dramaMiracle In Rwanda to Salisbury on 31st May and 1st June, and to Winchester Discovery Centre on 4th and 5th June. This moving play depicts the true story of genocide survivor Immaculée Ilibagiza. On a more traditional note, Shakespeare’s Globe will perform Romeo and Juliet (proudly presented by Friends Provident) in the beautiful gardens of Wilton House from 29th May to 1st June.
Classical Music
The Festival, which is renowned for its strong musical tradition, presents an impressive programme of classical music concerts this year, including: The London Philharmonic Orchestra(proudly presented byAviva) playing Elgar’s Introduction & Allegro, Poulenc’s Gloria and Britain’s Spring Symphony in Salisbury Cathedral on 27th May; The Armonico Consort performing Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas andLe Bourgeois Gentilhomme (the final collaboration between Moliere and Lully) on 4th June and The Brodsky Quartet, who will be joined by kora player Tunde Jegede on 29th May.
Choral groups of every kind feature throughout the programme reflecting this year’s focus on song. Highlights include The King’s Singers gala opening concert in Wilton’s exquisite Italianate church on 24th May who are celebrating their 40th anniversary and the same venue plays host to the UK Premiere of Russian vocal quartet Pritcha from the Raifa Bogoroditsky Monastery, who will sing liturgical chants and Russian folk songs by candlelight on 30th May.
Green Events
With this year’s environmental focus on vegetation there is an exciting range of events for the green minded. Mark Watson, award-winning comedian and author of Crap at the Environment is in conversation with Brig Oubridge, an unreconstructed 1960s hippie and chairof Britain’s pioneering green festival the Big Green Gathering, on 6th June. Neal’s Yard Remedies are running a Herb Walk from the city to Harnham water-meadows and festival-goers can join in the Green Food Debate on 28th May where a panel of authors and experts will discuss and explore the current issues surrounding the topic and how we can address them in our day-to-day lives.
Laurie Anderson
Legendary performance artist Laurie Anderson returns to Salisbury with an intimate and special show on 23rd May featuring songs from Stories from The Elevatorwhich showcases a collection of her songs and stories as well a sneak preview of her forthcoming album.
Literature
The literature programme REad, sponsored by three independent book shops in Salisbury (Cross Keys Bookshop, Freddie & Sunshine and Sarum College Bookshop), is back with an array of authors and speakers including: Mavis Cheek, Clarissa Dickson Wright, Andrew O’Hagan, General Sir Michael Jackson, Santa Montefiore and Tom Paulin.
Family
Children and families will be able to enjoy a host of activities and workshops, including batik and mask making, music and storytelling inspired by the Festival’s African theme. The family programme also includes Nick Butterworth and Jeremy Strong, plus the Mimirichi clowns from the Ukraine, the So and So Circus and Anna and the Moods, performed by the Brodsky Quartet and written by Bjork collarborator Sjon and Julian Nott of Wallace and Gromit fame.
For further information please contact
Emma Lawsonat Midas PR on 020 7584 7474 or 07768 738 345 or email emma.lawson@midaspr.co.uk
Booking Information:
Tickets can be purchased in person from Salisbury Playhouse, Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury City Hall or the Festival Office.
Tickets can be purchased by phone or online:
Box Office: 0845 241 9651
To book online visit www.salisburyfestival.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
The Salisbury International Arts Festival, which celebrates its 35th Festival in 2008, has a distinguished history of presenting international arts events both traditional and contemporary across 17 days of celebrations each summer. The Festival has developed into a major annual UK multi-arts event, presenting every major artform, in the stunning setting of Salisbury, Wiltshire.
The Salisbury International Arts Festival is supported by Friends Provident, Salisbury District Council and Arts Council England – South West.
Confluences is supported byPRS Foundation and ACE SW.