Archive for category Classical Music
Painted Quartets Exhibition
Posted by Culture Vulture in Art, Classical Music, Events on July 2nd, 2010
The Painted Quartets exhibition — specially commissioned to mark the bi-centenary year of composer Joseph Haydn’s birth, and so well received at last year’s HSBC Cheltenham Music Festival — is being auctioned between July 2nd and 17th. It is a rare opportunity to purchase some exceptional and collectable pieces, from artists such as PJ Crook, Mila Judge-Furstova, Ana Bianchi, Gillian Lever, Lincoln Seligman and the designer Cath Kidston. Beneficiaries of the sale of the painted violins, violas and cellos are principally the National Star College in Cheltenham, together with Cheltenham Festival’s education programme.
The silent auction will run for the duration of the exhibition, which will be showing for the last time at the Parabola Arts Centre, Cheltenham, during this year’s music festival.
Opportunities to view the work before bidding will be on Parabola performance days (30 minutes before and after each concert starts and ends). Private views can be arranged on concert days, if you are unable to attend during these times and have a serious intent in one or more of the instruments.
Bidding forms will be available at the Parabola Arts Centre or online. For further information and regular, highest-bidder updates, go to: cheltenhamfestivals.com/paintedquartets .
Midsummer Proms in the Cotswolds
Posted by Culture Vulture in Classical Music, Events, Live Music on April 8th, 2010
Naunton Midsummer Proms
The beautiful village of Naunton, set in the heart of the Cotswolds, will again be hosting a truly memorable summer’s evening. On 19th June Naunton’s recreation ground will be transformed into a ‘last night of the proms’ style concert featuring the London Gala Chamber Orchestra conducted by James Morgan and including the renowned soprano Juliette Pochin. The evening will finish with a firework finale. All proceeds will go towards the Light Dragoons Charitable Trust and the Naunton Village Hall.
A stage will be set up in the centre of the ground where Juliette and the orchestra will perform various pieces such as Handel’s ‘Arrival of the Queen of Sheba;’ Bizet’s ‘March of the Toreadors’ from Carmen and the more familiar ‘I could have danced all night’ from My Fair Lady. More traditional proms music, when the audience can join, will also be performed including Rule Britannia, Jerusalem and, of course, Land of Hope and Glory.
“I am really looking forward to this event,” said conductor James Morgan. For me this illustrates what country living is all about. Performing in a setting such as this is a big highlight for me and is definitely different to my usual itinerary!” It is amazing to think that the village residents pull together in a huge effort to create this fabulous evening.”
The performance will start at 8pm but gates will open at 6.30 when those attending are welcome to arrive with picnics and singing voices at the ready. Tickets cost £20 (in advance) for adults and £5 for children. They do get sold very quickly and can be bought by calling 07949 246876 or 01451 850787.
OperaXposed
Posted by Culture Vulture in Classical Music, Events, Live Music on October 21st, 2009
The Subscription Rooms are delighted to welcome two of the most respected opera performers in the country to Stroud on Friday 23 October at 8.00pm.
Between them, Welsh baritone Mark Evans and soprano Elizabeth Donovan have sung at all the major Opera Houses and concert venues in the UK (including 75,000 people at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff), Europe, The Far East and the United States. Having sung with the likes of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Placido Domingo, with the English National Opera, the Welsh National Opera and at the Royal Opera House, the two are firmly established on the international stage.
In this new show ‘OperaXposed’ Welsh baritone Mark Evans and soprano Elizabeth Donovan brings the highest calibre performers in the operatic world into the local community to give you an evening of your favourite operatic and musical moments from Bizet to Andrew Lloyd Webber. Told and performed in a passionate, charming and humorous way that cannot fail to convert anyone to the magical world of opera.
Tickets: £14.00 (£12.00 concessions) on door from the Box Office on 01453 760900 or online from www.stroud.gov.uk/subrooms.
Vanessa Mae – Arboretum Concert
Posted by Culture Vulture in Classical Music, Events, Live Music on March 5th, 2009
Westonbirt Arboretum is quietly emerging as one of the Cotswolds most loved venue for live music – offering a range of artists from Paul Weller to McFly.
With a new CD coming in 2009, Vanessa Mae, the world-famous classical superstar violin prodigy continues to attract an international following and is lined up for Westonbirt on Saturday the 18th of July. The combination of artist and setting is intriguing and this is a rare chance to experience Vanessa performing outdoors in one of Britain’s most beautiful settings.
P.S. And Westonbirt has just added David Gray to this year’s schedule!
La Bohème at Longborough
Posted by Culture Vulture in Classical Music on February 3rd, 2009
Longborough Festival Opera are presenting La Bohème by Puccini on Sat 18, Tue 21 and Wed 22 July at 18.30. It will be conducted Robert Dean and the director, Maria Jagusz can be heard in our cultral creators film! Book now..
Welcome to the Rural Capital of Culture
Posted by Culture Vulture in Classical Music, Crafts, Live Music, Video on January 1st, 2009