Buxton Festival - full listings

FESTIVAL OPERA

The Poacher by Albert Lortzing (1801-51) 10, 14, 18, 21, 26, July

A comic opera in three acts.

Libretto by the composer in a new English version by Patrick Mason

A Buxton Festival production, with the Northern Chamber Orchestra, Festival Chorus and members of the Kinder Children's Choir

Count Eberbach Ashley Holland

Countess Imelda Drumm

Baron Kronthal Benjamin Hulett

Baroness Freimann Judith Howarth

Baculus James Rutherford

Gretchen Laura Parfitt

Pancratius Jonathan Best

Nanette Hannah Pedley

Conductor Andrew Greenwood

Director Patrick Mason

Designer Joe Vanek

Lighting designer John Bishop

The Poacher is from that 'quiet' period of German opera, between Weber and the emergence of Wagner. Lortzing, a true man of the theatre, looks back to the classical balance of his hero Mozart, seen through the amiable eyes of German folk romanticism. Although regularly performed in his home country, his operas remain woefully neglected elsewhere.

Baculus, the village teacher poaches one of the Count's deer to provide venison for his engagement party, but he's caught and dismissed from his post. Encouraged by a visiting student (the Baroness in disguise) he heads for the castle with the 'student' now disguised as Gretchen, his fiancée, to try and win back his job. But both the Count and Baron are immediately attracted to

'Gretchen', setting in motion a comic web of misunderstandings.

This is Lortzing's masterpiece, with refined contemporary satire, a magnificent central billiards scene and increasingly complex comedy of Mozartian panache! Andrew Greenwood conducts an outstanding cast in a new English version by director Patrick Mason.

Samson by George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) 11, 16, 19, 22 July

A dramatic oratorio in three acts

Libretto by Newburgh Hamilton

A Buxton Festival production, with the Orchestra of The Sixteen and Festival Chorus

Samson Tom Randle

Dalila Rebecca Bottone

Micah Rebecca de Pont Davies

Israelite woman Elin Manahan Thomas

Manoah Russell Smythe

Harapha Jonathan Best

Conductor Harry Christophers

Director Daniel Slater

Choreographer Nicole Tongue

Designer Daniel Potra

Lighting designer John Bishop

Though an oratorio, Samson is among Handel's finest dramatic works. Created within weeks of Messiah, contemporary audiences believed it to rank alongside his greatest achievements. Filled with glorious melodies and stirring choruses, its finale 'Let the bright Seraphim' is widely considered to be one of the most famous arias Handel ever composed.

In Gaza, an Israelite called Samson is taken hostage by the Philistines. Shorn of his hair and strength, he is blinded and tortured. In revenge, as 3,000 of his enemies feast and celebrate, he brings down the pillars of their temple, killing himself and everyone inside.

Daniel Slater directs a first rate cast led by Tom Randle in the title role and Rebecca Bottone as the seductive and scheming Dalila. Harry Christophers returns to conduct his celebrated period-instrument orchestra.

An English Triple Bill of chamber operas 12, 17, 20, 25 July

Savitri by Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

Libretto by the composer, after an episode from the Mahabharata

The Wandering Scholar by Gustav Holst

Libretto by Clifford Bax

Riders to the Sea by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Libretto from John Synge's play

Buxton Festival productions, with the Northern Chamber Orchestra and members of the Mad Hatters Youth Choir

with Clare Shearer, Elizabeth Atherton, Hal Cazalet, Gail Pearson, Mark Richardson, Kevin Greenlaw and Kalithasan Chandrasegaram

Conductor Oliver Gooch

Director Michael Barry

Designer Nigel Hook

Lighting designer John Bishop

Oliver Gooch conducts a distinguished cast including Indian dancer Kalithasan Chandrasegaram.

Savitri

Holst's haunting chamber opera tells a simple and timeless Indian tale in a style influenced by English folk-song and given universal significance. Savitri, a woodcutter's wife, sets out to wrest her beloved husband from the grasp of Death. She is granted any gift, except for her husband's life, but cleverly outwits Death. Holst, with beautiful feeling for atmosphere in a most restrained setting, brings out the profoundly human concerns of life, death and love. His delicate score includes a wordless female choir, a device to which he would return in The Planets.

The Wandering Scholar

Holst's late comedy is set in a rural French farmhouse. A young scholar begs for food at the farm, but unluckily arrives just as the farmer's wife is about to take advantage of her husband's absence at market to enjoy some hanky-panky with the local priest. The priest hides from the returning farmer but will the traveler reveal all or keep his secret?

With sparse orchestral forces, no set-pieces or overture Holst tells this simple country tale with original and effective music, avoiding any tendency towards sentimentality, suffused with influences of folk music.

Riders to the Sea

Vaughan Williams draws on a poignant Irish story, revealing the sea as a cruelly dispassionate arbiter of human fate. Riders to the Sea, the composer's most successful opera, is a masterly setting of Synge's play about Aran fisherfolk, of an Irishwoman's loss of her sons to the ocean. The surge of the orchestra threatens to overwhelm the singers just as the sea threatens to engulf the family in the story – a tale of stoic resignation in the face of implacable nature.

Street Scene by Kurt Weill (1900-50) 13, 24 July FEW TICKETS REMAINING

An 'American opera' in two acts

Book by Elmer Rice, lyrics by Langston Hughes

A production by the Opera Group, in association with Watford Palace Theatre and the Young Vic.

Cast includes Adrian Dwyer, Paul Featherstone, Elena Ferrari, Ruby Hughes, Simon Lobelson, Charlotte Page, Joseph Shovelton, Andrew Slater and Simone Sauphanor

Conductor Patrick Bailey

Director John Fulljames

Designer Dick Bird

Lighting designer tbc

Street Scene is a triumphant meeting of Broadway musical and American opera, incorporating a dazzling array of show tunes, arias, blues, jazz and spirituals: a musical melting pot that captures the true diversity of life in 1946 New York.

Described by Weill as 'a simple story of everyday life in a big city, a story of love and passion and greed and death', the opera follows the inhabitants of a tenement building over one hot summer's day.

Dido and Aeneas 1700 by Henry Purcell (1658-95) 15, 23 July SOLD OUT

A tragic opera in three acts

Libretto by Nahum Tate

A fully-staged production by the New London Consort, using minimal set

Dido Julia Gooding

Aeneas Michael George

with Joanne Lunn, Faye Newton, Juliet Schieman, Christopher Robson, Andrew King, Simon Grant, Tone Braaten, Mark Chambers, Joseph Cornwell and Mark Rowlinson

Conductor Philip Pickett

Director Jonathan Miller

Choreography Sue Lefton

Costume designer Eskandar

This stunning reconstruction of Purcell's masterpiece recalls the world of 1700 when Dido reappeared as interludes gracing Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. Philip Pickett has reconstructed the dramatic score, with added slide-trumpets, kettle-drums, recorders, oboes, bassoon, serpent and double bass. Additional music by Purcell and his contemporaries, originally included in the 1700 performances, has been reinstated to make a full-length opera once again.

A Chair in Love (English première) 16, 20 July

A comic opera by John Metcalf and Larry Tremblay

A production by Le Chien qui chante (Quebec) in collaboration with Taliesin Arts Centre (Wales), with the Pentaèdre wind quintet

Truman Pierre-Étienne Bergeron

The Chair Charlotte Ellett

The Dog Michael Douglas Jones

Dogtor/Doctor tbc

Music direction Wyn Davies, Normand Forget

Director Keith Turnbull

Choreographer Jo Leslie

Designers John Bishop, Linda Brunelle, David Gaucher, François Péloquin

Truman, our film maker and hero, is heralded a genius in the reviews. He feels a desperate need to love and, back in his studio, falls in love with his chair. His dog gets jealous and complications ensue… Enjoy this mixture of high romance and absurdism, of respect and irreverence, as A Chair in Love clears some opera cobwebs and provides some fun along the way.

CELEBRITY RECITAL

Sir Thomas Allen with Simon Over, piano 9 July

Schumann Dichterliebe and songs by Brahms, Dvořák and Arthur Somervell

Sir Thomas Allen is an established star of the great opera houses of the world and has been a friend of this Festival for almost 30 years, first making his mark here in the oft-remembered Hamlet of 1980. At the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, he has sung over 40 roles and recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of his début at the Metropolitan Opera, New York.

NEW COMMUNITY WORK

More Glass than Wall 15 July

with sinfonia ViVA

Conductor David Lawrence

More Glass than Wall celebrates the 400th anniversary of the death of Bess of Hardwick, the wealthiest woman in Elizabethan England. 120 young people from Hague Bar, Thornsett, Whaley Bridge and Chapel-en-le-Frith have worked with nationally acclaimed composer James Redwood and a team of sinfonia ViVA musicians to create music inspired by Bess's life.

Cathy Grindrod, Derbyshire's inaugural Poet Laureate, and James Redwood have written More Glass than Wall – a major new work which, along with new material created during the workshops, will be brought to life by young people, vocal soloists, conductor David Lawrence and sinfonia ViVA in the culmination performance.

LITERARY SERIES

Tessa Livingstone 10 July

A Child of Our Time

Tessa is the executive producer of the successful BBC series A Child of Our Time, which followed the life of a group of children through their early years. With video clips from the series Dr Livingstone discusses the research and the ways in which a child's early years affect their adult lives.

Antonia Fraser 11 July

From Mary Queen of Scots to Louis XIV with Love

Antonia has many prize-winning historical works to her credit which have become international bestsellers, including The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Marie Antoinette: A Journey. In her talk From Mary Queen of Scots to Louise XIV with Love, she explores the fascinating journey of her career as a biographer. She considers the pleasures and pitfalls of this most fascinating genre and why she believes biography is so valuable.

Ffion Hague 11July

The Pain and the Privilege: Women in Lloyd George's Life

As wife of the former conservative leader, Ffion is perfectly placed to discuss the role of the politician's wife. In this talk she introduces her book and discusses the intriguing relationships of the eminent Prime Minister David Lloyd George who employed the greatest skills of diplomacy to balance two wives over 30 years.

Shirley Williams 12 July FEW TICKETS REMAINING

A Life in Politics

Shirley has been a central figure in British politics for over 40 years and is the co-founder of the Social Democratic Party, which was later to merge to become the Liberal Democrats. In this fascinating talk she discusses her new autobiography giving an insight into her life and the world of politics.

Lynne Truss 13 July

You Have a Point There

Lynne is the celebrated author of Eats, Shoots & Leaves examines how being a punctuation pedant does not make you a bad person. Presenting Cutting a Dash for Radio 4 led to the writing of Eats, Shoots & Leaves which sold over three million copies worldwide and was Book of the Year in 2004.

Andrew Davies 14 July

More Wet Shirts

Andrew returns to the Festival stage after a fantastic year of adaptations which has cemented his position as 'King of the Adapters'. In this illuminating talk he explores the process of adapting the classics for television, with video clips from Sense and Sensibility, Fanny Hill and A Room with a View.

Charlotte Mosley 15 July SOLD OUT

The Mitford Sisters with the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire

Charlotte is the daughter-in-law of Diana Mitford and Oswald Mosley. In a talk richly illustrated with photographs from the family's private albums, she brings to life the letters between the six Mitford sisters and explores their turbulent yet enduring relationships. She will be joined for questions by the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, the last surviving Mitford sister.

Tariq Ali 16 July FEW TICKETS REMAINING

Wars and Democracy in the 21st Century

Tariq is a writer, journalist, film maker and political activist. In this captivating talk he discusses his opinions on the current climate of democracy and war, voicing the questions; how are we to understand the world today? The social and economic system is virtually the same in every major zone, but war and hunger remain. Is there a way out? And if not how does it reflect on the democratic system? Do apathy and consumerism equal happiness? Is this the fate of humanity?

Rosie Boycott 17 July

From Fleet Street to Pig Farm

Rosie was the one-time eminent editor of The Independent and Daily Express, now lives a very different lifestyle on her farm in Somerset. In this captivating conversation with Anthony Howard she discusses her book From Fleet Street to Pig Farm, tracing her journey from the press to porkers.

Menzies Campbell 18 July

Racing to Win

Menzies is one of the most respected and successful politicians of his generation. As a successful athlete he ran for the British team, holding the British 100m record from 1967 to 1974. Leaving his running shoes behind, he then focussed his attention on the political race, becoming the MP for North East Fife. From there he progressed through parliament to become leader of the Liberal Democrats in March 2006. In conversation with Anthony Howard he discusses his autobiography.

Michael Billington 19 July

The Theatrical State of the Nation

The drama critic of The Guardian and author of State of the Nation, examines British theatre today and explores the continuing links between what happens on stage and the political mood of the country. A must for any theatre enthusiast.

Joanne Harris 20 July

The Lollipop Shoes

Joanne is one of Britain's most popular novelists. Among her many titles are bestsellers such as Chocolat – which was made into an academy award nominated movie in 2001 – a book of short stories and two cookbooks, The French Kitchen and The French Market. In this illuminating talk she introduces her latest book Lollipop Shoes, the follow-up to Chocolat.

General Sir Mike Jackson 21 July

Soldier: A Life in the British Army

General Jackson was, until 2006, the head of the British Army. In a military career spanning 40 years he has commanded British troops in conflict around the world. In this captivating talk he examines his military career from the height of the Cold War to Iraq introducing his autobiography Soldier.

Penelope Lively 22 July

The House in Fiction

Penelope has written novels, short stories, books for children and two experimental memoirs. Her novel Moon Tiger won the Booker Prize and her most recent novel Consequences has received excellent national reviews. In this engaging talk she considers how houses are represented in fiction.

Katharine Whitehorn 23 July

Selective Memory

Katharine was, for nearly 40 years, The Observer's star columnist. Her highly acclaimed autobiography captures her candour and wit, and paints a picture of the times in which she has lived. She describes family life and her long marriage to the recently deceased thriller writer Gavin Lyall, adding, for good measure, tales from her distinguished career as a journalist.

Douglas Hurd 24 July

Robert Peel and the Modern Conservative Party

Douglas' career in politics lead him to the forefront of some of the nation's most important events, from Northern Ireland to the collapse of the Soviet Union, from the first Gulf War to the war in Bosnia. In his talk Robert Peel and the Modern Conservative Party, Lord Hurd investigates the life and career of the eminent politician Robert Peel, examining whether Peel's example can be useful to politicians of all parties today.

Janet Suzman 25 July

Is this really a life for a grown-up, Mrs Worthington?

Janet was born in South Africa at the height of apartheid and, like so many of her generation, was appalled by the political situation in her own country. After moving to London she joined the Royal Shakespeare Company where she built an impressive resumé, portraying most of Shakespeare's heroines and quickly became a star of the London stage. After a long career on stage, television and the big screen she became a successful director. In this illuminating talk Janet discusses her life on and off the stage.

Valerie Grove 26 July

A Voyage Round John Mortimer

Valerie, the renowned journalist, discusses her enthralling biography of John Mortimer. For the first time a biographer has had full access to Mortimer, his circle of friends and colleagues, and their diaries and letters. The result is a riveting account of the life of one of the great national figures of our time. A Voyage Round John Mortimer reveals many aspects of Mortimer's legal and literary career, from his first novels to his creation, in Horace Rumpole, one of the most popular barristers to emerge from the Old Bailey.

Dr Raj Persaud 27 July

Simply Irresistible; the Psychology of Seduction

Dr Persaud is a consultant psychiatrist, broadcaster and author. His many titles include The Motivated Mind, Staying Sane: How to Make Your Mind Work for You and most recently The Mind: a User's Guide. Here he discusses his latest book Simply Irresistible: The Psychology of Seduction. With divorce rates spiralling and single people complaining of the difficulty of finding that right partner, Dr Persaud examines what the latest psychological research suggests are the solutions to our modern marital mess.

MAINLY MUSIC

Sir Thomas Allen masterclass July 10

An exceptional opportunity for members of the Festival Company to work with Sir Thomas on opera and recital material.

Eclectica! July 10

Lizzie Ball Violin

Bernard Gregor-Smith Cello

Nicholas Meier Guitar

Pete Oxley Guitar

Heralded as 'a marvellous re-invigoration of the string quartet', Eclectica is a refreshing and exciting new ensemble, comprising some of the UK's leading jazz and classical artists, already gaining quite a reputation.

Peter Hill plays Messiaen July 11

La Colombe (from the Preludes, 1929)

Morceau de lecture à vue (1934)

Le Tombeau de Paul Dukas (1935)

Cloches d'angoisse et larmes d'adieu, from the Preludes

Excerpts from Catalogue d'oiseaux (1956-58)

Peter's programme begins with three early pieces. La Colombe was written whilst still a student. Le Tombeau is dedicated to his teacher, Dukas, whilst the Morceau is a sight-reading test, a powerful miniature that transcends its utilitarian purpose. The Catalogue d'oiseaux, some of the last century's richest and most original piano writing, is a worthy successor to the masterpieces of Debussy and Ravel.

Ann Murray with sinfonia ViVA 11 July

directed by Benedict Holland

Wagner Siegfried Idyll

Wagner Wesendonck Lieder

Françaix Octet: A huit

Britten Sinfonietta, opus 1

A game of two halves – showing the chamber forces of sinfonia ViVA at their most versatile. A sumptuous pairing of Wagner presents Ann Murray, one of the UK's best-loved mezzos, in a wistful and ravishing song-cycle. We come closer to home after the interval with the charm, elegance and bucolic wit of the quintessentially French Jean Françaix, coupled with the already mature and unmistakable voice of Britten's 'opus 1'.

Opera workshops 12, 19 July

with Patrick Mason, Andrew Greenwood and the Festival Company

The journey from first rehearsal to opening night can be long and surprising, with a number of key decisions taken directly influencing the resulting production. On July 12 Patrick Mason examines the contentious topic of Opera: Concept or Drama? whilst on July 19 the Festival's Artistic Director, Andrew Greenwood, asks 'Prima le parole e poi la musica' – or vice versa? exploring the relative importance of words and music in opera. Willing victims from the Company are their guinea-pigs.

Flute and harp recital 12 July SOLD OUT

Lucy Wakeford, harp

Siobhan Grealy, flute

Bach Sonata in E major

Alwyn Crépuscule

Donizetti Sonata

Bax Sonata

Debussy Syrinx

Ravel Pavane pour une infante défunte

Saint- Saëns Romance

Alwyn Niaides

King Sterndale is a tiny hamlet three miles from Buxton, set in typical Peak District rolling hills. The tiny and welcoming historic church is the venue for this intimate recital. Lucy Wakeford, principal harpist of the Philharmonia and Nash Ensemble, is a brilliant exponent of an instrument rarely seen at close quarters.

Testament of Youth 12 July SOLD OUT – EXTRA PERFORMANCE AT 12.30PM

Following Shirley Williams' morning talk, Rohan McCullough performs her remarkable tour de force about Shirley's mother and one of Buxton's most famous daughters. A dramatisation of Vera Brittain's haunting autobiography, it is a vivid and passionate record of the early twentieth century. Testament to Youth is a revealing and stimulating tribute to the distinguished British writer, a feminist and pacifist with strong links to Buxton and the local area.

Three into one will go 12 July SOLD OUT

The Festival's Triple Bill includes rarely seen works by Vaughan Williams and Holst, and our programme includes several other works putting these friends' operas into context. Few people know more about English music of this period, and these composers in particular, than Michael Kennedy, RVW's biographer.

The Tale of Beatrix Potter 13 July SOLD OUT

Rohan McCullough has toured the world with this beautifully observed and sensitively constructed play. Her mother was Beatrix Potter's cousin and this family connection casts a revealing light on an enchanting journey through the storyteller's life, beginning in the high summer of Victorian England and ending as Hitler's bombs rained on London.

Casanova: 'the world's greatest lover' 13 July SOLD OUT

With Timothy West as Casanova

Sophie Yates Harpsichord

So famous a womaniser was the Italian-born Casanova, that, two centuries after his death, his name remains synonymous with the art of seduction. Known variously as priest, escaped prisoner, violinist, practitioner of the dark arts, spy and exile, he enjoyed society in Paris, London and Venice, in the company of eminent composers, performers and patrons.

Leading harpsichordist Sophie Yates contrasts readings by Timothy West with contemporary music by Vivaldi, Couperin, Rameau and Mozart.

Yevgeny Sudbin, piano recital 14 July SOLD OUT

Haydn Sonata in B minor

Haydn Sonata in C major

Chopin Mazurkas

Scriabin Mazurkas

Yevgeny Sudbin is recognised as one of the world's most interesting and exciting young pianists. Recent international concerts and recordings have met with huge success and stellar reviews. After winning his first international competition aged just ten he now performs extensively throughout Europe and the USA with the most distinguished orchestras and partners.

Die Winterreise 14 July SOLD OUT

Mark Padmore, tenor

Paul Lewis, piano

Schubert's Die Winterreise is simply one of the greatest song cycles – an intensely emotional journey of a forsaken lover recalling past happiness and anguish against a snow-clad background.

Son de Havana July 14

The music of Cuba is a rich melting pot of influences from Spain, West Africa, France, the United States and Jamaica, and never far from the world of dance. Son de Havana thrills audiences with a lively mix of the traditional and the new with breathtaking virtuosity and vibrant melody.

A Shropshire Lad 15 July SOLD OUT

James Rutherford Baritone

Eugene Asti Piano

Butterworth Six songs from A Shropshire Lad

C W Orr A Shropshire Lad

Housman's nostalgic depiction of rural life and young men's early deaths struck a chord with English readers and became a bestseller. Many composers were inspired by the poems' folk-song-like simplicity and James Rutherford, taking time off from The Poacher, offers a touching sample.

Paul Lewis, piano recital 15 July SOLD OUT

Mozart Fantasia in C minor, KV475

Ligeti Musica ricercata

Mozart Rondo in A minor, KV511

Schubert Sonata no.18 in G major, D894

Paul Lewis is one of the country's most distinguished pianists, appearing regularly at the world's major venues and festivals.

Dido and Aeneas revisited… 15 July

… by Respectable Groove

Brilliantly led by David Gordon, harpsichordist of choice for Andrew Manze and Nigel Kennedy, Respectable Groove re-tell the story of the ill-fated lovers using the music of Purcell's masterpiece, imbued with their secret recipe of colours, sounds, improvisations and atmospheres.

Ballades et Histoires 16 July

Susan Bickley, mezzo

Fiona McSherry, piano

Susan Bickley, star of Roberto Devereux last year, is firmly established as one of the most versatile and characterful mezzo-sopranos, equally at home on the opera stage or recital platform.

Calefax 16 July

Anonymous Medieval Dances

Boccherini Quintetto Fandango, opus 50, no. 2

Granados Goyescas

Ravel Alborada del Grazioso

Making a very welcome return is the superb Dutch group Calefax, known for its virtuoso performances, innovative programming and engaging concerts. The quintet often performs from memory – and in their hands, all sounds fresh and new.

Fiona Slominska, flute 17 July

Jeremy Young, piano

J S Bach Sonata in G minor

Schubert Theme and Variations on Trockne Blumen, D802

Fiona Slominska was chosen for the Tillett Trust's Young Artists Platform scheme in 2007, following study at the RNCM. She is a visiting teacher at Birmingham Conservatoire and works with the country's leading orchestras.

Romeo and Juliet 17 July

Independent Ballet Wales presents the greatest love story of all, to the ravishing music of Hector Berlioz, now a distinctive, new, full length classical ballet.

The Magic Flute 17 July SOLD OUT

Mozart's classic opera is breathtakingly transformed in a spectacular new film version conceived and directed by Kenneth Branagh with a newly-adapted libretto from Stephen Fry.

Purbayan Chatterjee, sitar 17 July

Subhankar Banerjee, tabla

Few sounds are as evocative as the music of the sitar. A renowned master of the instrument, Purbayan Chatterjee is recognised as one of the great exponents of Indian classical music.

The Katona twins 18 July

Vivaldi Trio in G minor

Mozart Overture to La Clemenza di Tito

Albéniz Evocation

Paco de Lucia Cepa Andaluza

Villa-Lobos Alma Brasileira

Manuel de Falla El amor brujo

The Hungarian-born twins, Peter and Zoltán, have performed throughout the world at venues from New York's Carnegie Hall to the Forbidden City in Beijing.

The Russian Chamber Philharmonic St Petersburg 18 July

Conductor Juri Gilbo

Arensky Variations on a theme of Tchaikovsky

Shostakovich Chamber Symphony no. 1, opus 110a

Tchaikovsky Souvenir de Florence

Making their first visit to the UK, the Russian Chamber Philharmonic St Petersburg offers a rare opportunity to hear three Russian masterpieces.

New Scorpion Band 18 July

The New Scorpion Band is a fully acoustic group specialising in the subtle use of an enormous range of early and traditional instruments, alongside stunning vocal harmonies, to create a huge range of musical styles.

Extasis 19 July

We welcome Joglaresa to a Festival highlight – our annual excursion to the beautiful fourteenth-century 'Cathedral of the Peak'.

Outside the restraints of religious rites, musicians and poets through the ages have created euphoric music celebrating their faiths.

Pentaèdre 19 July

Warlock Capriol Suite

Holst Quintet

Mozart Excerpts from Così fan tutte

Since its début in 1985, the Montréal-based Pentaèdre has explored diverse, original and often less well known chamber music repertoire. The quintet, all leading Canadian musicians, seeks out new classical works as well as exciting transcriptions, giving a rich and unique sonority.

A Good Reed? 20 July

with some special Festival guests

Friedrich Schubart (1739-91)

How low is low? Find out in A Good Reed? as the four examples of bassoonery again plumb the depths of the woodwind section and breathe life into the bassoon, not to mention the unforgettable tones of its lugubrious partner in crime – the contrabassoon. Enjoy new delights of the bassoon quartet repertoire as the Festival's Chief Executive cajoles three bass (base?) friends (and some welcome guests) to find 'a good reed' and enjoy the Buxton waters.

Gillian Keith Soprano 20 July

Tom Randle Tenor

Helen Yorke Piano

Festival favourites Gillian and Tom, pictured here in our production of Ascanio in Alba, offer an all American programme including works by Copland, Bernstein, Barber, Gershwin and a brand new song-cycle for Gillian composed by Tom!

Opera Scenes

Members of the Festival Company covering main roles enjoy their own performance of scenes from each Festival production with piano accompaniment, introduced by Andrew Greenwood.

Samson 21 July

The Poacher 22 July

Festival Chorus recitals 21, 25 July

with Annette Saunders and Andrew Greenwood, piano

These recitals by members of the Festival chorus are an essential part of the Festival, offering our highly talented singers the chance to shine in their own repertoire, ranging from the Baroque to folk-song, via some of the classic romantic song repertoire.

Lortzing's Vienna 21 July SOLD OUT – EXTRA PERFORMANCE AT 1PM

Albert Lortzing (composer of The Poacher) was the leading German comic opera composer of the nineteenth century, working mostly in Leipzig but also in Vienna. In this talk Andrew Lamb explores Lortzing's musical links with Vienna.

The Café Band in Vienna 21 July SOLD OUT

Step back to Lortzing's Vienna of 1842 and enjoy the tradition of live music in Viennese coffee-houses with this unusual offshoot from Opera North. David Greed leads an offbeat septet of accordion, strings, clarinet and piano in music by Rossini, Beethoven, Schubert, Weber, Lanner, Strauss, Lortzing, Liszt and Suppé.

Ilona Timchenko , piano recital 22 July

Schubert Sonata no. 4, D537

Schubert-Liszt Wohin; Der Müller und der Bach

Prokofiev Sonata no. 8

The Festival is a partner in the prestigious Abstract Securities Landor Competition, attracting entries from 25 countries. We are delighted to welcome joint first-prizewinner Ilona Timchenko, a Crimean pianist who has already performed in Europe's major concert halls.

Andrew Greenwood and friends 22 July

One of the Festival's great strengths is the quality of its opera casts, so we are delighted, at Andrew Greenwood's invitation, to offer a platform for some of the country's most distinguished singers in their chosen solo and ensemble repertoire from Handel and Purcell to Mahler and Strauss.

Dojo Drummers 22 July

The Dojo Drummers are a vibrant and dynamic Taiko drumming group – an energetic, colourful and highly choreographed spectacle of explosive energy, performed in full costume.

Di Xiao, piano recital 23 July

Mozart Sonata in F major, K332

Beethoven Sonata in E major, opus 109

Ravel Miroirs nos. 2, 3, 4

The Festival has a proud history of catching young artists before they burst onto the international scene and the latest is the sensational Chinese pianist Di Xiao.

St Petersburg Quartet 23 July SOLD OUT

Beethoven Quartet in F minor, opus 95

Ravel Quartet

Tchaikovsky Quartet no.1

One of the world's great string quartets, the St Petersburg's glittering career has included a Grammy nomination, opening the Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival and hundreds of concerts in the world's most prestigious series and festivals.

The Burning Bush 23 July

Exuberance, defiance, celebration and ribald wit all come together on the emotional rollercoaster ride that is a Burning Bush performance. Combining foot-tapping Klezmer, exotic Arab-influenced dance music from the old Ottoman world and haunting, mystical ballads of the ghetto.

Have I got news for thee? 24 July

An illustrated lecture-recital by Lucie Skeaping with Robin Jeffrey (lute, cittern)

Comical, political, scandalous or just plain lewd, broadside ballads were both the pop songs and the tabloid press of seventeenth-century England. Serving up a heady mix of royal gossip, street crime, marital advice, political comment and sex, they were set to some of the most delightful tunes England has ever produced – and reveal a world remarkably similar to our own.

The Spectral Horseman 24 July

With narrator Janet Suzman

A unique programme of verse and music illustrating how the sensibilities of Romantic poetry were reflected in associated musical compositions. In the unjustly neglected genre of melodrama, those sensibilities were heightened by juxtaposing poetry and music within the same piece.

The Silk and Bamboo Ensemble 24 July

The enchanting sound of the silky strings and bamboo flute entice us to China. The ensemble's traditional folk and modern Chinese music features the pipa (four-stringed lute), erhu (two-stringed fiddle), guzheng (21-stringed zither) and dizi (bamboo flute) played by virtuoso musicians.

On Wenlock Edge 25 July SOLD OUT

Benjamin Hullet Tenor

Rachel Holt Flute

Marios Argiros Oboe and Cor anglais

Ian Buckle Piano

Pavão String Quartet

Elgar Quartet

Vaughan Williams On Wenlock Edge

Vaughan Williams Four Blake songs

Warlock The Curlew

An intriguing programme of rarely heard works for tenor and ensemble from the same era as the evening's Triple Bill, sung by rising star Ben Hulett (fresh from The Poacher). Vaughan Williams' setting of text from A Shropshire Lad is evocative and ghostly, whilst The Curlew, Warlock's wonderful cycle setting poems by W B Yeats, opens with a plaintive cry of the curlew from the cor anglais and birdsong features throughout.

English Ayres 26 July

Jeni Melia Soprano and violin

Lindsay Braga Violin

Christopher Goodwin Lute

To mark the fiftieth anniversary of Vaughan Williams' death, we present one of his achingly poignant song-cycles, Along the Field, setting Housman's poems on the themes of youth, love and life.

Four medieval songs by Holst use this same haunting ensemble of voice and violin to express their own feelings of yearning and a lost ancient world. Vaughan Williams' vision of the English countryside, and of the past, is explored in folk-songs he collected and arranged.

Victoria Simonsen, cello recital 26 July

Ben Powell, piano

Beethoven 12 Variations on a theme from Judas Maccabeus

Debussy Sonata in G minor

Pintscher Figura V / Assonanza for solo cello

Brahms Sonata in F major, opus 99

In 2005, while still a student, New Zealand born Victoria Simonsen was appointed principal cellist for Opera North and has appeared as guest principal with orchestras including Scottish Opera and Northern Sinfonia.

Northern Chamber Orchestra 27 July

directed by Nicholas Ward with Marios Argiros, oboe and cor anglais

Purcell Chacony

Holst Brook Green Suite

Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto

Alwyn Autumn Legend for Cor anglais and strings

Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a theme from Thomas Tallis

Piazzolla Summer from The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires

An ingenious concert reflecting this year's opera programme from our resident orchestra, with the added bonus of a memory of the tangos of 2004! Nicholas Ward is the soloist in Piazzolla's sensual and passionate tribute to Vivaldi, making a good contrast to the more restrained, but no less effective, offerings from English composers. Marios Argiros, a former principal oboist with the BBC Philharmonic, joins as soloist in two atmospheric works.

ENJOY BUXTON

Buxton Town Walks

Explore Buxton with three walks led by local expert Ken Smith. With the exception of 'Georgian Buxton', which requires ascending to the higher town, they are over reasonably flat terrain. Numbers are strictly limited.

The Baths at Buxton Spa 13 July

The fame of Buxton as a spa derives from its unique thermal mineral water which emerges from springs at a constant temperature of 27.5˚C. This walk stays in the lower town and visits the sites of all the baths, pumps and pump rooms to tell the spa story from pre-Roman to Medieval, Georgian, Victorian and modern times.

Robert Rippon Duke Walk 15 July

Exploring some of Buxton's Victorian delights, this walk examines the growth of the town from 1850 through its heyday as an inland medical and pleasure resort. It features the work of Robert Rippon Duke, a very busy townsman and the architect responsible for the earlier Devonshire Hospital extensions, the Octagon Concert Hall of iron and glass and much else.

Georgian Buxton 27 July

This walk begins in Higher Buxton, before the building of the Crescent, when Gilpin described the town as 'surrounded by dreary barren hills' and moves down The Slopes to the fashionable lower town around the Crescent. Here is Georgian elegance at the spa, recreated from the architecture and from anecdotal accounts derived from diaries and letters of visitors and travel writers. Plans for the 21st-century Crescent Spa will be woven into this walk.

Walk in Chee Dale 18 July SOLD OUT

The distinctive landscape of the Peak District makes a superb setting for the Festival. One of its highlights is Chee Dale, whose majestic slopes and imposing crags create a spectacular backdrop for a two mile nature walk, led by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust.

Lunchtime poetry with Fleur Adcock 11 July

In partnership with the University of Derby, the Festival has launched the inaugural Buxton Poetry Competition, with entries from across the country. One of the eminent judges, nationally acclaimed poet Fleur Adcock, reads from her own work.

Tour of the University of Derby's Devonshire Campus 11,14,23 July SOLD OUT

The great dome of the Devonshire is a distinctive feature of the Buxton skyline. This tour traces the building's remarkable history from the 18th-century stables, through the 19th and 20th-century hospital, to its current 21st-century award-winning restoration, creating one of Britain's grandest University buildings. There's also a chance to take in our Poetry and Photography exhibitions.

Derbyshire Dishes in the Dome 18, 24 July

Two fascinating demonstrations in the Devonshire Dome's state-of-the-art cookery suite give an insight into the art of catering from two of the region's best know establishments.

Death by chocolate! 18 July

David Golubows and Bridget Joyce are the award-winning proprietors of Cocoadance, a local company well known for all things chocolatey. Regularly appearing on television and in magazines, David and Bridget produce fancy handmade chocolates, confectionary and wedding cakes to their unique style and taste, using local ingredients whenever possible.

Paul Soczowka 24 July

Paul is the head chef of the Walnut Club Champagne Bar and Grill in Sheffield. This beautiful contemporary restaurant is the sister venue to the renowned Walnut Club in Hathersage.

Opera talks in the Devonshire Dome

By Andrew Greenwood, the Festival's Artistic Director, illuminates the forthcoming performance each day.