Exciting range of Festival favourites just a click away
Festival
With audiences this year unable to go to the Festival, the Festival will come to them – online by clicking on the festival website and following the links to a wealth of special events.
As festival co-ordinator Barry Smith explains: “The plan is that for every day of what would have been the festival, a new event will be posted online ready for audiences to enjoy from Saturday, June 13 to Sunday, July 12 at 7pm, so that audiences can look forward to something new each day.
“A huge range of events has been lined up, beginning with the jazz band which would have launched the festival on Cathedral Green, the Stardust Sussex Syncapators, who will perform jazzy versions of
The Isle of Capri and I Get the Blues to kick off the virtual festival.”
Dawn Gracie’s two events are going to be live-streamed, but thereafter should be there for catch-up. Apart from her events, the plan is the day’s event will be added at 7pm ready for enjoying at traditional 7.30pm event time.
“The festival opens on
June 13 with the Stardust Sussex Syncapators and continues every day for a month. We hope people will log onto our website https:// festivalofchichester.co.uk to follow the progress of our accumulating virtual festival.”
There are some spectacular concerts arranged, including a video of cellist Emily Burridge performing in Chartres Cathedral – which highlights the twinning link between the cities – and from Kings Place, the lively Greek band Plastikes Karekles.
“This will be just one of three contributions from festival regular, Pavlos Carvalho, who will also be performing a mix of Cypriot and Greek tunes and songs with a select band of virtuoso musical friends.
“In addition, Pavlos will be performing Bach’s Solo Cello Suite No 3. Another regular, cellist Ben Rogerson, will also be performing solo with a different Bach piece as well as joining up with the Minerva Ensemble for the Gadfly and other pieces. The Cathedral will be represented by the Choristers singing a Litany by Peter Hurford plus a Remote Artview of some of the Cathedral’s treasures.
“All That Malarkey are one of the regular highlights each summer and they are returning virtually to the city to sing an enjoyable Beach Boys medley. An alternative take on cabaret will be presented by performer Dawn Gracie, whose lively shows always attract attention.
Jazz and blues guitarists Rob Johnston and Geoff
Robb have exciting selections to share, including Geoff ’s self-penned Music of
Trees. Classical guitarist Linda Kelsall-barnett, who delighted audiences with her Cathedral performance last year, will return with a new recording for audiences to enjoy.”
Chichester regularly welcomes top-class international pianists to the festival. Reiko Fujisawa is performing a Beethoven tribute in his 250th anniversary year, while Russian maestro Victor Ryabchikov celebrates the music of Tchaikovsky with the Seasons. Ensemble Reza were one of the big hits of the 2019 festival and they are returning with a Brahms Sextet.
Song is celebrated across the genres with contributions from indie/folk singer
Tobiah with Are We Angels, soprano Tamzin Barnett and bluesy Ruby Tyger and the Revelators, who sold out their festival gig last year. Poetry and books will be represented by local author John Haynes, the winner of the prestigious Costa Poetry Prize, together with stimulating new poetry posted online by Chichester Poetry.
The artist responsible for the Keats sculpture in Eastgate is featuring two new projects – his monumental Nelson and Murray sculpture as well as a brand new piece inspired by Major Tom
Moore.
The full daily schedule will be released next week.