The Festival Scene 1973

Rodney MillleS

There is one significant breakthrough in this year's festival programmes. In the past, opera, usually the most expensive but also Popular single items, has been mounted, praised (or not, as the case may be) and then vanished Without trace — rather a lot of money gurgling melodiously down the drain. So it is most heartening to note that two of the much appreciated productions from last Year's Wexford Festival, Katya Kabanova and Il Pirata, are popPing up this year at York with the same casts in all but one relatively unimportant instance. The former, in particular, was a once-in-ahfetime experience and far too important to be allowed to disappear after a handful of airings.

This practice must spread. 1973 also sees Britten's Death in Venice at Edinburgh after its Aldeburgh Premiere, but other possibilities occur. There were successful productions at this year's Camden Festival of Offenbach's Robinson Crusoe and the Purcell/Dryden Indian Queen, both ideal festival fodder; one casts a jaundiced eye over the opera-free programmes at Bath and Brighton and wonders Whether the Arts Council, which supports most such ventures, might not with a little forward Planning ensure that the benefits of their largesse are more widely Spread. After all, Crusoe has local interest for Bkh, and many of the singers involved will be at Glyndebourne — a mere decibel away from Brighton as the top C shrieks. So York's enterprise deserves every encouragement, and indeed their imaginative and wide-ranging programme this year places them right up in the top league with Edinburgh and Aldeburgh.

Anniversaries are grist to festival mills. Last year it was impossible to avoid Walton or Vaughan Williams, even if one had wanted to (yes and no, not necessarily in that order). This year Lennox Berkeley's 70th birthday is appropriately celebrated at Cheltenham, and his music is featured at Brighton and the Three Choirs. This is also Rachmaninov's centenary year, and Chester and York take constructive note. The question of festival theme, somewhat in abeyance at Edinburgh, is strongly in evidence at Brighton once more. Their Art Gallery exhibition is devoted to the British in India, and music, films, drama, lectures and fringe events have been cunningly built around this. The tours of Brighton sewers, whatever the architectural attractions, will perhaps be only for braver spirits.

Not even the most avid culturevulture, nor the most insanely conscientious critic, would spend his summer wandering from festival to festival, but if he did he would keep re-meeting some old friends. The St Martin's Academy is rightly, and always has been, a permanent fixture at many gatherings, and this year Murray Perahia, winner of last year's Leeds International Piano Competition, celebrates his victory with a triumphal progress from Brighton to Bath, Aldeburgh, Harrogate and Edin

'burgh. The Kings Singers, an amiable group of close harmonisers with a varied and attractive repertoire, will amble round York, King's Lynn, Cambridge, Harrogate and Edinburgh.

Once more the generous quantity of new music offered is impressive; without these festivals British composers would be very much the poorer. In this department as in most others, York looks very much like this year's best all-round buy.

Aldeburgh, June 15-July 2. Interest centred on the world premiere of Britten's Death in Venice, conceived long before that dreadful film. A little known Haydn oratorio, The Return of Tobias, a Noh drama group with Sumidagawa the play on which Britten based his Curlew River, and Sir Geraint Evans performing 11 Maestro di Cappello. There are new works by Gordon Crosse, Malcolm Arnold and David Bedford, and, mysteriously, Sterndale Bennett's 5th piano concerto. Extra-musical activities include a Church Crawl and a Palaeontological Potter.

Bath, May 25-June 3. Plenty of 110ett (he is the artistic director) incitichng a new piano sonata and a performance of his marvellous 3rd symphony by the LSO under David Atherton. British debut of the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada. a new-ish group conducted by Mario Bernardi, whose three concerts will include two works new to the UK. Last year's Young Performers' recitals are further developed, and strong chamber music interest is in the hands of the Amadeus and the St Martin's Academy. Organised tours to churches, gardens and the Severn Wildfowl Trust. Horrid films.

Beverley. May 6-July 24. In celebration of 400 years of Charterdom. Much open-air folkery (dancing bear, mummers, jousting, etc) and music in the magnificent Minster: Berlioz's Requiem, Monteverdi Vespers, Noye's Fludde and a distinguished choir from West Germany.

Brighton, May 9-20. Strong ballet contribution with first UK appearance of the Samsova-Prokovsky New London' Ballet Company, and the Royal Ballet's New Group. Art Gallery exhibition on the British in India, backed by a Kipling evening presided over by Dame Flora Robson. Ian Wallace and others, and many lec

tures of like interest. An LPO/Barenboim/Elgar concert includes movements from the Crown of India suite. Festival films about or from India. The death of Havergal Brian is marked by the first perform

ance of his 2nd symphony preceded .by an open air procession to the Berlioz Symphonic Funebre et Triomphale.

British Theatre Festival, September 17October 13. The first of what may become an annual festival, organised by the theatrical profession itself (Chairman: Judi Dench) to encourage an appreciation of the place of theatre in community life. Over forty theatres will participate (alphabetically from Aberystwyth to York, geographicallY from Exeter to Pitlochry). The full programme is due out this week.

Cambridge, July 18-August 2. An almost embarrassing choice of beautiful buildings in which to listen to music: Ely Cathedral. King's College hall and chapel, the Fitzwilliam, Guildhall, etc, and distributed amongst them are the ECO, Kings Singers, King's College Choir and Tamas Vasary. Alfresco singing on the Backs, an Elizabeth Frink exhibition, Leo McKern in The Merchant of Venice, and early Verdi (Due Foscari) from the UniversitY , Opera Society.

Cheltenham, July 6-15. Lennox Berkeley's 70th birthday celebrations: his third symphony, Windsor Variations. a new work for the St Martin's Academy and a birthday concert by the Nash Ensemble. The Allegri Quartet play Shostakovich, Goehr and MaXwell Davies, there are new works bY Bernard Rands and Anthony Gilbert. and Alfred Brendel gives one recital, two concerts and six master classes.

Chester, June 23-July8. Mystery Plays. staged by James Roose-Evans in a circus tent with a cast of 1,500 appleS, 500 pigeons. 4 motor-cycles, one cow. and. I imagine, some actors. Rachmaninov centenary marked by a concert performance of his Francesca do Rimini, and many lesser known works. Sir Charles Groves conducts his Liverpool Orchestra, there is an evening with Malcolm Muggeridge, which will at least be clean, and the first UK appearance by the Bulgarian SvetoSlay Obretonov choir. A French drama group with a new technique called Polyscope gives a King Arthur entertainment.

Edinburgh. August 19-September Festival Opera mounts Don Giovanni conducted by Barenboim and Oro'. duced by Peter Ustinov, the Budapest State Opera brings Handel:s Rodelinda, and a Bartok double bill and there is Death in Venice ex Aldeburgh. An old favourite, The Thrie Estaites, is given a new production, and the film festival retrospects Tashlin and Jerry Lewis. Among the topflight international orchestras, conductors and soloists are Solti and his Orchestre de Paris, the LSO, BBCSO, SNO, Bernstein, Giulini, Janet Baker and Radu Lupu.

English Bach Festival, until May. 13. Concentrated orgy of concerts in London and Oxford. Apart from Johann Sebastian there is Byzantine church music, which is a whole lot more Ion than it may sound, Messiaen (complete organ works). Spanish music. and of course modern Greek music: Xenakis, and premieres by Adamis and Terzakis.

Glyndebourne, May 30-August 15. UK premiere of Gottfried von Einem's The Visit of the Old Lady,based on Durrenmatt, and a new production of Figaro by Peter Hall. Revivals of Zauberflote and Ritorno d'Ulisse, and a revamped Capriccio.

Guildford. May 20-June 2. All-British festival. Two concerts by the Guildford Philharmonic under Vernon Handley of Vaughan Williams, Walton, Liszt, Elgar and Benjamin Britten. Early and later English music by the Early Music Consort, the Philomusica and Pro Cantione Antigua. A recital by John Lill; and a new William Douglas Home play at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, At the End of the Day.

Harrogate, August 5-18. Exhibitions of artists who have lived or worked in Yorkshire: Henry-Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Davi Hockney. The St. Martin's Academy with Murray Perahia and Janet Baker, the Prague Chamber Orchestra, Scottish National and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestras (Gibson and Groves) and a season by the London Contemporary Dance Theatre.

Haslemere, July 20-28. Britain's second oldest festival (see below). Devoted to early music and centred round the venerable Dolmetsch Ensemble. Soloists from all over the world partake, and composers usually only encountered in textbooks are given a welcome airing.

Hereford, August 19-24. The 246th meeting of the Three Choirs, the founding father of them all. A new choral work from Lennox Berkeley, the War Requiem, Elgar's Apostles, Howells's Hymnus Panadisi, Faure and Bruckner. RPO, CBSO, cathedral conductors and guest Meredith Davies.

Kings Lynn, July 20-28. Penderecki's first symphony with the LSO and Meredith Davies, the ECO under Raymond Leppard, and a literary luncheon presided over by Angus Wilson.

Llandaff, June 2-12. New works by William Matthias and John Metcalf, a performance of Elgar's Kingdom by the Cathectral Choral Society and the Bournemouth Symphony. Soloists include Moura Lympany and Zara Nelsoya, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada visits.

London Festiva/ of New Forms of Worship, June 3-10. Inter-denominational effort under the general heading of "That's the Spirit" based on 10 centres of worship from Notre Dame de France to the Salvation Army HQ. Jazz, drama, dance and happenings.

Perth, May 20-27. The second festival, with the Scottish National 'conducted by Gibson, a lecture-recital by Joseph Cooper on Schumann. the Allegri Quartet and a piano recital by John Lill. Theatre represented by the Perth Theatre Company in Fry's A Sleep of Prisoners, and Phoenix Opera's sprightly Beggar's Opera. Also a "Family Pop Concert " by the Settlers, and a " Music to Remember" evening with the BBC Scottish Orchestra. Pitlochry, until September 29. Drama for all tastes, from Albee and Strindberg (Virginia Woolf and Easter) to Agatha Christie (Ten Little Niggers). by way of Goldoni and Pinter. " Stay six days and see six plays" is the slogan. Concerts by Gina Bachauer, Eischi Kawamura and others.

Salisbury, July 12-21. Mostly chamber music, with soloists Walter Klien (a Mozart recital) and Ralph Kirkpatrick, who gives three harpsichord concerts (one in Wilton House). Exhibitions of Patrick Proktor and Handeliana (the composer visited Salisbury on and off) and his Alexander's Feast in the Cathdral. An evening of Flamenco with Paco Pena.

Scottish National Orchestra Glasgow, Proms. June 16-30. Concerts mostly conducted by Alexander Gibson, with such soloists as Gina Bachauer and Ralph Holmes; Verdi Requiem; and an Evening of Renaissance Music from the Early Music Consort.

Stirling, May 13-26. The 500th anniversary of the birth of James IV. Scottish National Orchestra and Gibson, the Phoenix Beggar's Opera, a recital by Cherkassky, and a new drama entitled The Seven Deadly Sins in the Church of the Holy Rude. Sounds promising.

Stour Music, June 17-24. Concentrating on early music, expertly played (Deller Consort. Colin Tilney, David Munrow, etc) in matchless Kent countryside.

Tilford Bach Festival, May 24-26, and June 24-July 1. The Tilford Bach Society has enjoyed a .steady growth in reputation and achievement since its foundation in 1952. After the May concerts in this Surrey village (B minor Mass among them) the ensemble moves to St George's Hanover Square for the last week in June to give lunchtime and evening concerts. Mostly Bach, but some Handel (this was his church), Mozart and a newly commissioned Te Deum from Stephen Dodgson. Soloists include Felicity Palmer, Ian Partridge and Paul Easwood.

York, June I5-July 8. A really first-rate programme. The Mystery Plays, Wexford Festival Opera, Northern Dance Theatre, and 69 Theatre Company in Arms and the Man. A New Music week features Sonor, Die Reihe (their first UK visit), workshops and open rehearsals, a new Richard Rodney Bennett viola concerto, and soloists Jane Manning and Alan Hacker. Delius and Elgar from the Liverpool Orchestra and Groves, and Rachmaninov's The Bells. Tortelier plays Bach and Thomas Hemsley sings Die SchOne MUllerin. Firework Music front a barge, a Karin Krog/Richard Rodney Bennett recital, and the well-chosen films include Melville's masterpiece Le deuxieme souffle. Irresistible.