Diverse line-up in Ripon

With the arts at the sharp end of government cuts in this period of austerity, it is good to see the Ripon International Festival continuing to provide a fortnight of diverse attractions at the beginning of September, reports David Denton.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Jul 2016, 07:00 BST

As always the flagship events are the two major symphony concerts conducted by Janusz Piotrowicz, the festival’s artistic director, a performance of Schubert’s Ninth Symphony, ‘The Great’, being the final item in the Royal Northern Sinfonia’s Ripon Cathedral programme. It will feature, as the soloist in Bruch’s Violin Concerto, Alexander Sitkovetsky, who earlier this year was named by New York’s famous concert hall – the Lincoln Centre – as the ‘Emerging Artist 2016’. Weber’s overture to his opera, Oberon, opens the evening (September 10).

The following week sees a most welcome return of the London Mozart Players to Harrogate’s Royal Hall. They include Mendelssohn’s sunny ‘Italian’ Symphony, Mozart’s Oboe Concerto (with Daniel Bates as soloist), and Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony. (September 17).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On a much smaller scale the charismatic period instrument group Red Priest offer a new presentation with a Gypsy Baroque Fantasy (September 13). One of the world’s best-known groups in the world of medieval music, the London-based sextet of Joglaresa, bring elements of Flamenco and Celtic inspiration (September 11), while the young multi-award winning Busch Piano Trio play Haydn, Dvorak and Tchaikovsky (September 8).

For details and tickets www.riponinternationalfestival.com or call 01765 605508.

Related topics:Ripon