Buxton International Festival is 'reaching for the stars' this summer

There will be more than 120 events over 17 days as Buxton International Festiva, BIF, returns this July. Adrian Kelly, BIF’s artistic director said: “Buxton International Festival has firmly established itself in the cultural calendar.

"It’s an unapologetically ambitious, creative and accessible festival that takes risks and entertains. 2023 will be no different – bold, brave and back in full technicolour.”

Festival highlights include three new opera productions, Vincenzo Bellini’s La sonnambula, GF Handel’s Orlando and Mozart’s Il re pastore. BIF and Norwich Theatre launch a brand-new musical based on the early life of Buxton’s Vera Brittain, with music by Ivor Novello, entitled The Land Of Might-Have-Been.

The jazz line-up includes the iconic trumpeter Wynton Marsalis pluspianist/vocalist Tom Seals and The Super Big Tramp Band. The concerts’ programme features Nicola Benedetti and The English Concert, The King’s Singers, Sarah Connolly, Lucy Crowe, Joanna MacGregor and Gwilym Simcock.

The books guests include Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller, BBC correspondent Jeremy Bowen, MP Jesse Norman, vaccine queen Dame Kate Bingham, writer, communicator and strategist Alastair Campbell and journalists Gary Younge and Polly Toynbee amongst others.

CEO Michael Williams adds: “It’s a stop-in-your-tracks, shout-from-the-rooftops festival this year.

"Buxton 2023 is full to the brim with daring and excellence. It’s contemporary, relevant, reflective and provocative with sumptuous opera, glorious music and opinion-forming book talks. We reach for the stars in Buxton.”

The new musical The Land Of Might-Have-Been will be directed by Kimberley Sykes, conducted by Iwan Davies, designed by Nicky Shaw with the music of Ivor Novello, including such songs as My Dearest Dear and Waltz of My Heart.

It has been arranged with additional composition by Iain Farrington, who has recently been commissioned to write a piece for His Majesty The King’s Coronation.

Following the success of jazz at Buxton last year, sights are set high. Iconic trumpeter Wynton Marsalis tops the bill on 10 July – his only appearance in Europe this year.

And due to popular demand, the ‘Jazz Weekender’ ticket returns for the opening weekend of the festival, July, 6-10. The Weekender also includes a ticket to ‘The Land Of Might Have Been’ plus one of the Festival’s top book events, an afternoon with playwright Sir David Hare.

The Festival will also be launching a new Jazz Café at the Pavilion Gardens Restaurant, with concerts starting at 10pm, open for three nights July, 13, 14 and 21.

Neil Hughes, BIF’s jazz director said: “Building on last year’s success, there are big bands, late-night concerts and gospel this year plus we are adding even more into the mix. 2023 is going to be spectacular.”

Buxton leads the way in conversation and debate with its line-up of authors, commentators and politicians and this year’s line up for books is jam-packed.

Victoria Dawson, books director added: “Our guest authors are often surprised by the beauty of our town, the calibre of their fellow speakers and the world class quality of our music and operas.”

Buxton International Festival will take place between Thursday July, 6 and Saturday July, 23. Priority booking opens on March 7 and general booking on April 4. To see the full line up visit www.buxtonfestival.co.uk