Page 370 - Media Coverage Book - 75th Aldeburgh Festival 2024

All told, 26 premieres – world and UK – underscore Aldeburgh’s continuing commitment
to the new. But the ‘old’ isn’t sidelined, as Vox Luminis recreates the enchanted world

of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen. 2024’s featured composers are Unsuk Chin and Judith Weir,
whose opera Blond Eckbert launches the festival in a new production by Robin Norton

Hale.

Northern Aldborough Festival

Aldborough, N Yorks, 13-22 June
aldboroughfestival.co.uk

Not to be confused with its Suffolk sound-alike, Northern Aldborough also coincidentally
boasts a performance of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, this one by the Armonico Consort.

Orbiting St Andrew’s Church, the festival will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in the
company of violinist Viktoria Mullova, who mulls over Beethoven and Schubert with pianist

Alasdair Beatson; and, with a jury including Sir John Tomlinson and Edward Gardner, a
second iteration of the new Singing Voices Competition has an eye on vocal futures.

Stour Music

Boughton Aluph, Kent, 21-30 June

stourmusic.org.uk
There are fireworks both visual and musical, as I Fagiolini’s director Robert Hollingworth

continues his guardianship of the festival Alfred Deller founded over 60 years ago. Steven
Devine conducts Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks alongside the Water Music (just in

case anything needs dousing!) And there’s more Handel as Liberata Collective presents a
staging of Orlando complete with Baroque gestures.

The irrepressible Barokksolistene alongside soprano Mary Bevan are let loose in ‘Purcell’s

Playground’; and, following an afternoon in Vienna wrapped around Haydn’s Wind Band
Mass, a Viennese-style tea in the marquee is serenaded by the period instruments of

Boxwood and Brass.

Thaxted Festival

Thaxted, 21 June-14 July
thaxtedfestival.co.uk

Gustav Holst took up residence in the picturesque Essex village on the eve of the First
World War, and in his 150th birthday year, Thaxted is in celebratory mood. It opens with

his Fugal Concerto No. 2; the Echo Ensemble salutes The Planets in words and music;
meanwhile, Voces8 showcases some of the choral music alongside works by Caroline Shaw

and Giovanni Croce. Composer-in-residence is Noah Max, and the premiere of his
Symphony No. 1 comes courtesy of the London Mozart Players.