The Three Choirs Festival will arrive in Worcester this weekend with a new programme celebrating nature and its influence on composers and musicians.
The festival will run from July 27 to August 3 and feature a selection of works, both old and new, from composers including Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst, Bob Chilcott and Judith Weir.
The festival village, situated near Worcester Cathedral, will be open daily with no ticket needed to enter.
Visitors will be able to listen to performers on the bandstand, visit craft exhibitions and sample food and drinks at the cafe and bar.
Open rehearsals will be held at the cathedral, providing a free taste of festival music. Full details of rehearsal times, bandstand performance times and more can be found on the festival website.
The week's line-up includes familiar favourites such as Elgar’s The Kingdom, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and Holst’s The Hymn of Jesus, along with new commissions and the UK premiere of Sarah Kirkland Snider’s Mass for the Endangered.
Chief executive, Alexis Paterson, said: "We can’t wait to be back in Worcester for a bumper year of festival events.
"There’s so much on offer - some truly fantastic performers and a huge breadth of music to choose from.
"If you don’t know where to start then I highly recommend popping into one of our open rehearsals or having a chat with our onsite box office team on College Green from Wednesday, July 24.
"We look forward to welcoming everyone to this joyful celebration of musicmaking."
Artistic director, Samuel Hudson, added: "I am very much looking forward to what promises to be an exciting and memorable festival in Worcester this year.
"Rehearsals are going extremely well, and I’ve no doubt that the hard work and time that so many people have invested in this year’s festival already will make for a most successful and enjoyable week.
"I hope to be able to share that energy and that atmosphere with as many people as possible this year, and that our audiences will enjoy a feast of wonderful music on offer at this year’s Three Choirs Festival."
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