THE Three Choirs Festival, Britain's premier and the world's oldest choral festival, celebrates the 275th meeting of the cathedral choirs of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester in the magnificent cathedral city of Worcester from 17 to 23 August 2002.
Worcester is the birthplace of Edward Elgar and to mark its close connection with the composer, the Festival's opening concert features Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Festival Chorus, Artistic Director and Festival Conductor Adrian Lucas and soloists Catherine Wyn-Rogers, John Daszak and William Clements (17 August), 100 years since its first Worcester performance conducted by the composer.
Highlights include homage to William Walton in his centenary year with no fewer than eleven of his works in either major concerts or cathedralservices, including less well-known pieces such as Antiphon and the full orchestral version of his setting of W.H. Auden's The Twelve. Walton's music also forms a strong influence in Lionel Sainsbury's Violin Concerto which receives its public world premire on 22 August by Lorraine McAslan and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (see enclosed brochure for full programme details).
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of the composer Charles Villiers Stanford. To honour the occasion, the Festival will be presenting his Second Piano Concerto (performed by Charles Owen and the Philharmonia Orchestra on 18 August), the Irish Symphony (performed by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra on 22 August), as well as much of his church music during the daily Evensongs.
The year 2002 marks both the centenary of the coronation of Edward VII and the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II's accession to the throne. To mark these celebrations, there will be opportunities to hear two Handel Coronation Anthems (20 August), together with Elgar's 1902 Coronation Ode and Walton's Coronation March Orb and Sceptre (23 August). The Festival is honoured to have HRH The Prince of Wales as its President.
The Three Choirs Festival is also delighted to announce the commission of a new jazz choral work from Andrew Gant entitled The Vision of Piers Plowman, which will receive its world premire on 19 August and feature the Philharmonia Orchestra and soloists Patricia Rozario, Lawrence Zazzo, Matthew Beale and William Clements, conducted by Adrian Lucas.
The Festival is thrilled to feature many outstanding orchestras, ensembles, conductors and soloists. These include, amongst others, the Philharmonia and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras, the Tallis Scholars, Fretwork, Collegium Regale (the choral scholars of King's College, Cambridge), the Medici String Quartet, conductors Sir David Willcocks, Paul Daniel and Yevgeny Svetlanov, and soloists Emma Kirkby, Sally Burgess, Judith Howarth, Jennifer Bate, Dorothy Papadakos, Michael George and Jamie Walton.
An exciting Festival Fringe programme complements the main Festival and includes drama, exhibitions, jazz, cabarets, flower festivals, and a CAMRA beer festival - from Handel to hot-air balloons, from Rachmaninov to river trips, there is undoubtedly something for everyone in Worcester this August!
Further details on the 2002 Three Choirs Festival in Worcester can be found on its website www.3choirs.org
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