An exciting event is coming up on Saturday June 20, with the Friends of Playden Church holding a concert “Some Enchanted Evening – Music for Midsummer“, writes Peter Challans. The concert starts at 7:30pm, and tickets costing £15 are available from Siren & Pearl, 96 High Street, Rye or by calling Viv on 01797 224606. The programme for the evening contains music from the worlds of opera and musical theatre and will be performed by an accomplished team of soloists: Sally Harrison (Soprano), Angela Simkin (Mezzo-soprano), Anthony Flaum (Tenor) and Ross Ramgobin (Baritone).
Flaum makes his BBC Proms debut this Summer and Ramgobin was nominated in the Young Artist Category at the 2015 International Opera Awards. Both are appearing at the 2015 Leeds Castle Classical Concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra next month. The evening is under the musical direction of David Eaton of Charles Court Opera and will be compèred by young Hastings actor Alexander Hunt under a programme devised by James Black. The concert is being held to help raise the £101,830 needed to re-shingle the spire on this beautiful small Grade 1 listed church, which was first recorded in the Domesday survey of 1086, with the present building dating from around 1190.
In addition, the Friends are organising Playden Open Gardens on Saturday and Sunday June 20 and 21. A number of gardens will be open from 1-5pm on these two days, including a rare opportunity to see round the extensive and beautiful gardens of Saltcote Place. Refreshments will be available en route. Tickets (valid both days) with a map of the gardens open, £5 per person, from outside the front of St. Michael’s Church Playden, on Rye Road. For further details contact Peter on 01797 224606. As with “Some Enchanted Evening” the event is being held in aid of the church spire.
Please do not be put off by any Road Closed Notices as the roadworks on the Rye Road are Monday-Friday only.