This year’s 51st annual Rye Arts Festival has a final weekend of events, including concerts for classical music fans and some of the very finest world music.
The Festival has teamed up with City Music Foundation (CMF) charity to offer a varied programme of some of the finest young classical musicians at the start of their professional careers. And the stars of the future coming to Rye in September aren’t just from the UK but also Europe.
And four of the best young artists currently living in the UK will perform an evening of opera arias, entitled “Seasons of Love” on Saturday, September 24 in St Mary’s Church, which offers glorious acoustics for the performers and audience to enjoy – both will bounce off each other and create a memorable night.
From Wales, soprano Siân Dicker won the International Voice of the Future competition at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in July 2017.
Laura Lolita Perešivana, is a Latvian about whom Opera magazine wrote: “her star quality combined with a sumptuous, penetrating soprano suggest she is ready for any role a big house might throw at her”.
And Rozanna Madylus is a British mezzo-soprano of Ukrainian descent. “An engaging stage presence,” according to The Daily Telegraph, she is an award-winning graduate of the Royal Academy Opera School.
And they are joined by the Lithuanian pianist Rokas Valuntonis, who is a laureate of around 20 international piano competitions.
The three international singers and pianist will perform arias by Richard Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Rossini, Mozart, Donizetti, and Johann Strauss.
The Festival will end on Sunday September 25 with a Musical Pilgrimage by The Victoria Consort. The singers will start the pilgrimage at Winchelsea where they will sing religious songs from the Spanish Court at St Thomas’ church. The singers and audience will then walk to Rye, via Camber Castle, for the second half of the concert at St Mary’s church.
Kadialy Kouyate will offer some of the very best African music you will hear as he is a griot from Senegal, coming from generations of singers/musicians. Saturday September 24 will see the Rye Community Centre welcoming this amazing musician.
Tickets for all the events are available online at www.ryeartsfestival.org.uk or from the Box Office and via telephone at 01797 462168.
Image Credits: Ben Ealovega , RAF .