The curtain will rise on the 2019 Haddo Arts Festival next week.
Beginning on Tuesday, August 27, it will be marked with a performance of The Merry Widow, a lively comic operetta composed by Hungarian composer, Franz Lehar and presented by Opera Bohemia at Haddo House.
Set in the romantic city of Paris, the plot centres on the recently widowed but very wealthy Hannah Glawari and the various suitors who squabble and fight to win her hand. Performers from one of Scotland’s most exciting opera companies will be taking to the stage at the historic wooden hall at 7.30pm following a reception presenting details of the programme for Festival Week from October 5-12.
This year’s collection of exhibitions, theatre and workshops includes an evening in the company of Jackie Kay, Scotland’s Makar, or National Poet for Scotland, with music for cello and piano. Jamie MacDougall, a familiar face at Haddo and known as BBC Radio Scotland’s voice of classical music, will be celebrating the life of popular entertainer Sir Harry Lauder.
On a contemporary note, local primary and secondary school children will give two performances of Song for Haddo 3, the culmination of this year’s schools music project following workshops with Music Co-OPERAtive Scotland and composer Moira Morrison, made possible with support from the Udny Community Trust Company.
Following the highly successful and unusual art exhibition curated by Aberdeen Artists Society last year, the National Trust for Scotland is to host a second event at Haddo. This year the theme is ‘connections’ and artists will be displaying sculpture, installations, film, painting, textiles and photography in the unique spaces in and around the South Wing courtyard of the historic mansion.
Classical music fans will be delighted to hear that Haddo House Choral & Operatic Society will perform Handel’s Samson oratorio while members of the Maxwell Quartet plan to bring their unique style to a performance of two masterpieces by Mozart and Debussy.
Haddo House
Baroque music is the forte of Red Priest, a group of four performers passionate about interpreting great classics on recorder, cello, violin and harpsichord in their own distinctive style. Scottish Opera will also be making a welcome return to Haddo with the highly popular Opera Highlights show featuring a diverse array of music by composers including Vaughan Williams, Mozart and Delibes.
To find out more about these and other items on the programme or to book tickets for the Merry Widow, visit https://www.haddoarts.com/events/opera-bohemia-the-merry-widow-by-franz-lehar/
Full programme details are available at www.haddoarts.com
Haddo Arts Festival 2019 is supported by the MacRobert Trust, the David & June Gordon Memorial Trust, CNOOC International, The Hugh Fraser Foundation, Enterprise Music Scotland and the Northwood Trust and sponsored by BP, Meldrum House Country House Hotel & Golf Club and Jim Reid Vehicle Sales.
The annual arts Festival is the major project run by Haddo Arts, is an exciting organisation which brings a unique artistic experience to Haddo. Working with world-class artists and makers, with local professionals and communities, schools and other arts organisations, Haddo Arts is creating a distinctive annual programme across the whole of Haddo – the House, the Hall and the Country Park.
Author
TAGS
FOLLOW US
