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| George Vass & the Presteigne Festival Orchestra (Photo: Presteigne Festival) |
This year’s Presteigne Festival, which runs from 21 to 25 August 2025, marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975), among the most influential musical voices of the 20th century, with a retrospective celebrating his powerfully profound chamber works. Alongside these will be an array of works by contemporary composers. The closing concert of the festival features the festival’s artistic director, George Vass conducting the festival orchestra in the Shostakovich/Barshai Chamber Symphony Op. 110a alongside the premieres of Huw Watkins’ Concertino for Clarinet and string orchestra (with soloist Robert Plane) and Edward Gregson’s Aubade (Gregson celebrates his 80th birthday later this month).
One festival highlight is the premiere of Ninfea Cruttwell-Reade’s opera Scenes from ‘Under Milk Wood’ performed
by Nova Music Opera, conducted by George Vass. Rather than setting
Dylan Thomas’ complete play, Cruttwell-Reade has chosen to set scenes in
a way that brings individual characters to life.
Jamaican-born Eleanor Alberga is the composer in residence and her music in the festival includes the premiere of her song cycle Glimpses, Glances performed by mezzo-soprano Marta Fontanals-Simmons and the Goethe Quartet, along with performances of her ;String Quartet No. 2. Her Violin Concerto No. 2 ‘Narcissus’ will be performed by Benjamin Nabarro with the festival orchestra, conducted by George Vass in a concert that also includes Cecilia McDowall’s Da Vinci Requiem and Cheryl Frances-Hoad’s With what sudden joy. There is also a chance to hear Alberga in conversation with composer Thomas Hyde. [see my 2022 interview with her].
Marta Fontanals-Simmons will also give the premiere of Gavin Higgins’ Four Faerie Folk-Songs [extracted from his cantata The Faerie Bride, see my review] with pianist Timothy End in a concert that includes music by John Casken, Thomas Hyde and Mahler, plus Shostakovich’s Four Spanish Songs (no, I hadn’t come across these before, either).
The festival is also presenting new commissions by Kerensa Briggs, James Francis Brown, Martin Butler, Dani Howard, Tayla-Leigh Payne, James B Wilson and Derri Joseph Lewis (a member of the 2025 Royal Philharmonic Society composer programme). Alongside these will be music by Thomas Adès, Jonathan Dove, Mared Emlyn, Roxanna Panufnik, Steve Reich, Caroline Shaw, Mark Simpson and Judith Weir.
Full details from the festival website.
