Spring is coming to Snape, with Britten Pears Arts announcing its Spring season

Aldeburgh Young Musicians

Spring is coming to Snape, with Britten Pears Arts announcing its Spring season, with visitors including Aurora Orchestra and English Touring Opera, Easter celebrations and lunchtime concerts from Britten Pears Young Artist Programme.

There is a weekend in May devoted to celebrating Aurora Orchestra’s 20th birthday, with Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals presented with renowned physical-theatre-makers Frantic Assembly alongside Richard Ayres’ riotous new work Dr Frompou’s Anatomical Study of an Orchestra, and there is also an immersive presentation of the Saint-Saens aimed at Early Years, plus Nicholas Collon conducts Aurora Orchestra in Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with mezzo-soprano Alice Coote and tenor Andrew Staples.  Whilst English Touring Opera will be bringing their new production of Bellini’s not-inspired-by-Shakespeare The Capulets & The Montagues.

Cantatas, orchestral and choral music by JS Bach is being presented at Blythburgh Church for Eastertide, with Ben Parry conducting the Britten Pears Chamber Choir, soloists who are alumni of the Britten Pears Young Artist Programme, and the Suffolk Ensemble.  Whilst there is Easter-themed family fun at the Red House and at Snape Maltings.

Every Friday from late January to mid-April, Britten Pears Arts presents twelve Friday Lunchtime Concerts at 12pm. The majority take place in the historic Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall, with one each taking place at Snape Maltings and Orford Church. The series features performances by young ensembles in the 2024-25 Britten Pears Young Artist Programme as part of their residencies in Snape and Aldeburgh. 

And there is more to explore when it comes to residencies at Snape, because artists taking part in Britten Pears Arts Residencies offer a look behind the scenes and experience of work-in-progress as part of Open Sessions. Artists participating in these are mother-and-daughter Naomi Burrell (violinist and composer) and Margareta Burrell (composer), a collaboration between Brìghde Chaimbeul and Martin Green centred on the Scottish smallpipes that merges traditional acoustics with electronic systems into a single sonic entity, Hannah Catherine Jones exploring theremin, waterphone, and voice, and choreographer and composer Dickson Mbi collaborating with singer/songwriter Nicki Wells and cellist Gabriella Swallow.

Aldeburgh Young Musicians (AYM) which offers creative and collaborative musical training for promising young musicians aged 10-18, is offering an all-day open house and a taster morning, for those interested in joining.

At the Red House, curated by Paul Edmondson, Spiritual Britten explores the spiritual aspects of his life and music.

Full details from the Britten Pears Arts website.