EVENTS DIARY 2026
11.30am
2.30pm Zoë Gilby with Andy Champion plus Johnny Hunter Trio with Nat Birchall
3.30pm Walk in the Footsteps of our Ancestors: 5,000 Years of Buxton History 15
3.30pm An Exploration of Fairfield’s History 15
4pm Naz Shah MP 52
6pm Pump Room Talk: Dr Hillary Burlock 14
6pm Opera Talk: Amadigi di Gaula 23
7.15pm Amadigi di Gaula 23
Anthony Delany
3.30pm An Audience with Mary Queen of Scots 15
6pm Opera Talk: The Merry Widow 19
6pm Opera Talk: La liberazione di Ruggiero 27
Will Duerden, Daniil Margulis and Svitlana Kosenko
THE FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE
Buxton is a beautiful spa town in the High Peak, home to breathtaking architecture and surrounded by the lush countryside of the Peak District National Park. The Festival campus is centred around the Buxton Opera House, and the five main venues are all within easy walking distance of each other. The adjacent Pavilion Gardens, the Slopes and the Serpentine offer tranquil green spaces in which to relax, while there are an abundance of cafes, restaurants, delis and bars close by.
A TYPICAL DAY
Delve into a single event or make a day of it – or a weekend, a week, or even the whole Festival! Here is what a typical day may look like:
10am Start your day with an opinion-forming book talk by some of the UK’s most read non-fiction writers
11.15am Relax at a classical music concert in the glory of St John’s Church
12.30pm Join the conversation of the day at a pre-lunch book event by some of the foremost thinkers in the UK today
2pm On selected days, there will be a matinee performance of five of the six operas
3pm Indulge in more world-class classical music at St John’s Church, or explore the town on one of Explore Buxton’s informative guided walking tours at 3.30pm
4pm Hear from leading academics, philosophers, politicians, scientists or economists at the afternoon book talks
6pm Attend a pre-performance Opera Talk by members of the creative teams of the operas
7.15pm Spectacular opera, featuring world-class singers, at Buxton Opera House and the Pavilion Arts Centre
8pm-late Late-night jazz the Palace Hotel or at the Pavilion Arts Centre
OUR HISTORY
Buxton International Festival has been thrilling audiences since 1979. We have a reputation for offering often once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to hear sublime but rarely performed operas, and more recently also newly commissioned works. Initially founded to help restore Buxton Opera House, the Festival has run every year bar 2020, when our Digital Series was launched during the pandemic. Internationally acclaimed singers, musicians and speakers are attracted to our Festival in this beautiful spa town. Our Young Artists and Young Instrumentalists Programmes continue to introduce audiences to the rising stars of the future. Since 2025, BIF is privileged to have their own orchestra comprising a mix of highly experienced and newly professional young players.
'While almost every opera outfit in the country is drawing in its hor ns, Buxton International Festival is blithely expanding its horizons.' – Martin Dreyer, Opera
This quote from Opera magazine sums up the ambition behind this year’s programme, as we welcome you to the 47th Buxton International Festival.
We’re continuing our collaboration with the Norwich Theatre on a joint production of Verdi’s La traviata, building on the festival’s long history of staging Verdi operas. Mozart enthusiasts will enjoy our staged concert version of La clemenza di Tito and Viardot fans will be charmed by Le dernier sorcier, which will take place in the Pavilion Arts Centre. At the other end of the operatic spectrum, the return of The English Concert to the orchestra pit to play Handel’s Amadigi di Gaula for us is a rare treat and should not be missed. We are grateful to George and Daphne Burnett who have provided generous support for this new production.
The success of a festival lies not just in its own programming, but in the partnerships we are able to develop. Working together with other acclaimed companies is not only sensible but brings a vital new aesthetic and energy to our festival. Alex Reedijk and I have been plotting for years to bring Scottish Opera to Buxton, and I am delighted that we are finally in a position to present their hugely successful production of Lehár’s The Merry Widow. Our partnership
of Caccini’s La liberazione di Ruggiero to the Pavilion Arts Centre. Adrian has programmed two concerts with the Vache Baroque in the Assembly Rooms and St John’s, giving our festival a distinctly baroque flavour.
10%OFF OPERA*
*When you book 3 out of 4 selected operas
Choose from: Amadigi di Gaula, Le dernier sorcier, La liberazione di Ruggiero, La clemenza di Tito
BUXTONOPERAHOU
Last year, we successfully launched the Festival’s first resident orchestra. Our aim was to create an orchestra that would best serve our artistic goals, work with established professional musicians, and support emerging new talent. The Buxton International Festival Orchestra’s first season received positive reviews and enthusiastic feedback from our audience. This year BIFO will be playing for two operas and the operetta in the Opera House.
Thank you once again to our Artistic Director, Adrian Kelly, for curating and casting this year’s ambitious opera and music programme. This year marks the final book festival curated by our long-standing Book Director, the inimitable Victoria Dawson. Since 2019, Vicky has produced a constellation of celebrated authors every year, building the reputation of our ‘Opinion Forming’ event into one of the UK’s top book festivals. Vicky, thank you for your hard work, long conversations, and tireless troubleshooting. We also say goodbye and thank you to Neil Hughes, who ran the four Jazz series from 2022–2025, and welcome Wesley Stephenson, who joins us this season as our new Jazz Director.
Our festival wouldn’t be possible without the support from our Chair, Felicity Goodey, and the members of our board, the various Trusts and Foundations, corporate donors, High Peak Borough Council, syndicate members, and individual donors who help us deliver the highquality festival Buxton deserves. And a special mention, too, of the contribution from our two kindred organisations: the Friends of BIF, for their annual grant, and the BIF Foundation.
Now that you have our brochure in your hand, all that’s left is to buy your tickets and join us for another fabulous festival – we can’t wait to welcome you!
Michael Williams Chief Executive Officer
AT A GLANCE: OPERA
FRIDAY 10 JULY
THE MERRY WIDOW
Opera Talk 6pm Performance 7.15pm p19
SATURDAY 11 JULY
LA TRAVIATA
Opera Talk 6pm Performance 7.15pm p21
SUNDAY 12 JULY
AMADIGI DI GAULA
Opera Talk 12.45pm Performance 2pm p23
MONDAY 13 JULY
LE DERNIER SORCIER 7.15pm p27
TUESDAY 14 JULY
THE MERRY WIDOW
Opera Talk 6pm Performance 7.15pm p19
WEDNESDAY 15 JULY
LA TRAVIATA
Opera Talk 12.45pm Performance 2pm p21
LA LIBERAZIONE DI RUGGIERO 7.15pm p27
THURSDAY 16 JULY
AMADIGI DI GAULA
Opera Talk 6pm Performance 7.15pm p23
LE DERNIER SORCIER 7.15pm p25
FRIDAY 17 JULY
THE MERRY WIDOW
Opera Talk 6pm Performance 7.15pm p19
LA LIBERAZIONE DI
RUGGIERO
Opera Talk 6pm Performance 7.15pm p27
SATURDAY 18 JULY
LA TRAVIATA
Opera Talk 6pm Performance 7.15pm p21
SUNDAY 19 JULY
LA LIBERAZIONE DI RUGGIERO
Opera Talk 12.45pm Performance 2pm p27
LA CLEMENZA DI TITO Opera Talk 1.45pm Performance 3pm p29
MONDAY 20 JULY
AMADIGI DI GAULA Opera Talk 6pm Performance 7.15pm p23
LE DERNIER SORCIER 7.15pm p25
TUESDAY 21 JULY
THE MERRY WIDOW
Opera Talk 12.45pm Performance 2pm p19
LA LIBERAZIONE DI RUGGIERO 7.15pm p27
WEDNESDAY 22 JULY
LA TRAVIATA
Opera Talk 6pm Performance 7.15pm p21
THURSDAY 23 JULY
LA CLEMENZA DI TITO 7.15pm p29
FRIDAY 24 JULY
THE MERRY WIDOW
Opera Talk 6pm Performance 7.15pm p19
SATURDAY 25 JULY
LE DERNIER SORCIER 1.30pm p25
LA TRAVIATA
Opera Talk 6pm Performance 7.15pm p21
Reserve your souvenir programme now and save! £12 if reserved before 1 June (£15 regular price)
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Buxton International Festival offers a breathtaking setting for an unforgettable celebration of opera, music, books, and jazz. With this year’s concert series, we have done our best to outdo last year’s offering, with an outstanding line-up of world-class artists.
This year marks something of a new departure for the opera programme. While the Festival has always been committed to presenting lesser known works, it has become clear that as the cultural landscape changes, the Festival needs to adapt. And so it is that, as well as offering two neglected operas by female composers, we also present two of the best-loved works in the canon, namely Giuseppe Verdi’s iconic opera La traviata and Franz Lehár’s everpopular operetta, The Merry Widow Director John Savournin hails from Buxton, and his witty take on The Merry Widow marks a welcome first collaboration for the Festival with one of the most dynamic national companies, Scottish Opera. Our new production of La traviata represents a third collaboration with the Norwich Theatre. James Hurley directs an international cast in Verdi’s timeless tale of love and sacrifice. Both productions will feature the Buxton International summer contributed so much to the success of
than Clara Schumann, Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms. Lysanne van Overbeek (La canterina 2024) returns to the Festival to direct.
Francesca Caccini was a consummate singer, musician and composer, and a contemporary of Claudio Monteverdi. La liberazione di Ruggiero was the first opera written by a woman. Vache Baroque has demonstrated its commitment to delivering baroque opera with freshness and flair, and I am thrilled that we will continue our collaboration with them.
Vache Baroque will also present two intriguing concert programmes. This year we are also working with the Continuo Foundation to bring more outstanding emerging baroque ensembles to the Festival, namely Newe Vialles and Música d’Outrora. There will also be an opportunity to hear the world-renowned harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani in recital at the Festival for the first time.
Our third mainstage opera sees a welcome return of the The English Concert to the pit of the Buxton Amadigi di is one of his so-called 'magic' operas, and its music is full of the lightness and elegance that characterises Handel’s earlier works. Olivia Fuchs directs and conductor Erin Helyard
Once again we will present two smaller operas in the Pavilion Arts Centre, both
Viardot was a star singer century. Early performances were attended by none other
There will also be an extraordinary wealth of classical and romantic chamber music repertoire to be heard, ranging from Mozart and Haydn to Schumann, Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Smetana performed by outstanding ensembles such as the Sacconi Quartet, the Sitkovetsky Trio, the Gould Piano Trio and the Brodsky Quartet.
There will also be a rare opportunity to hear Mozart’s sublime late opera, La clemenza di Tito in a concert staging at Buxton Opera House.
2026 also brings a welcome return to Buxton for The Hallé orchestra after an absence of over 60 years. Their programme in the Octagon concludes with Brahms’ masterful Fourth Symphony . It should be an event to remember. Elsewhere, pianist Joseph Middleton returns to curate another series of vocal recitals, featuring a truly stellar group of singers. Other high-profile soloists include renowned cellist Steven Isserlis and pianists Peter Donohoe and Isata Kanneh-Mason. Allison Cook, whose charisma captivated audiences last summer in La voix humaine, performs Schoenberg’s early melodrama Pierrot Lunaire in a concert which also features Schoenberg’s arrangement of Mahler’s Symphony No. 4.
Also watch out for the extraordinary young pianist, Junyan Chen, whose programme features Rachmaninov and Gershwin.
As always, we have endeavoured to pack as much inspirational music into two and a half weeks. I hope you enjoy it!
Adrian Kelly Artistic Director
AT A GLANCE: MUSIC
FRIDAY 10 JULY
SACCONI QUARTET 3pm p32
SATURDAY 11 JULY
VOICES OF THE PEAKS 11.30am p34
SUNDAY 12 JULY FESTIVAL MASS 11am p17
MAHAN ESFAHANI 5.30pm p38
MONDAY 13 JULY
LOUISE ALDER WITH JOSEPH MIDDLETON 11.15am p40
SITKOVETSKY TRIO 3pm p41
SONG AT SIX 6pm p17
TUESDAY 14 JULY
NICKY SPENCE AND JOSEPH MIDDLETON 11.15am p43
STEVEN ISSERLIS AND CONNIE SHIH 3pm p44
OPERA IN THE CAVERN 4.30pm p45
MUSICALS IN THE CAVERN 5.30pm p45
WEDNESDAY 15 JULY
RYAN CORBETT 9.30am p46
DAME SARAH CONNOLLY AND JOSEPH MIDDLETON 11.15am p47
JUNYAN CHEN 3pm p48
SONG AT SIX 6pm p17
THURSDAY 16 JULY
RODERICK WILLIAMS AND JOSEPH MIDDLETON 11.15am p50
PADDINGTON TRIO 3pm p51
FRIDAY 17 JULY ESCOCIA DUO 11.15am p53
THE GOULD PIANO TRIO 3pm p54
SATURDAY 18 JULY WILL DUERDEN 11.15am p57
THE VACHE BAROQUE BAND 3pm p58
SUNDAY 19 JULY
FESTIVAL MASS 11am p17
LIZZIE BALL WITH JAMES PEARSON 7pm p60
TWENTIETH-CENTURY DIN 8pm p61
MONDAY 20 JULY
THE VACHE BAROQUE BAND 11.15am p62
BRODSKY QUARTET 3pm p63
TUESDAY 21 JULY
NEWE VIALLES 11.15am p65
PETER DONOHOE 3pm p66
SONG AT SIX 6pm p17
WEDNESDAY 22 JULY
BEN TARLTON 9.30am p68
MÚSICA D’OUTRORA 11.15am p69
COLOUR MY SONG 1.45pm p70
ALEXANDER
ARMSTRONG, CLAIRE BOOTH AND ANDREW MATTHEWS-OWEN 3pm p70
THURSDAY 23 JULY
EWAN MILLAR AND TOMOS BOYLES 11.15am p72
THE HALLÉ 3pm p73
OPERA IN THE CAVERN 4.30pm p74
MUSICALS IN THE CAVERN 5.30pm p74
SONG AT SIX 6pm p17
FRIDAY 24 JULY DELPHINE TRIO 11.15am p76
ISATA KANNEH-MASON 3pm p77
SONG AT SIX 6pm p17
SATURDAY 25 JULY
JACK HANCHER 11.15am p80
ALASTAIR MILES AND MARIE-NOËLLE KENDALL 3pm p82
SUNDAY 26 JULY
FESTIVAL MASS 11am p17
AT A GLANCE: MUSIC
We’re living in an incredible period of history for modern jazz with the art form fully embracing diversity in so many ways, fusing with wider world music.
As newly appointed Jazz Director for BIF, I’m delighted to present our series of events for 2026, it’s a great pleasure to be welcomed by the Buxton team.
I’m thoroughly looking forward to presenting a wide range of high quality contemporary jazz in some of the excellent venues the town has to offer. Jazz remains a consistently evolving, compelling and life-affirming source of education and entertainment. As a wide-reaching art form our series will deliver jazz for longtime enthusiasts and new listeners of all ages.
We’re living in an incredible period of history for modern jazz with the art form fully embracing diversity in so many ways, fusing with wider world music, our jazz events series features a veritable plethora of award winning artists.
Not so much a throwback as a throw forward we have some exceptional talent delivering their own particular homages to modern jazz. Denys Baptiste and Tony Kofi play Legacy: Coltrane and Cannonball, a superb double bill of Zoë Gilby with Andy Champion and their unique take on the music of Duke Ellington, alongside one of the North's greatest drummers Johnny Hunter tackling the music of Elvin Jones. A brand new project from Noa Levy, Alan Barnes and the Paul Edis Trio ‘Portrait in Evans’ is also set to feature.
Folk weaves its way through the programme, from the Nordic-rooted Josephine Davies Satori featuring the inspirational piano magic of Alcyona Mick, to highly acclaimed trumpeter Laura Jurd presenting ‘Rights and Revelations’ quintet, recently appearing across multiple albums of the year in Jazzwise critics poll.
low whistle playing that has found comparison with none other than the great Charlie Parker. Music of South Asian origin is heard in our musical tapestry including Indian classical, American folk and Appalachian tunes from folk-jazz accordion and violin duo Olivia Moore and Adam Fairhall; as well as the British-Asian musician and composer Arun Ghosh, a leading light on the UK jazz scene and pioneer of the modern IndoJazz sound.
More light can be found with Andrew McCormack Trio on his ‘Luminosity’ album tour, and Mario Bakuna Quartet take us off in a compellingly awesome journey of ‘Brazilian Landscapes’.
On Saturday and Sunday nights, we are graced with jazz royalty. Our superstar headliners include US pianist Darius Brubeck at The Palace and UK saxophonist Courtney Pine presenting his Modern Day Jazz Story 1986-2026 at Buxton Opera House.
Following the big Jazz Weekender, The Old Clubhouse opens for three relaxed late night jazz sessions - a lovely new, low-key venue to visit after the opera. Two Friday night sessions with Gaz Hughes’ piano trio and the Blind Monk saxophone trio and, dotted right in the middle, the Wednesday night session will embrace the mellow voice and guitar duo of Buxton locals Hannah Brine with Bim Williams.
Also appearing as we decamp down the Palace steps to the Pavilion Arts Centre, will be the uber cool Easy Rollers, who’ll treat us to the musical roots of 1920s and ‘30s Harlem, Kansas City and New Orleans; the Gaelic undertones of lauded Scottish pianist Fergus McCredie (recently head hunted by legendary US filmmaker Spike Lee); and the contemporary hip jazz styling of Dennis Rollins with special guest guitarist Cameron Pierre bringing his very own modern jazz and Caribbean roots.
To finish our series for the year we’re joined by legendary former drummer and founding member of Yes and King Crimson, Bill Bruford performing alongside the electric Pete Roth Trio.
It’s an absolutely exceptional series of events with every concert a standout headliner in its own right, catch as much of it as you possibly can! We look forward to welcoming you to our 2026 jazz series for Buxton International Festival.
Wesley Stephenson Jazz Director
AT A GLANCE: JAZZ
THURSDAY 9 JULY
LAURA JURD 6.30pm p30
TONY KOFI AND DENYS BAPTISTE QUINTET 9pm p30
FRIDAY 10 JULY ANDREW
MCCORMACK TRIO 12pm p31
ZOË GILBY WITH ANDY CHAMPION PLUS JOHNNY HUNTER TRIO WITH NAT BIRCHALL 2.30pm p32
MARIO BAKUNA QUARTET 8pm p33
JOSEPHINE DAVIES WITH SATORI AND ALCYONA MICK 10.15pm p33
SATURDAY 11 JULY
NOA LEVY, ALAN BARNES AND THE PAUL EDIS TRIO –PORTRAIT IN EVANS 1pm p35
ALINA
BZHEZHINSKA –HIPHARPCOLLECTIVE QUINTET 7pm p36
DARIUS BRUBECK QUARTET 10pm p36
SUNDAY 12 JULY
FRASER FIFIELD –SECRET PATH TRIO PLUS OLIVIA MOORE AND ADAM FAIRHALL 1pm p37
ARUN GHOSH QUINTET 4pm p38
COURTNEY PINE 9pm p39
FRIDAY 17 JULY
GAZ HUGHES TRIO 10pm p56
SATURDAY 18 JULY
THE EASY ROLLERS 3pm p59
FERGUS MCCREADIE TRIO 8pm p59
WEDNESDAY 22 JULY
HANNAH BRINE WITH BIM WILLIAMS 10pm p71
THURSDAY 23 JULY DENNIS ROLLINS
VELOCITY TRIO WITH CAMERON PIERRE 8pm p75
FRIDAY 24 JULY
BLIND MONK TRIO 10pm p79
SATURDAY 25 JULY
PETE ROTH TRIO WITH BILL BRUFORD 8pm p83
The word humanity features in many of the books from this year’s authors, humanity being the ability to love, to have compassion, to be creative, to be alive, not be a robot…
Can attending your favourite arts festival cure a troubled mind? Your personal creativity and curiosity cure starts here.
Iam often asked if there is a theme to each year’s BIF books programme. My immediate answer is, not at all, that would be too limiting. But I have observed that the word ‘humanity’ inadvertently features in many of our authors’ books this year. They define it as the ability to love, create and show compassion; in essence, the quality of being truly alive rather than acting like a robot. Yes, our book festival covers conflict, inequality and the dangers of power, but we also look at hope, heroism, diplomacy, trust, lives lived in nature and through art, kindness, curiosity and exception.
We know from her rapturous reception in 2022 that Lady Hale is an inspiration to many. In her new book, she seeks to demystify the UK court system and to examine why justice matters. Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, has arguably done more to change the accessibility of knowledge than any other internet entrepreneur. Jimmy posits that without trust, we have no knowledge – and without knowledge, we cannot fight back. As always, there are serendipitous segues across our books programme; for instance, authors Arthur Snell and Klaus Dodds will both consider what climate change will actually look like. Will the diplomat and the academic agree?
Naz Shah, Liam Byrne, and Sir Chris Bryant are all sitting MPs. Liam will consider the rise of populism, while Naz and Chris discuss how they challenged
deep commitment to societal change.
Our glorious golden and blingy triptych of art historians includes James Fox, Andrew GrahamDixon and Lachlan Goudie. Acknowledged as superb communicators on all art matters, they will tackle questions such as ‘How do you paint a masterpiece?’ and ‘Does craft matter and do we need to save it?’
Gavin Francis and Claudia Hammond are both experts in the field of mental health. Gavin has three decades experience as a GP and broadcaster, while Claudia is the popular presenter of Radio 4’s All in the Mind. Gavin believes that the mind is dynamic and adaptive, and Claudia will offer us a toolkit for mindful self-help. Can attending your favourite arts festival cure a troubled mind?
Jay Griffiths argues that animals can heal us, but can they also guide us to be healthier, fairer and kinder? As we celebrate 75 years of the Peak District National Park, perhaps it is our beautiful Derbyshire landscape that brings you joy. If so, we have talks on walking with Nicholas Crane and the beauty of ancient woodlands with Luke Barley. If concert halls are your sanctuary, consider an hour in the company of Julia Boyd celebrating Wigmore Hall in all its ‘sweet music’ or combine music and nature in a flora and fauna appreciation of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with Radio 3 presenter Hannah French.
turmoil in their own upbringing – bringing a
We have a treasure trove of historians at Buxton this July. Sir Antony Beevor, Kate Williams, Edward Abel Smith, Alison Weir, Victoria Bateman, Anthony Delaney, Ruth Larsen, Andrea Wulf and Caroline Moorehead will cover royalty, fanaticism, opinion formers and disrupters to the downright bad of history. Victoria Bateman challenges, 'How many female entrepreneurs, merchants and industrialists can you name'?
Each audience member will interrogate our programme in their own way. Some will know immediately if they want to see a literary favourite; others will visit the books to be discussed and be prepared to be challenged. Others will look up our authors’ lives and their wider bodies of work. If you want to consider the definition of courage, then do look up our final speaker, Reuters journalist Peter Apps. We have had some very courageous speakers come to Buxton, and he is surely one of them.
Victoria Dawson Book Festival Director
AT A GLANCE: BOOKS
SATURDAY 11 JULY
ARTHUR SNELL 10am p34
LIAM BYRNE MP 12.30pm p35
MONDAY 13 JULY
LUKE BARLEY 10am p40
SIR NICK CLEGG 12.30pm p41
VICTORIA BATEMAN 4pm p42
TUESDAY 14 JULY
KLAUS DODDS 10am p43
LADY HALE 12.30pm p44
JAMES FOX 4pm p45
WEDNESDAY 15 JULY
ROBERT VERKAIK 10am p46
HANNAH FRENCH 12.30pm p47
ALISON WEIR 3pm p49
THURSDAY 16 JULY
JAY GRIFFITHS 10am p50
JIMMY WALES 12.30pm p51
NAZ SHAH MP 4pm p52
FRIDAY 17 JULY
CLAUDIA HAMMOND 10am p53
ANDREW GRAHAMDIXON 12.30pm p54
ANTHONY DELANY 3pm p55
SATURDAY 18 JULY
NICHOLAS CRANE 10am p57
KATE WILLIAMS 12.30pm p58
MONDAY 20 JULY
EDWARD ABEL SMITH 12.30pm p62
ANDREA WULF 4pm p64
TUESDAY 21 JULY
RUTH LARSEN 10am p65
MARTIN SIXSMITH 3pm p67
WEDNESDAY 22 JULY
SIR CHRIS BRYANT 10am p68
SIR ANTONY BEEVOR 12.30pm p69
GAVIN FRANCIS 4pm p71
THURSDAY 23 JULY
JULIA BOYD 10am p72
LACHLAN GOUDIE 4pm p74
FRIDAY 24 JULY
EMMA CHAPMAN 10am p76
JOHN CRACE 12.30pm p77
IAIN DALE AND STEVE RICHARDS 4pm p78
SATURDAY 25 JULY CAROLINE MOOREHEAD 10am p80
IAIN DALE, DEBORAH HAYNES AND THE GENERALS 12.30pm p81
PETER APPS 4pm p82
BIF 2026: PUMP ROOM TALKS
REBECCA WILLIAMS AND KATHRYN ECCLESTONE
Monday 13 July 6pm – 7pm Pump Room £14
Vera Brittain and Buxton: Shaping a Social Reformer
According to Vera Brittain’s acclaimed First World War memoir, Testament of Youth, ‘provincial young ladyhood’ in fashionable Edwardian Buxton was an oppressive hindrance to her feminist ambitions. Were Vera’s remorseless criticisms justified? Drawing on her extensive unpublished diary, a new biography tells a different story. Author Kathryn Ecclestone and Rebecca Williams, Vera’s granddaughter and daughter of politician Shirley Williams, discuss how Vera’s enjoyable, privileged upbringing in Buxton helped shape her views on marriage, motherhood and public service, and her evolution as a woman Shirley described as a ‘moral icon’.
PHIL
MULLIGAN,
CHIEF EXECUTIVE, PEAK DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY
Wednesday 15 July 6pm – 7pm Pump Room £14
Celebrating the UK’s first national park – achievements, realities and future opportunities
In this talk, the CEO explores the remarkable legacy and ongoing significance of the UK’s first national park, reflecting on what national parks have done for society, from conserving landscapes and wildlife to enriching communities and inspiring wellbeing. Celebrating past achievements, the talk also confronts current challenges such as environmental pressures and resource constraints, and sets out an ambitious vision for future opportunities, emphasising what we now need to do to ensure national parks continue to thrive for generations to come.
DR HILLARY BURLOCK
Thursday 16 July 6pm – 7pm Pump Room
£14
‘Narrow examinations’ and ‘thoro inspections’: Dancing at the Georgian Assembly Rooms What would it be like to attend a ball at the assembly rooms in Georgian Britain? From the opening minuets to the closing country dances, Hillary’s talk will explore the colourful characters, the stunning spaces, the triumphs and faux pas within the assembly rooms in Buxton and beyond. Join Hillary as she navigates the spoken and unspoken rules of the Georgian ballroom. Hillary is a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Liverpool, working on the histories of British assembly rooms in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
DR PETER COLLINGE
Monday 20 July 6pm – 7pm Pump Room
Domestic Service in England, 1750–1850
£14
Finding and keeping domestic servants was a perennial quest. Aside from seeking new positions, servants absconded, were dismissed, became too old or ill, or were poached by rival establishments. From the dubious origins of servants’ register offices to country houses, Dr Collinge brings the lived experiences of domestic servants vividly to life. In an illustrated presentation, Peter will explore both benevolent and cruel employers of hard-working, dedicated and, occasionally, rogue staff. Without them, great estates, town houses and suburban villas and their occupants could not function.
MATT SCOTT-CAMPBELL, PARTNERSHIP MANAGER, MOORS FOR THE FUTURE PARTNERSHIP
Wednesday 22 July 6pm – 7pm Pump Room
£14
A deep dive into peatland restoration – working in partnership to create resilient moorlands at landscape scale
Over the past twenty years, the peatlands of the Peak District have been transforming. Formerly vast expanses of bare peat on our uplands are becoming diverse, vegetated landscapes that hold water on the hills, providing natural flood management, as well as homes for moorland birds and animals. Find out the story of how a partnership of organisations and communities has been working together to make this change come about.
BIF 2026: FESTIVAL WALKS
INTRODUCTION TO BUXTON’S HISTORY AND HERITAGE
Friday 10 July 11.30am – 1pm
Friday 17 July 11.30am – 1pm
Meet at Buxton Opera House
£20
Never visited Buxton before? Discover how this elegant spa town developed, shaped by its thermal waters and changing fortunes. Explore iconic buildings, stroll along Spring Gardens, and uncover a few hidden secrets on a gentle walk around Lower Buxton with a Discover Buxton guide. Wheelchair accessible route but includes uneven pavements, inclines and a small hill.
WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS: 5,000 YEARS OF BUXTON HISTORY
Friday 10 July 3.30pm – 5.30pm
Wednesday 15 July 11.30am – 1.30pm
Meet at Buxton Opera House
£20
Follow a Discover Buxton guide through Pavilion Gardens and the Serpentine Walks, alongside the river and into Lismore Fields. Learn about ancient landscapes and the site of a remarkable Neolithic settlement with deep roots in Buxton’s past. Route not accessible and includes uneven paths, inclines and a small hill.
VERA BRITTAIN, BUXTON AND A TESTAMENT TO LOST YOUTH
Saturday 11 July 11.30am – 1pm
Saturday 18 July 11.30am – 1pm
Saturday 25 July 11.30am – 1pm
Meet at Devonshire Dome reception
£20
Meet Vera Brittain where she worked as a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse in 1915. Hear the story of a bright Edwardian woman caught between personal ambition and the demands of war and empire, told through a moving guided walk and performance.
Includes walking around and outside the Dome. Wheelchair accessible with ramp access.
AN AUDIENCE WITH MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
Monday 13 July 11.30am – 1pm
Friday 17 July 3.30pm – 5pm
Friday 24 July 3.30pm – 5pm
Meet at Old Hall Hotel
£20
Mary Queen of Scots invites you to hear her story in the shadow of Talbot’s Tower, where she was held under house arrest. Through a seated performance and short walk, she reflects on power, confinement and life in Buxton during her captivity.
Wheelchair accessible with a short walk to the baths and River Wye.
AN EXPLORATION OF FAIRFIELD’S HISTORY
Monday 13 July 3.30pm – 5.30pm
Thursday 16 July 3.30pm – 5.30pm
Tuesday 21 July 3.30pm – 5.30pm
Meet at Fairfield War Memorial, The Green
£20
Once a village in its own right, Fairfield has a rich and distinctive past. Join a Discover Buxton guide to explore historic farmsteads, influential families and the folklore passed down through generations on this atmospheric walk.
Route not wheelchair accessible and includes uneven, muddy paths and inclines.
THROUGH THE HERITAGE LENS: A ROAD REVEALS ITS SECRETS
Tuesday 14 July 3.30pm – 5pm
Monday 20 July 11.30am – 1pm
Wednesday 22 July 3.30pm – 5pm
Meet at the Bath House at the corner of Macclesfield Rd and Burlington Rd
£20
History whispers along Burlington Road. Join a Discover Buxton guide for a gentle walk uncovering stories of cold springs, industry and everyday life hidden along this unassuming street.
Wheelchair accessible route with one steep driveway. Walk starts at the Bath House and ends on St John’s Road.
RAISING THE CURTAIN - A PEEK AT THE HISTORY OF THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE IN BUXTON
Weds 22 July 11.30am – 1pm
Friday 24 July 11.30am – 1pm
Meet at Buxton Opera House
£20
Step into Buxton’s theatrical past on this entertaining walk led by a Discover Buxton guide. From early venues to the present day, explore where audiences have gathered to be amused, inspired and amazed for centuries.
Wheelchair accessible route, mainly flat with one small incline.
THIS YEAR THE PEAK DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK IS CELEBRATING ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY!
The Peak District became the UK’s first national park, designated on 17 April, 1951. With the foundations set by a group of pioneering ramblers some 20 years earlier and the work of campaigners, the Peak District eventually paved the way for what would become a UK network of 15 national parks enjoyed today.
Located at the heart of the UK, featuring rolling green hills and dark moorlands, this amazing national park is a living landscape of ecological, historic and cultural significance.
Neolithic burial grounds and reminders of Roman invasion coexist amongst woodlands, wetlands, and wildflower meadows which provide vital habitats for nature; medieval farmsteads stand with the 3,000 farms that help feed the nation!
If you love the Peak District as a place to live, work or visit, support the Foundation today and help protect our National Park for the future; find out more: peakdistrictfoundation.org.uk
LANDSCAPES UNLOCKED: AN HISTORIC IMAGE ARCHIVE OF THE PEAK DISTRICT
10-25 July
Pump Room
FREE exhibition
This expansive and previously unseen collection of unique images reveals the people, places, and landscapes of the Peak District throughout the 20th century to the present day.
Once the exhibition closes in Buxton it will move to our National Park Centre in Bakewell where it will remain for 12 months.
See p14 for more information on their Pump Room talks
WE’RE ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET AND YOU’RE INVITED See
FESTIVAL MASSES
Sunday 12 July
11am – 12.30pm St Johns’ Church
Mass in C K220, the Sparrow Mass
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Buxton Madrigal Singers with the Buxton Music Society Orchestra
Conductor: Michael Williams MBE
Preacher: Bishop Rowan Williams
Sunday 19 July
11am – 12.30pm St John’s Church Harmoniemesse
Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)
Buxton Musical Society
Conductor: Michael Williams MBE
Preacher: The Rt Rev Leah Saunders-Vasey
Sunday 26 July
11am – 12.30pm St John’s Church
Hereford Mass (1991)
Richard Lloyd (1933–2021)
Conductor: Michael Williams MBE
Preacher: The Rt Rev Jack Nicolls
you there!
Come and celebrate the Launch of Buxton International Festival 2026 and the opening night of the Opera Holland Park, Scottish Opera and D’Oyly Carte Opera production of Franz Lehár’s THE MERRY WIDOW.
There will be live music on the Opera House forecourt and a chance to mingle with the creative forces behind the Festival.
Friday 10 July 2026 from 6pm
SONG AT SIX
Monday 13 July 6pm
Wednesday 15 July 6pm
Tuesday 21 July 6pm
Thursday 23 July 6pm
Friday 24 July 6pm
Bandstand at Pavilion Gardens
FREE
Don’t miss these free short concerts at the Pavilion Gardens Bandstand. Have your spirits lifted with live music from talented singers in the beautiful surroundings of Buxton’s Pavilion Gardens.
Franz Lehár conducted by Iwan Davies
THE MERRY WIDOW
'This bold adaptation makes for a delightful evening’s opera' - The Telegraph
'A dizzying theatrical tsunami' - The Scotsman
- The Times
- The Herald
THE MERRY WIDOW
Franz Lehár (1870–1948)
Libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based on L’attaché d’ambassade (The Embassy Attaché) by Henri Meilhac
Script by John Savournin & Lyrics by David Eaton
Sung in English with English side-titles
An Opera Holland Park, Scottish Opera and D’Oyly Carte Opera co-production, featuring the Buxton International Festival Orchestra.
Lehár’s delicious comedy of bankruptcy, infidelity, social climbing and the rekindling of romance between two old flames gets a twist of lemon in this production.
Feisty, fabulous and filthy rich, Hanna Glawari is the merriest widow in New York, with a fortune in the bank, a lucrative lemon grove in Sicily, and a stampede of suitors vying for her attention. But money is power, and Mafioso Don Zeta recruits the many talents of wise guy Danilo, the happiest bachelor in New York, to ensure Hanna’s millions don’t end up married to the wrong man, with license to use any means necessary. Little does Zeta know, however, that Hanna and Danilo have quite the history...
John Savournin updates Lehár’s captivating will-they, won’t-they romance, with lavish designs by takis that evoke all the glamour of 1950s Manhattan. A new English translation by Savournin and David Eaton makes the opera’s wit sparkle. Iwan Davies conducts The Merry Widow with the Buxton International Festival Orchestra bringing this waltz-filled charmer to life in Buxton this summer. The cast is led by Paula Sides as Hanna Glawari and Dominic Sedgwick as Danilo, with Richard Burkhard as the powerful Don Zeta.
DATES AND TIMES
Fri 10 July 7.15pm
Tues 14 July 7.15pm
Fri 17 July 7.15pm
Tues 21 July 2pm
Fri 24 July 7.15pm
VENUE
Buxton Opera House
TICKETS
£27 - £98
Concessions: £10 tickets for under 35s who are part of the Friends of Buxton International Festival’s Next Gen scheme. Join for free at buxtonfestival.co.uk.
CREATIVE TEAM
Iwan Davies Conductor
John Savournin Director
Bence Kalo Revival Director
takis Set & Costume Designer
Ben Pickersgill Lighting Designer
Merry Holden Revival Choreographer
Rebecca Warren Repetiteur
CAST
Paula Sides Hanna Glawari
Dominic Sedgwick Danilo
Richard Burkhard Don Zeta
Elizabeth Karani Valentina
Luke Sinclair Camille
Matthew Kellett Nicky Negus
Phil Wilcox Mr Kromow
John Ieuan Jones Mr Bogdanovitch
Eleri Gwilym Sylvia
Harry Thatcher Sam Briochi
Christopher Nairne Carmelo Cascada
Amy J Payne Olga
George Robarts Mr Pritschitisch
Catrine Kirkman Paulina
Duration: 2 hours and 40 minutes, including a 20-minute interval
Opera Talks
For evening performances at 6pm in the Opera House - £3
For the matinee performance at 12.45pm in the Opera House - £3
THE MERRY WIDOW
LA TRAVIATA
Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901)
Libretto by Francesco Piave, based on Dumas’ play, La Dame aux Camélias
Sung in Italian with English side-titles
A Buxton International Festival and Norwich Theatre production, featuring the Buxton International Festival Orchestra
Building on a proud tradition of mounting Verdi operas at the festival—including our triumphant Macbeth in 2017, the rarelystaged Alzira in 2018, and the powerful Ernani in 2024—the Buxton International Festival is delighted to present a new production of La traviata, continuing our celebration of Italy’s most celebrated composer.
Violetta is a coveted courtesan, the toast of Paris, desired by many. When she meets the ardent Alfredo, her life changes forever and she longs to break free of her past. But in a world where reputation is everything, their forbidden love faces an insurmountable obstacle in the form of Alfredo’s disapproving father. We invite you to be captivated by this timeless tale of love, sacrifice, and social prejudice.
Our cast, including the breathtaking soprano Alexandra Nowakowski, brings Verdi’s unforgettable score to life, from the vivacious chorus of the famous ‘Brindisi’ to Violetta’s soaring ‘Sempre libera’ and the breathless notes at the opera’s tragic end. Join us for an evening of passionate arias and dramatic duets that will stay with you long after the final curtain. Whether you are a seasoned opera-goer or new to the art form, this is an unmissable opportunity to experience one of the greatest operas ever written.
DATES AND TIMES
Sat 11 July 7.15pm
Wed 15 July 2pm
Sat 18 July 7.15pm
Wed 22 July 7.15pm
Sat 25 July 7.15pm
VENUE
Buxton Opera House
TICKETS
£27 - £98
Concessions: £10 tickets for under 35s who are part of the Friends of Buxton International Festival’s Next Gen scheme. Join for free at buxtonfestival.co.uk.
CREATIVE TEAM
Adrian Kelly Conductor
James Hurley Director
Corina Wuersch Assistant Director
Corina Wuersch Movement Director
Elliott Squire Set Designer
Zahra Mansouri Costume Designer
Ben Pickersgill Lighting Designer
Erika Gundesen Repetiteur
CAST
Alexandra Nowakowski Violetta Valéry
Alina Adamski Violetta Valéry (22 July)
Omer Kobiljak Alfredo Germont
André Heyboer Giorgio Germont
Frances Gregory Flora Bervoix
Amy J Payne Annina
Harry Thatcher Gastone de Letorières
Christopher Nairne Barone Douphol
George Robarts Marchese d’Obigny
John Ieuan Jones Dottore Grenvil
James Liu Giuseppe
Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including a 20-minute interval
Opera Talks
For evening performances at 6pm in the Opera House - £3
For the matinee performance at 12.45pm in the Opera House - £3
10%OFF OPERA*
*When you book 3 out of 4 selected operas
BUXTONOPERAHOU S E
Choose from: Amadigi di Gaula, Le dernier sorcier, La liberazione di Ruggiero, La clemenza di Tito
AMADIGI DI GAULA
George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
Based on Amadis de Grèce, a French tragédie-lyrique by André Cardinal Destouches and Antoine Houdar de la Motte Sung in Italian with English side-titles
A Buxton International Festival production, featuring The English Concert
Handel’s fifth opera, Amadigi di Gaula was first performed in London in 1715, in the first season under the reign of George I, at the King’s Theatre on the Haymarket.
Amadigi di Gaula, is an exuberantly inventive work with brilliant musical ideas full of youth, love and magic. The sorceress Melissa loves the knight Amadigi. But he loves Oriana, who in turn is coveted by Amadigi’s friend and rival Dardano. The four figures stumble around in a labyrinth of deceptive images and feelings and run the risk of losing not only their way, but above all themselves. Hurt and filled with hate, Melissa uses all her magical powers to destroy the love Amadigi and Oriana have for one another. She plots, lies, begs, flatters and threatens death and torture. But love is victorious in the end.
The opera is a work of extraordinary beauty, where Handel’s music captures a whirlwind of youthful emotion. His inventive score, rich with brilliant orchestral colours and dramatic arias, perfectly portrays the characters’ passion, jealousy, and despair. From lyrical laments to dazzling vocal fireworks, every note serves to amplify the raw human drama at the heart of this magical opera.
DATES AND TIMES
Sun 12 July 2pm
Thurs 16 July 7.15pm
Mon 20 July 7.15pm
VENUE
Buxton Opera House
TICKETS
£27 - £98
Concessions: £10 tickets for under 35s who are part of the Friends of Buxton International Festival’s Next Gen scheme. Join for free at buxtonfestival.co.uk.
CREATIVE TEAM
Erin Helyard Conductor
Olivia Fuchs Director
Eleanor Bull Designer
Ben Pickersgill Lighting Designer
CAST
Jake Ingbar Amadigi Rowan Pierce Oriana Hilary Cronin Melissa James Hall Dardano
Duration: 2 hour and 45 minutes, including a 20-minute interval
The production of Amadigi di Gaula has been made possible by the generous support of George and Daphne Burnett.
OPERA: AMADIGI DI GAULA
Opera Talks
For evening performances at 6pm in the Opera House - £3
For the matinee performance at 12.45pm in the Opera House - £3
*When you book 3 out of 4 selected operas
Choose from: Amadigi di Gaula, Le dernier sorcier, La liberazione di Ruggiero, La clemenza di Tito
LE DERNIER SORCIER
Pauline Viardot (1821–1910)
Libretto by Ivan Turgenev Sung in French, with English side-titles
A Buxton International Festival production, featuring musicians from the Buxton International Festival Orchestra
One hundred and fifty-nine years ago, the great mezzo-soprano, composer, and pedagogue Pauline García Viardot created the salon opera Le dernier sorcier (The Last Sorcerer) in collaboration with the acclaimed Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev. The piece centred on themes of power and progress, gender and equality, and the restoration of natural order in an ever-changing world.
A chamber opera in two acts, Le dernier sorcier revolves around Krakamiche, a once-powerful sorcerer whose presence in the great woods has upset the fairies, the forest’s rightful inhabitants, and disturbed the harmony of the land. Through the combined efforts of the fairy folk and their queen, the sorcerer’s daughter and her prince, and a hapless valet, Krakamiche ultimately learns key truths about humility, love, and living in harmony with the natural world.
'A recently rediscovered treasure by one of the most compelling musicians of the 19th century, with words by one of the era’s greatest literary figures, resonates with themes that speak to us in our own era.' - Opera Now
Featuring The Aestus Quartet, an awardwinning Manchester based ensemble.
DATES AND TIMES
Mon 13 July 7.15pm
Thurs 16 July 7.15pm
Mon 20 July 7.15pm
Sat 25 July 1.30pm
VENUE
Pavilion Arts Centre
TICKETS
£56
Concessions: £10 tickets for under 35s who are part of the Friends of Buxton International Festival’s Next Gen scheme. Join for free at buxtonfestival.co.uk.
CREATIVE TEAM
Erika Gundesen Conductor
Lysanne van Overbeek Director
Alisa Kalyanova Designer
Alex Musgrave Lighting Designer
CAST
Phil Wilcox Krakamiche
Eleri Gwilym Stella
David Karapetian Perlimpinpin
Rebecca Anderson Prince Lelio
Sophie Clarke Queen of the elves
Jessica Lawley Verveine
Duration: 1 hour and 35 minutes.
*When you book 3 out of 4 selected operas
Choose from: Amadigi di Gaula, Le dernier sorcier, La liberazione di Ruggiero, La clemenza di Tito
LA LIBERAZIONE DI RUGGIERO
Francesca Caccini (1587– c.1641)
Libretto by Ferdinando Saracinelli, based on Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso
Sung in Italian, with English side-titles
A Vache Baroque production in association with Buxton International Festival
Premiered in 1625 La liberazione di Ruggiero is the first known opera by a female composer – a humorous and witty work with choruses of enchanted plants, monsters, exotic ladies and sea gods, a good and an evil sorceress and a rather easily seduced ‘hero’.
Based on the famous Italian epic poem Orlando Furioso, the heroic Saracen champion Ruggiero is freed from the enchantments of the wicked sorceress Alcina through the power of Melissa, another enchantress, working on behalf of his beloved, the Christian warrior maiden Bradamante, a member of Charlemagne’s army.
With Caccini's father Giulio famously championing a 'spoken' style of sung poetry, it's no surprise that her 'recitativo' word setting has both great craft and dramatic immediacy. These passages flow seamlessly between sparkling choral madrigals and plaintive arias, peppered with virtuosic ornaments for the singers to tackle. Lively dances punctuate the score, played by combinations of the wind, brass, stringed, and continuo instruments of the VB Band. Led by early-17th-century specialist Mayah Kadish, this Vache Baroque production promises to transport audiences back to a Medici entertainment to remember, replete with our take on a concluding horse ballet.
DATES AND TIMES
Wed 15 July 7.15pm
Fri 17 July 7.15pm
Sun 19 July 2pm
Tues 21 July 7.15pm
VENUE
Pavilion Arts Centre
TICKETS
£56
Concessions: £10 tickets for under 35s who are part of the Friends of Buxton International Festival’s Next Gen scheme. Join for free at buxtonfestival.co.uk.
CREATIVE TEAM
Jonathan Darbourne Conductor
Eloise Lally Director
Zahra Mansouri Costume Designer
Alex Musgrave Lighting Designer
Katie Kelly Movement Director
CAST
Camilla Seale Alcina
Jon Stainsby Ruggiero
Phoebe Rayner Melissa
Filippo Turkheimer Nettuno
Harriet Burns Sirena
Betty Makharinsky Nunzia
Aina Miyagi Magnell Una Damigella
Tom Kelly Pastore/Astolfo
Duration: 1 hour and 45 minutes, including a 20-minute interval
Opera Talks
For evening performances at 6pm in the Opera House - £3
For the matinee performance at 12.45pm in the Opera House - £3
*When you book 3 out of 4 selected operas
Choose from: Amadigi di Gaula, Le dernier sorcier, La liberazione di Ruggiero, La clemenza di Tito
LA CLEMENZA DI TITO
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Libretto by Caterino Mazzolà, after Pietro Metastasio
Sung in Italian with English side-titles
A Buxton International Festival Concert Performance, featuring the Buxton International Festival Orchestra
What is it that drives Sextus to make an attempt on the life of his dearest friend, the emperor Titus? And what brings Titus to forgive him? Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito, premiered in Prague where Austria’s Emperor Leopold II was crowned King of Bohemia, glorifies absolutism and the benevolent ruler.
The opera seria unfolds against the backdrop of ancient Rome. Emperor Tito, renowned for his benevolence and clemency, grapples with political intrigue and personal conflicts. The narrative takes a thrilling turn as Tito faces betrayal from those closest to him, including his closest friend Sesto and the enigmatic Vitellia. The opera reaches its climax with Tito’s struggle to balance mercy and justice, culminating in a powerful display of forgiveness and redemption.
Today, this work fascinates us for the way in which Mozart broke free from the formal constraints of opera seria and wrote music of a poignancy which is indistinguishable from the rest of the glorious output at the end of his short life.
Adrian Kelly has assembled an exceptional cast. Together with the energetic forces of the chorus from the Royal Northern College of Music they will provide all the atmosphere one could ask for in the great conflagration of the Capitol.
DATES AND TIMES
Sun 19 July 3pm
Thurs 23 July 7.15pm
VENUE
Buxton Opera House
TICKETS
£22 - £64
Concessions: £10 tickets for under 35s who are part of the Friends of Buxton International Festival’s Next Gen scheme. Join for free at buxtonfestival.co.uk.
CREATIVE TEAM
Adrian Kelly Conductor Corina Wuersch Director
CAST
Xavier Más Tito
Maria Stella Maurizi Vitellia
Indyana Schneider Sesto
Frances Gregory Annio
Jessica Lawley Servillia
Samson Setu Publio
Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including a 20-minute interval
Opera Talks
For evening performances at 6pm in the Opera House - £3
For the matinee performance at 1.45pm in the Opera House - £3
LAURA JURD RITES
& REVELATIONS
Thursday 9 July
Jazz at The Palace
Laura Jurd - Trumpet
Cori Smith - Viola
Tara Cunningham - Guitar
Ruth Goller - Bass
Corrie Dick - Drums
Doors 6pm / Music 6.30pm – 8.15pm
£20
Mercury-nominated Laura Jurd's unique approach to the trumpet is celebrated in the work that she creates. A past BBC New Generation Artist, Laura's love of folk traditions can often be heard in her music, alongside her background in classical composition. The result is a melodic world full of compelling twists and turns, whilst retaining a grounded sense of familiarity.
'The kind of musician I’d like to be in my next life' - Jamie Cullum, BBC Radio 2
TONY KOFI AND
DENYS BAPTISTE
QUINTET LEGACY: COLTRANE AND CANNONBALL
Thursday 9 July
Jazz at The Palace
Doors 8.30pm / Music 9pm – 10.45pm
£27
Denys Baptiste - Tenor Saxophone
Tony Kofi - Alto Saxophone
Rick Simpson - Piano
Mikele Montolli - Bass
Winston Clifford - Drums
Two of the UK’s most acclaimed saxophonists, Denys Baptiste and Tony Kofi, reunite for a dynamic project celebrating one of the most iconic front-line partnerships in jazz history: Julian 'Cannonball' Adderley and John Coltrane.
First collaborating in the early ‘90s as members of Gary Crosby’s influential Nu Troop, Baptiste and Kofi now bring their outstanding musicianship, deep rapport, and commanding stage presence, to a fresh tribute honouring the classic Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago recording.
INTRODUCTION TO BUXTON’S HISTORY AND HERITAGE
Friday 10 July
Meet at Buxton Opera House
11.30am – 1pm £20
ANDREW MCCORMACK TRIO
Friday 10 July
Doors 11.30am / Music 12pm – 1.45pm Jazz at The Palace £20
Andrew McCormack - Piano
Joe Downard - Bass Rod Youngs - Drums
British jazz pianist Andrew McCormack comes to Buxton as part of his European tour to showcase their new album, Luminosity. Luminosity explores McCormack’s theme of illumination and clarity, combining lyrical melodies with a renewed focus on tonal harmony. The album features dynamic original compositions, including a tribute to Wayne Shorter (Newark Flash) and a Monkinspired take on Sweet and Lovely.
'Melodically generous… from ethereal Jarrett-like introspection to rhythmically dynamic dances… impressive' - Downbeat
ZOË GILBY WITH ANDY CHAMPION THE MUSIC OF DUKE ELLINGTON JOHNNY HUNTER TRIO FEATURING NAT BIRCHALL THE MUSIC OF ELVIN JONES
Friday 10 July
Jazz at The Palace
Zoë Gilby - Voice
Doors 2pm / Music 2.30pm – 4.45pm
£20
Andy Champion - Double Bass
W inner of Parliamentary Jazz Awards Vocalist
Of The Year 2019, Zoë has teamed up with her husband, innovative and powerful double bassist Andy Champion, for a voice and double bass duo. This exceptional pairing creates an electrifying soundscape in this beautifully integrated music.
Johnny Hunter - Drums
Nat Birchall - Saxophones
Seth Bennett - Double Bass
Influenced by John Coltrane and, of course, Elvin Jones, Jazzwise-named 'artist to watch' Johnny Hunter has teamed up with superlative saxophonist, Nat Birchall, hailed by Gilles Peterson as 'one of the best musicians in the UK'.
SACCONI QUARTET 25TH ANNIVERSARY
Friday 10 July
St John's Church
3pm – 5pm
General £35, Balcony £30
“A meticulous performance” - Andrew Clements, The Guardian
For over two decades, the Sacconi Quartet have been captivating audiences with their unanimous and compelling ensemble playing, consistently communicating with a fresh and imaginative approach. The four founder members share an unwavering passion for the string quartet repertoire, infectiously reaching out to audiences with their energy and enthusiasm. The Sacconis enjoy a busy international career, and are Quartet in Association at the Royal College of Music, and Quartet in Residence for the town of Folkestone.
WA Mozart String Quartet in C, K.465, ' Dissonance'
F Waley-Cohen Dances, Hymns and Songs for Friendship, written for the Sacconi Quartet on their 25th anniversary
B Smetana String Quartet No 1 in E minor, 'From My Life’
WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS: 5,000 YEARS OF BUXTON HISTORY
Friday 10 July
Meet at Buxton Opera House
3.30pm – 5.30pm £20
See p15
THE MERRY WIDOW
Friday 10 July
Talk: 6pm – 6.25pm
Performance: 7.15pm – 10pm
Buxton Opera House
MARIO BAKUNA QUARTET BRAZILIAN LANDSCAPES
Friday 10 July
Jazz at The Palace
See p19
Doors 7.30pm / Music 8pm – 9.15pm
£20
Mario Bakuna is a Brazilian composer, arranger, vocalist, and guitarist, bringing over 25 years of musical artistry to audiences worldwide. After a highly successful season performing at international festivals and prestigious venues, he brings his latest project to Buxton International Festival.
This concert is the synthesis of years of inspiration drawn from his travels across Brazil, where he immersed himself in the country’s rhythmic and harmonic diversity. Mario and his musicians celebrate one of the richest musical territories on Earth.
JOSEPHINE DAVIES AND SATORI FEATURING ALCYONA MICK
Friday 10 July
Doors 9.45pm / Music 10.15pm – Late Jazz at The Palace
£20
Josephine Davies - Tenor & Soprano Saxophones
James Maddren - Drums
Dave Whitford - Bass
Alcyona Mick - Piano
Winner of the 2019 Parliamentary Award ‘Jazz
Instrumentalist of the year’, saxophonist and composer Josephine Davies brings her dynamic ensemble Satori to Buxton to perform the music from Weatherwards, their fourth album on Whirlwind Recordings. Inspired by Josephine’s Nordic roots in the Shetland Islands, it beautifully weaves together the band’s contemporary jazz background with a hauntingly evocative folk influence.
'Satori is among the most engaging young bands on the British scene... Cerebral, nuanced and reflective.'
- All About Jazz
Mario Bakuna - Vocals and Acoustic Guitar
Davide Mantovani - Electric Bass
Felipe Oliveira - Electric Guitar
Uccio Gaeta - Drums
VISITOR INFORMATION
Saturday 11 July is Buxton Carnival day, please allow extra time for travel.
ARTHUR SNELL
Saturday 11 July 10am – 11am
Pavilion
Arts Centre
£14
Elemental: How We Will Live on a Warming Planet
With over 30 years' experience in conflict zones and fragile states, historian and for mer British diplomat Arthur Snell travels from the heat of the Sahel to the Arctic Circle to show how climate change is coinciding with a breakdown in geopolitical order, increasing conflict and economic crises. Within our lifetimes, rising temperatures, sea levels and scarcity will inevitably drive both conflict and mass migration globally. Natural disasters and the battle for rare minerals that are essential to clean energy will shake the established world order to its core within this century. Arthur asks, what will living on a warmer planet look like?
VOICES OF THE PEAKS
Saturday 11 July 11.30am – 12.30pm
St John's Church
General £12, concessions
£6
Join us for the premiere of Voices of the Peaks, a new choral suite celebrating landscape, community and shared heritage through music. Created as a joint composition by choral conductor, composer and singer-songwriter Hannah Brine, and composer and performer Jenni Watts, the work brings together Hannah’s three northern choirs, High Peak Singers, Bollington Singers and Didsbury Singers. Together, these ensembles form a powerful collective of around 150 voices.
Marking the 75th anniversary of the Peak District becoming the UK’s first National Park, Voices of the Peaks echoes the voices of those who have walked, worked and sung in this region across generations. This premiere performance offers a unique musical tribute to the Peak District, honouring its past while looking forward to its future.
VERA BRITTAIN BUXTON AND A TESTAMENT TO LOST YOUTH
Saturday 11 July 11.30pm – 1pm
£15
Meet outside the Pump Room
See p15
VISITOR INFORMATION
Saturday 11 July is Buxton Carnival day, please allow extra time for travel.
LIAM BYRNE MP
Saturday 11 July 12.30pm – 1.30pm
Pavilion Arts Centre
£14
Why the Populists are Winning: and How to Beat Them
In 2024, two billion people went to vote, and populism won big. Donald Trump returned to the White House. Marine Le Pen surged in France. Reform UK became Britain's most successful farright party in modern history. Across the West, authoritarian populists now govern one-quarter of the world's democracies. But is this peak populism, or the populists' tipping point? From the counting halls of inner-city Birmingham to the trading floors of Wall Street, from the Heritage Foundation war room to the algorithmic outrage machines of social media, Liam exposes the forces propelling the populist surge, and suggests how we may to stop it. Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP is a member of His Majesty’s Privy Council and Chair of the House of Commons Business & Trade Committee.
NOA LEVY, ALAN BARNES AND THE PAUL EDIS TRIO PORTRAIT IN EVANS
Saturday 11 July Doors 12.30pm / Music 1pm – 2.45pm
Jazz at The Palace
£27
San Francisco’s JITN rising star vocalist Noa Levy joins Parliamentary Award-winner, pianist Paul Edis and his Trio, in their new album Portrait In Evans. Due for release in March 2026, the album features music by Bill Evans with new lyrics, vocal interpretations and original arrangements. Appearing alongside Noa and Paul is UK jazz legend, Alan Barnes, and one of the finest rhythm sections around.
'A magnificent concert, super tribute to Bill Evans' - Vincent Charbonnier (founder 38Riv Jazz Club, Paris)
Noa Levy - Vocals
Paul Edis - Piano
Alan Barnes - Alto Sax, Clarinet / Bass Clarinet
Simon Read - Double Bass
Billy Pod - Drums
VISITOR INFORMATION
Saturday 11 July is Buxton Carnival day, please allow extra time for travel.
ALINA BZHEZHINSKA AND THE HIPHARPCOLLECTIVE QUINTET
Saturday 11 July
Jazz at The Palace
Alina Bzhezhinska - Harp
Doors 6.30pm / Music 7pm – 8.45pm
£27
Menelik Clafey - Double Bass
Matt Holmes - Drums
Joel Prime - Percussion
Tony Kofi - Saxophones
Undoubtedly one of today's leading harpists in the world, Alina Bzhezhinska is a one-woman powerhouse, on a mission to bring the harp to the forefront of contemporary sound. She is the creator of HipHarpCollective, which won the Parliamentary Jazz Award's Best Ensemble of the Year 2024. The group’s double LP Reflections won best album of the year 2023 by Preston Music.
'Bzhezhinska’s command of her complex, delicateseeming instrument is astounding.' - Irish Examiner (Cork Jazz Festival)
LA TRAVIATA
Saturday 11 July
Talk: 6pm – 6.25pm
Performance: 7.15pm – 10pm
DARIUS BRUBECK QUARTET
Saturday 11 July
Jazz at The Palace
Doors 9.30pm / Music 10pm – Late
£27
Born in San Francisco, jazz pianist and composer
Darius Brubeck grew up in the artistic milieu of his famous father Dave, and has enjoyed a lifetime of varied international experience as band leader, composer, teacher and broadcaster. He now leads the London-based Darius Brubeck Quartet, which has become a successful and popular group in the UK and beyond.
'... the combination of Brubeck and O’Higgins is certainly among the best piano/sax partnerships in the UK.' - Tim Dickeson, Jazzwise
Buxton Opera House
Darius Brubeck - Piano
Dave O’Higgins - Saxes
Matt Ridley - Bass
Wesley Gibbens - Drums See p21
FRASER
Sunday 12 July 11am – 12.30pm
St John's Church Free, Donations Welcome
FIFIELD AND THE SECRET PATH TRIO
OLIVIA MOORE AND ADAM FAIRHALL
Sunday 12 July Doors 12.30pm / Music 1pm – 3.00pm Jazz at The Palace £20
Fraser Fifield - Low Whistle
Paul Harrison - Wurlitzer Piano
Tom Bancroft - Drums
Olivia Moore - Violins
Adam Fairhall - Accordion
Low whistle, saxophone, and bagpipes and original compositions with a unique blend of influences - Scottish folk is present but also Jazz, Indian, Balkan and more. Over a 30 year career Fraser Fifield has performed with many influential bands from the Scottish folk scene and released a series of acclaimed solo recordings.
Olivia Moore and Adam Fairhall’s duo bring Indian classical music, American folk music and contemporary jazz together in a highly individual manner.
AMADIGI DI GAULA FESTIVAL MASS
Sunday 12 July
Talk: 12.45pm – 1.10pm
Performance: 2pm – 4.45pm
ARUN GHOSH QUINTET
Sunday 12 July
Doors 3.30pm / Music 4pm – 5.45pm
Jazz at The Palace £27
Arun Ghosh - Clarinet and Harmonium
Chris Williams - Alto and Baritone Saxophone
John Ellis - Piano
Gavin Barras - Double Bass
Dave Walsh - Drums
Award-winning clarinettist, and renowned innovator of modern IndoJazz, Arun Ghosh brings his Quintet to Buxton International Festival. Performing a feel-good set of music from across his five acclaimed albums, he will also be showcasing and premiering new material from this year’s Singles Series.
His Quintet delivers a passionate sound, driven by soaring melodies, hypnotic rhythms and transcendental texturessometimes evocative and introspective, other times searing and effervescent.
'Life-affirming music that transcends cultural barriers.'Manchester Evening News
MAHAN ESFAHANI
HARPSICHORD
Sunday 12 July 5.30 pm – 7.30 pm
St John's Church General £35, Balcony £30
Mahan Esfahani is the first harpsichordist in a generation whose work spans virtually all areas of classical music-making including acclaimed performances of standard repertoire, collaborations with composers, and international symphony appearances with major orchestras. He was a BBC New Generation Artist, BorlettiBuitoni prize winner, three-time Gramophone nominee, and Wigmore Medal recipient in 2022.
'Such virtuosity and disarming presentation suggests that Esfahani could inspire a whole new appreciation of the instrument.' - The Guardian 'Exhaustingly brilliant.' - The New York Times
G.F. Handel Sonata in G minor, HWV 580; Chaconne in G major, HWV 435
D Scarlatti Sonata in G minor, K 8; Sonata in E major, K 20; Sonata in A minor, K 54; Sonata in Minor, K 213; Sonata in D major, K 214
G.F. Handel Suite No 1 in B flat major, HWV 434
Interval
D Scarlatti Sonata in E minor, K 263; Sonata in E major, K 264
Handel Suite No 7 in G minor, HWV 432
COURTNEY PINE
A MODERN DAY JAZZ STORY 1986 - 2026
Sunday 12 July
Buxton Opera House
Doors 8.30pm / Music 9pm – Late
£35 / £30 / £25
Celebrating four decades at the forefront of British jazz, Courtney Pine retur ns to the stage in 2026 with a powerful retrospective tour.
Both a celebration and a reflection, this very special set honours the resilience, creativity and community that shaped Pine’s journey from London streets to international stages. Expect a night of deep grooves, soaring saxophone, and the unmistakable energy of an artist still pushing jazz forward while staying true to his roots.
Robert Mitchell - Piano
Rio Kai - Double Bass
Romarna Campbell - Drums
Courtney Pine - Saxophone
LUKE BARLEY
Monday 13 July 10am – 11am
Pavilion
Arts Centre
£14
Ancient: Reviving the Woods That Made Britain
Ancient woods are Britain's richest habitats: rare fragments of our landscape that teem with life from soil to canopy. They live in our collective imagination as quiet places, best left pristine and untouched. But their story has always been one of interdependence with people. With the benefit of over twenty years' experience rehabilitating ancient woodland, from the Lakes to the Peak District, Luke takes us deep into this hidden world to reveal majestic oaks, freshly coppiced hazels, endangered limes, and the passionate individuals tending them for future generations. As modern woodlanders judiciously cut and fell, the flood of fresh light brings new life and hope to these irreplaceable natural jewels.
LOUISE ALDER AND JOSEPH MIDDLETON SOPRANO AND PIANO
NORTH: 'FROZEN SILENCE' – the first of four linked song recitals inspired by the main points of the compass (see also pages 43, 47 and 50).
Monday 13 July 11.15am – 12.15pm
St John's Church
General £35, Balcony £30
This is the first of four linked song recitals devised by Joseph Middleton, inspired by the cardinal directions – north, south, east and west – each with its own mood, geography, and artistic identity. The North brings harsh beauty, stillness, and deep inner life.
One of the most in-demand artists today, British soprano Louise Alder has firmly established herself as 'an instinctive singing-actress' (The Arts Desk) and “a terrific talent, combining a big, lustrous voice with flawless intonation and keen intelligence” (The Times). She appears regularly in recital, concert and opera at leading venues including Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Opera House, Metropolitan Opera, and many more.
AN AUDIENCE WITH MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
Monday 13 July 11.30am – 1pm
Meet at Old Hall Hotel £20
See p15
SIR NICK CLEGG
Monday 13 July 12.30pm – 1.30pm
Buxton Opera House
£17
How To Save The Internet: The Threat to Global Connection in the Age of AI and Political Conflict
Former UK Deputy Prime Minister Sir Nick Clegg recently stepped down as President, Global Affairs at Meta. Taking us behind the scenes and his interactions with world leaders, Nick sets out where Big Tech has gone wrong, how Silicon Valley’s insularity has blinded it to its missteps, and the radical reforms of the global platforms that are now needed if they are to secure a long-term future. But he also makes the case that many of the charges against them, including that their algorithms polarise, manipulate and harm, are vastly overstated. And while new laws that regulate these corporations are essential, imposing national borders on the internet cannot be the answer. That will fatally undermine its capacity for knowledge-sharing and ultimately for the improvement and empowerment of billions of lives.
‘A gripping and timely book. Nick Clegg writes with clarity, authority and urgency’ Peter Frankopan
SITKOVETSKY TRIO VIOLIN, CELLO, PIANO
Monday 13 July 3pm – 5pm
St John's Church General £35, Balcony £30
The Sitkovetsky Trio is known for its progressive programming and remarkable ensemble cohesion. They have performed in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls – including the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Musée du Louvre, Paris, L’Auditori, Barcelona, Lincoln Center, New York, and, with particular regularity, London’s Wigmore Hall.
'It was the song-like melody in the andante, swapped so dreamily between cello and violin, that will linger longest in the memory.'The Observer, November 2023
L v Beethoven: Piano Trio in D major, Op. 70 No. 1, “Ghost”
C Chaminade: Piano Trio No. 2 in A minor, Op. 34 Interval
J Brahms: Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8 (revised version, 1889) See p15
AN EXPLORATION OF FAIRFIELD’S HISTORY
Monday 13 July
Meet at Fairfield War Memorial, The Green
3.30pm – 5.30pm
£20
VICTORIA BATEMAN
Monday 13 July
4pm – 5pm Pavilion Arts Centre £14
Economica: A Global History of Women, Wealth and Power
Humanity’s jour ney from poverty to prosperity is filled with men who have become household names. But how many female entrepreneurs, merchants and industrialists can you name?
Victoria places women at the centre of the story of economic growth. Starting in the Stone Age and continuing to the present day, proving that women weren’t ‘missing’ from economic life, they were merely hidden from view. We discover the female workers who helped to build the Great Pyramid of Giza, and to plumb the city of ancient Rome; the silk weavers who made a vital contribution to the development of the Silk Road and global trade; the women who dominated London’s brewing trade during medieval times; and the brave twentieth-century pioneers who fought to make our economies not just richer but fairer.
LE DERNIER SORCIER
KLAUS DODDS
Tuesday 14 July 10am – 11am
Pavilion Arts Centre
£14
Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic
Nowhere is the dual threat of climate change and geopolitical contest felt more strongly than in the Arctic. Sea ice is declining rapidly, wildfires are burning, and permafrost is thawing. All the while, global interest is gathering apace as the region transforms from being a frozen desert into an international waterway. Klaus argues that the consequences of this emerging Arctic Anthropocene are truly global, from rising sea levels due to melting glaciers to tensions between great powers determined to protect their territory and resources, and the well-being of Indigenous Peoples who have fought for centuries for rights and recognition. Examining the state of the Arctic today, Klaus shows how the region is becoming a space of experimentation for everything from Indigenous governance to subsea technologies.
NICKY SPENCE AND JOSEPH MIDDLETON TENOR AND PIANO
SOUTH: "BURNING EARTH"– the second of four linked song recitals inspired by the main points of the compass (see also pages 40, 47 and 50).
Tuesday 14 July 11.15am – 12.15pm
St John's Church
General £35, Balcony £30
Nicky Spence gives recitals internationally, and has curated a residency at Wigmore Hall. His 2025/26 season includes operatic debuts at Staatsoper Hamburg and Opera Philadelphia, a return to Opéra National de Paris, and concert performances of Wozzeck and The Dream of Gerontius with Bayerischen Rundfunk, and as Siegmund in the first act of Die Walküre with Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España.
'... there's no questioning how Spence uses his superb voice to convey every harrowing moment of Grimes's descent.' - The Times, on Peter Grimes, Welsh National Opera, April 2025 Programme to include songs by J Rodrigo, J Turina and H Villa-Lobos
TUESDAY 14 JULY
LADY HALE
Tuesday 14 July
Buxton Opera House
12.30pm – 1.30pm
£17
With the Law on Our Side: How the law works for everyone and we can make it work better
Our laws and justice system might touch our lives when we have an accident, a wrong is done to us, or we have a family difficulty. They are vast, ancient and cover everything from the personal to the regulation of our government. But to most of us, they are a web of intimidating institutions and practices. Lady Hale, former President of the Supreme Court and an inspirational figure admired for her historic achievements and for the causes she has championed, shows us how the law is on our side. Taking us into the complexities of real courts and real decisions, we see that we all have rights: schoolchildren, disabled people, workers, minorities and patients. Lady Hale looks at every part of the justice system, from lowly benefits tribunals and magistrates’ courts to the lofty heights of the Royal Courts of Justice and the Old Bailey.
STEVEN ISSERLIS AND CONNIE SHIH CELLO AND PIANO
Tuesday 14 July 3pm – 5pm
St John's Church
General £37, Balcony £32
Acclaimed worldwide for his profound musicianship and technical mastery, British cellist Steven Isserlis enjoys a unique and distinguished career as a soloist, chamber musician, educator, author and broadcaster. As a concerto soloist he appears regularly with the world’s leading orchestras and conductors.
Pianist Connie Shih is repeatedly considered to be one of Canada’s most outstanding artists. To critical acclaim, she appears regularly in recital with Steven Isserlis.
W Sterndale Bennett
Sonata Duo in A major, Op. 32
B Britten Suite for solo cello No. 3, Op. 87 Interval
THROUGH THE HERITAGE LENS: A ROAD REVEALS ITS SECRETS
Tuesday 14 July
Meet at the Bath House at the corner of Macclesfield Rd and Burlington Rd
A Messager Barcarolle R Schumann Three Romances, Op. 94
L v Beethoven: Cello
Sonata No. 5 in D major, Op. 102, No 2
3.30pm – 5pm
£20
See p15
This event is sponsored by
JAMES FOX
Tuesday 14 July
Pavilion Arts Centre
4pm – 5pm
£14
Craftland: A Journey Through Britain’s Lost Arts and Vanishing Trades
Travelling the length of Britain from the Scilly Isles to the Scottish Highlands, James seeks out the country’s last remaining master craftspeople. Stepping inside the workshops of blacksmiths and wheelwrights, cutlers and coopers, bell-founders and watchmakers, we glimpse not only our past but another way of life, one that is not yet lost and whose wisdom could shape our future. For as long as there are humans, there will be craft. James Fox is an academic and multi-award-winning, BAFTA-nominated broadcaster, known for his many acclaimed BBC documentaries. He is Director of Studies in History of Art at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and Creative Director of the Hugo Burge Foundation, a charity dedicated to supporting the arts and crafts across Britain.
OPERA IN THE CAVERN
Tuesday 14 July 4.30pm – 5.30pm
Poole's Cavern
£47.50
Join us for an unforgettable, intimate tour beneath the earth, where you’ll marvel at beautifully illuminated, rock-sculpted galleries while enjoying stunning highlights from iconic operas and musicals. The experience begins with a glass of fizz just outside the Roman Chamber of Poole’s Cavern. From there, you’ll be guided through the breathtaking underground passages, rich in stalactites, stalagmites, and fascinating history.
THE MERRY WIDOW
MUSICALS IN THE CAVERN
Tuesday 14 July 5.30pm – 6.30pm
Poole's Cavern
£47.50
‘Extraordinary performances in a breathtaking space.’
Tuesday 14 July
Talk: 6pm – 6.25pm
Performance: 7.15pm – 10pm
Buxton Opera House See p19
Wednesday 15 July 11am – 3pm
Assembly Rooms at the Crescent Hotel Free DAY
RYAN CORBETT ACCORDION
Wednesday 15 July 9.30am – 10.30am
Assembly Rooms
£22
Praised for his 'immense virtuosity and musicality,' Ryan Corbett is one of the leading performers of his generation. A BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, Royal Over-Seas League Gold Medallist, and Classic FM Rising Star, he is the first accordionist ever selected for the prestigious BBC scheme since its launch in 1999.
'The young Glaswegian shone with technical perfection and subtle tonal nuance.' - Mario-Felix Vogt, Berliner Morgenpost
See p85
ROBERT VERKAIK
Wednesday 15 July 10am – 11am
Pavilion Arts Centre
C Franck, transc. Corbett Chorale No. 2 in B minor M. 39
J S Bach, transc. Corbett Prelude and Fugue in C sharp Major BWV 848, from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1
V Zolotaryov Sonata No. 2
S Rachmaninov, transc. Corbett Vocalise, Op. 34, No 14
C M von Weber, transc. Corbett Konzertstück, Op. 79
£14
The Writer and the Traitor: Graham Greene, Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal
The friendship between Graham Greene and Kim Philby is one of the most mysterious of the twentieth century. Greene, the internationally lauded novelist who wrestled with the themes of faith and betrayal in his work. Philby, the British intelligence-officerturned-spy for the Soviets. The two men met as young MI6 officers in war-torn London, working together to defeat the Nazis. But after Greene suddenly resigned just days before D-Day, questions started to arise. He turned back to literature, using his experience in the intelligence services as a backdrop for his novel Our Man in Havana and the screenplay of The Third Man. Was Philby the real 'third man'? Did Greene's work contain coded messages and warnings of betrayal to MI6? Robert is the former home affairs editor of the Independent and the former security editor of the Mail on Sunday. He now writes for the Guardian.
DAME SARAH CONNOLLY AND JOSEPH MIDDLETON MEZZO-SOPRANO AND PIANO
EAST: 'RISING LIGHT' – the third of four linked song recitals inspired by the main points of the compass (see also pages 40, 43 and 50).
Wednesday 15 July 11.15am – 12.15pm
St John's Church
General £35, Balcony £30
Sarah Connolly was made a DBE in the 2017 Birthday Honours, having previously been awarded a CBE in the 2010 New Year's Honours. In 2020 she was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Philhar monic Society in recognition of her outstanding services to music. Highlights in her 2025/26 season include Jocasta in Oedipus Rex for The Norwegian Opera & Ballet; and Mrs. Patrick De Rocher in Dead Man Walking for English National Opera.
'Isn’t there an extra urgency and depth of emotion about her delivery? …whatever she sings, you get singing straight from the heart. You also get beautifully nuanced piano playing from Middleton, a musician seemingly incapable of misjudging the careful balancing act necessary when accompanying lieder' - The Times Programme to include songs by G Mahler, H Howells, G Holst, and M Ravel
WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS: 5,000 YEARS OF BUXTON HISTORY
Wednesday 15 July
Meet at Buxton Opera House 11.30am – 1.30pm £20
See p15
HANNAH FRENCH
Wednesday 15 July 12.30pm – 1.30pm
Pavilion Arts Centre £14
The Rolling Year: Listening to the Seasons with Vivaldi
Embrace the art of listening seasonally with BBC Radio 3 presenter Dr Hannah French as she explores Antonio Vivaldi's evergreen work: The Four Seasons. Through the rich imagery of each 300-year-old concerto and its accompanying poetry, Hannah uncovers the detail of Vivaldi's personal and creative life. Based on conversations with fellow musicians and experts in health, nature, food, wine, and science, she helps bring a new perspective to the music through our shared experiences of the joys and fears of the ever-evolving seasons. To spend a year in the company of Vivaldi is to witness the sounds of both ancient festivals and the beauty and brutality of the natural world.
Wednesday 15 July
LA TRAVIATA
Talk: 12.45pm – 1.10pm
Performance: 2pm – 4.40pm
Buxton Opera House
See p21
JUNYAN CHEN PIANO
Wednesday 15 July 3pm – 5pm
St John's Church
Junyan Chen made her debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra this season performing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 4. She played this concerto in the final of the Leeds International Piano Competition, 2024, where she won Second Prize. In Leeds she collaborated with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Domingo Hindoyan; having previously performed the work with Edward Gardner and the Royal Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra.
'The vivacity was outstanding…vintage Rachmaninov' - The Arts Desk, 23 September 2024
General £35, Balcony £30
K Tanaka Techno Etudes
S Rachmaninov Études-Tableaux, Op. 33
Interval
E Wild – 7 Virtuoso Etudes after Gershwin
S Rachmaninov – Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 36 (1931 version)
ALISON WEIR
Wednesday 15 July
Pavilion Arts Centre
3pm – 4pm
£14
Queens at War: England’s Medieval Queens
The fifteenth century was a turbulent age: the Hundred Years War between England and France, and the Wars of the Roses dominated the lives of people both inside and out of the royal courts. Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Wydeville and Anne Neville were the queens who stood by England's sovereigns, caught up in wars that changed the course of their lives, and the course of history. They were also formidable women who defied the limitations of their times, often living out the brutal consequences of their determination. Alison Weir has been described by the Sunday Times as the ‘Queen of history writing’.
PUMP ROOM TALK: PHIL MULLIGAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, PEAK DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY
SONG AT SIX
LA LIBERAZIONE DI RUGGIERO
Wednesday 15 July
Bandstand at Pavilion Gardens
Wednesday 15 July 6pm – 7pm Pump Room £14 6pm FREE
Wednesday 15 July 7.15pm – 9pm
Pavilion Arts Centre
p14
p17
JAY GRIFFITHS
Thursday 16 July
Pavilion
Arts Centre
10am – 11am
£14
How Animals Heal Us
Pet-owners and animal-lovers instinctively know that animals heal. From a potbellied pig who saved her owner's life, lions who guarded a girl from kidnappers, dolphins and whales rescuing people in danger, and dogs who can smell cancer and phone the Emergency Services. Animal sounds, from insects to birdsong and the purring of cats, are directly medicinal and their presence can heal the pain of loneliness. Animals, including donkeys, can be natural therapists for the hurt psyche, alleviating trauma, fear and depression. Jay argues that animals can have a role in every level of healing, from the individual to the collective, guiding us in how we might create societies that are healthier, fairer and kinder. Jay will be in conversation with naturalist and writer Mark Cocker.
RODERICK WILLIAMS AND JOSEPH MIDDLETON BARITONE AND PIANO
'AND WHEN THE WEST IS RED...' – the last of four linked song recitals inspired by the main points of the compass (see also pages 40, 43 and 47).
Thursday 16 July
St John's Church
11.15am – 12.15pm
General £35, Balcony £30
Roderick Williams is one of the most sought-after baritones of his generation and enjoys relationships with all the major UK and European opera houses. He has sung in world premieres of operas by, among others, David Sawer, Sally Beamish, and Robert Saxton, as well as roles by Mozart, Britten and Strauss. He was awarded the OBE for services to music in 2017, and was one of the featured soloists at the coronation of King Charles III in 2023.
'As the sun sets in the West': Songs by WA Mozart, F Schubert, F Hensel, C Debussy and R Vaughan Williams.
Songs from the West Country, by J Ireland, CV Stanford, R Vaughan Williams and F Keel.
The Americas: Songs by A Copland, C Ives, HT Burleigh and X Montsalvatge
JIMMY WALES FOUNDER OF WIKIPEDIA
Thursday 16 July
Buxton Opera House
12.30pm – 1.30pm
£17
The Seven Rules of Trust: Why it is Today’s Most Essential Superpower
When Jimmy Wales founded Wikipedia more than two decades ago, he changed the landscape of knowledge forever, although almost no one realised it at the time. Today, people view Wikipedia 11 billion times every month in the English language alone. But in our 'post-truth' era, where the internet is a sea of disinformation and facts are increasingly malleable, Wales reminds us that it's more important than ever to return to the problem at the heart of it all: that without trust, we have no knowledge. And without knowledge, we can't fight back. Jimmy is an internet entrepreneur who was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People, he was also acknowledged by the World Economic Forum as one of the top 250 leaders across the world for his professional accomplishments, his commitment to society and his potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world.
PADDINGTON TRIO VIOLIN, CELLO, PIANO
Thursday 16 July
St John’s Church
3pm – 5pm
General £35, Balcony £30
The London-based Paddington Trio— Finnish violinist Tuulia Hero, Irish cellist Patrick Moriarty and American pianist
Stephanie Tang—is an ensemble celebrated for vibrant communication and refined artistry. International prizewinners, they perform in major halls and festivals worldwide, bridging new audiences and devoted classical music enthusiasts through fresh, energetic interpretations and a shared love of chamber music.
'Music can take you anywhere, when played like this.'— The Guardian
AN EXPLORATION OF FAIRFIELD’S HISTORY
J Haydn Piano Trio in G major, Hob. XV:25, “Gypsy”
R Schumann Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 63
L Wennäkoski Päärme
L v Beethoven Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op. 97, “Archduke”
Thursday 16 July
£20
Meet at Fairfield War Memorial, The Green 3.30pm – 5.30pm
See p15
NAZ SHAH MP
Thursday 16 July 4pm – 5pm
Pavilion Arts Centre £14
Honoured: Survival, Strength and My Path to Politics
Naz Shah MP was forced into marriage at the age of fifteen. W ithin a couple of years, her mother would be in prison, jailed for murdering the man who had subjected her to years of physical and sexual torture, and Naz and her two younger siblings would be left to fend for themselves. Naz campaigned for her mother's release and was instrumental in achieving a reduction in her life sentence. In 2015, Naz was elected to Parliament, overturning George Galloway's majority to win back Bradford West for the Labour Party in one of the most momentous battles of the campaign. In serving the very community that once turned its back on her, she has transformed betrayal into leadership.
PUMP ROOM TALK: DR HILLARY BURLOCK
Thursday 16 July
Talk: 6pm – 6.25pm
Performance: 7.15pm – 10pm
LE DERNIER SORCIER
Thursday 16 July
Thursday 16 July Pump Room 7.15pm – 8.50pm 6pm – 7pm £14
Pavilion Arts Centre
CLAUDIA HAMMOND
Friday 17 July
Pavilion Arts Centre
10am – 11am
£14
Overwhelmed: Ways to Take the Pressure Off
All of us are familiar with the unsettling sensation of overwhelm. It's as if there's ever more to do, and ever less time in which to do it. The good news is, even if you can't see it yet, there is a way out.
Presenter of BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind Claudia Hammond will help us to take the pressure off with a psychological toolkit that is both practical and evidence based. Addressing particular problems that can trap us into feeling overwhelmed, from procrastination to the fear of regret, imposter syndrome, perfectionism and a seemingly never-ending to-do list, Claudia offers sciencebacked solutions. Get the tools to take on everything life throws at you at Buxton International Festival.
ESCOCIA DUO SETE ANÉIS
Friday 17 July
11.15am – 12.15pm
St John's Church General £27, Balcony £22
Escocia Duo brings together Chilean classical guitarist Roberto Kuhn and Yorkshire violinist Katrina Lee, who formed the ensemble while completing their Masters' degrees at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Both are multi-award-winning instrumentalists with thriving portfolio careers, in demand as musicians and educators across the UK.
In 2023, the duo was awarded the Athenaeum Award by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, supporting the recording of their debut album Sete Anéis (Seven Rings) with the Baros Records label.
INTRODUCTION TO BUXTON’S HISTORY AND HERITAGE
Friday 17 July
Meet at Buxton Opera House
G Leguizamon Zamba de Anta
H Soto Khespina
A Yupanqui Huajra
E Gismonti Pahlaco; Sete Anéis; Agua E Vinho
A Ramírez Alfonsina Y El Mar
Á Villoldo El Choclo
A Piazzolla Ave Maria (Tanti Anni Prima); Oblivion; Libertango
11.30am – 1pm
£20
ANDREW GRAHAM-DIXON
Friday 17 July
Pavilion Arts Centre
12.30pm – 1.30pm
£14
Vermeer: A Life Lost and Found
Andrew is an art historian and broadcaster who has made more BBC television series about art than any other presenter. The paintings of Johannes Vermeer of Delft are some of the most beautiful, even sublime, in the history of art. Yet like the life of Vermeer himself, they are mysterious and have for centuries defied explanation. Following new leads, and drawing on a mass of historical evidence, Andrew paints a dramatically new picture of Vermeer, revealing many of the painter’s hitherto unknown friendships as well as his previously undetected allegiance to a radical movement driven underground by persecution thereby vividly evoking the world of the Dutch Republic as it was in its so-called Golden Age. Andrew asks, why did Vermeer paint his pictures, and what do they mean?
GOULD PIANO TRIO
Friday 17 July
St John's Church
3pm – 5pm
General £35, Balcony £30
The Gould Piano Trio has been compared in the Washington Post to the great Beaux Arts Trio for their 'musical fire' and 'dedication to the genre' and has remained at the forefront of the international chamber music scene for over a quarter of a century.
'The Gould Piano Trio bring tremendous warmth, precision and integrity to their performance' - BBC Music Magazine
'It would be hard to improve upon the Gould Piano Trio’s irresistibly stylish and fervent advocacy' - Gramophone
J Haydn Piano Trio No. 44 in E major, Hob.XV:28
R Schumann Piano Trio No. 2 in F major, Op. 80 Interval
J MacMillan Piano Trio No. 2
F Mendelssohn Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49
This event is sponsored by
ANTHONY DELANEY
Friday 17 July
3pm – 4pm
Pavilion Arts Centre £14
Queer Georgians: A hidden history of lovers, lawbreakers and homemakers
Mother Clap's Holborn coffee house is open to all comers, a place of companionship and community, until a tipoff leads to a midnight raid. Two women, exiled from their families, set up a utopian homestead in a remote Welsh cottage, inspiring a generation of Romantic poets. The celebrated Chevalier d'Eon, soldier, diplomat and spy, challenges a rival to a fencing match. The sweepstake is not over who will win, but whether the Chevalier is a man or a woman. Dr Anthony Delaney traces the stories of people daring to challenge society's expectations, unearthing archives and court records to reveal the tragedies and the joys of queer life three centuries ago.
AN AUDIENCE WITH MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
THE MERRY WIDOW
Friday 17 July
Meet at Old Hall Hotel 3.30pm – 5pm £20
Friday 17 July
Talk: 6pm – 6.25pm
Performance: 7.15pm – 10pm
LA LIBERAZIONE DI RUGGIERO
Friday 17 July
Talk: 6pm – 6.25pm
Performance: 7.15pm – 9pm
GAZ HUGHES TRIO DRUMS, DOUBLE BASS, PIANO
Friday 17 July
Doors 9.30pm / Music 10pm – Late
The Old Clubhouse £15
Gaz Hughes - Drums
Andrzej Baranek - Piano
Gavin Barras - Double Bass
Gaz Hughes is a jazz drummer and bandleader whose style is deeply rooted in 1950s bebop. Known for his dynamic ensemble playing, he blends subtlety and energy to create compelling performances, earning praise from both audiences and renowned musicians.
One of the most prolific ensembles on the UK Jazz scene today, the Gaz Hughes Trio has captivated audiences across hundreds of performances over the last few years and are excited to present more new music for 2026.
NICHOLAS CRANE
Friday 17 July
Pavilion Arts Centre
10am – 11am
£14
The Path More Travelled: The Secret History of Britain's Footpaths
WILL DUERDEN, DANIIL MARGULIS AND SVITLANA KOSENKO DOUBLE BASSES
AND PIANO
Saturday 18 July 11.15am – 12.15pm
St John's Church General £27, Balcony £22
Will Duerden is fast becoming one of the most sought-after artists of his generation with a growing international career spanning four continents.
Daniil Margulis studied at the Bilkent University music school in Ankara, Turkey, before joining the Yehudi Menuhin School on a full scholarship, from which he graduated in 2020.
Svitlana Kosenko studied at Kharkov University of Arts, Ukraine. 2001 saw her take first prize in the Smetana International Competition. Since 2014, she has been Accompanist in Residence at the Yehudi Menuhin School.
VERA BRITTAIN, BUXTON AND A TESTAMENT TO LOST YOUTH
Geographer, broadcaster and writer Nicholas Crane explores the coast-to-coast web that is both ancient and futuristic. Starting with the stone age paths walked by European migrants 12,000 years ago, he traces their development, from early pilgrim paths and coffin tracks, through to the industrial revolution and the birth of the bicycle and car, sat-nav and walking apps. He discovers how land-grabbing Norman barons set a precedent for the enclosure of our countryside, and how out of the ashes of World War Two came our beloved national parks. Along the way, Nicholas will take us on some of his most memorable walks, including the banks of the Severn where he discovers footprints from over 7,000 years ago. A passionate ode to footpaths, Nicholas will be in conversation with writer and naturalist Mark Cocker. See p15
Sam Perkin New Work (World Premiere Performance)
V Montag Sonata in E minor for double bass and piano
M Ravel Deux Mélodies Hébraïques (Two Hebrew Melodies)
B Furtok Fantasy for two basses and piano
G Fauré Berceuse (Lullaby)
in Partnership with
Saturday 18 July Meet at Devonshire Dome reception 11.30am – 1pm
£20
KATE WILLIAMS
Saturday 18 July
Buxton Opera House
12.30pm – 1.30pm
£17
Regina: A New History of Women and Power
In an epic journey through history’s greatest royal women, from Cleopatra to Grace Kelly, from the ancient civilisations of Egypt and Mesopotamia to the opulent courts of medieval Europe, Kate delves into the lives of royal women as they navigate political intrigue, family rivalries and personal sacrifices. From Tudor queens, Catherine of Aragon and Lady Jane Grey to Queen Victoria’s contemporaries Yaa Asentewaa of Ghana and Queen Liliuokulani of Hawaii, Kate will describe the women who played pivotal roles in history and teach us about the place of royal women in society today. Kate is a Professor of History and appears regularly on television. She presented The Stuarts and is the royal expert for CNN. Kate has appeared on programmes as varied as The Great British Bake Off to election coverage and comedy panel shows.
THE VACHE BAROQUE BAND FAREWELL, DOWLAND
Saturday 18 July
St John's Church
3pm – 5pm
General £35, Balcony £30
Vache Baroque is an ensemble on a mission to connect the broadest possible range of people to the power and drama of Baroque music. From operas and multi-disciplinary concerts to children’s shows and youth residencies, they create inspiring experiences for audiences and artists to enjoy together. Since their 2020 launch, they have earned widespread critical acclaim – 'Witty, risky and immersive' - Opera Now; 'One of the UK’s hottest groups' - Opera Today.
The first of their two Buxton recitals this year features vocal and instrumental pieces by L Marenzio, V Galilei, F Caccini, S Caccini, J Dowland, O Gibbons. Interval
J-B Lully, P Humfrey, N Matteis, H Purcell.
They are joined by singers from the cast of La liberazione di Ruggiero
See page 61 for details of their second recital
THE EASY ROLLERS DOUBLE BASS, DRUMS, PIANO
Saturday 18 July
Pavilion Arts Centre
Doors 2.30pm / Music 3pm – 4.45pm
£25
Whether in their widely acclaimed, lingo-slinging, all-singing-and-dancing cabaret show, or delighting festival audiences with their enormous repertoire and own songwriting, The Easy Rollers are a septet who embody the famed spirit and consummate virtuosity of today's booming British jazz scene and bring it straight back to the music’s roots in 1920s and '30s Harlem, Kansas City and New Orleans.
The Easy Rollers’ recent UK tours encompassed RNCM Concert Hall, and jazz clubs Peggy's Skylight, PizzaExpress Live Holborn, and Toulouse Lautrec.
Dani Sicari - Vocals
Alex Hill - Piano
James Girling - Guitar
Jamie Stockbridge - Tenor Sax and Clarinet
Tom Sharp - Trumpet
Sam Jackson - Double Bass
Matt Brown - Drums
LA TRAVIATA
Saturday 18 July
Talk: 6pm – 6.25pm
Buxton Opera House See p21
Performance: 7.15pm – 10pm
FERGUS MCCREADIE TRIO
Saturday 18 July
Pavilion Arts Centre
Doors 7.30pm / Music 8pm – 9.45pm
£25
Fergus McCreadie - Piano
David Bowden - Double Bass
Stephen Henderson - Drums
With a unique blend of Jazz and Scottish folk that evokes his country’s sublime landscapes, Fergus McCreadie has developed a truly distinct voice in piano writing that is capturing the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide.
Recorded in a remote cottage in the Outer Hebrides, Fergus’s latest album ‘The Shieling’ (Edition Records) draws on the wild, elemental beauty of the surroundings that proved an immediate success with critics and audience alike: topping the UK Jazz & Blues charts and named one of Assai Records’ Albums of the Year.
'The most beautiful music that can be heard in jazz at the moment' - Written In Music
FESTIVAL MASS
Sunday 19 July 11am – 12.30pm
St John's Church Free, Donations Welcome
LA LIBERAZIONE DI RUGGIERO
LA CLEMENZA DI TITO
Sunday 19 July
Talk: 12.45pm – 1.10pm
Pavilion Arts Centre
Performance: 2pm – 3.45pm
Sunday 19 July
Talk: 1.45pm – 2.10pm
Performance: 3pm – 5.30pm
LIZZIE BALL AND JAMES PEARSON VIOLIN & VOCALS AND PIANO ENCOUNTERS WITH GERSHWIN
Sunday 19 July, 7pm – 9pm
Pavilion Arts Centre General £32, Balcony £27
Lizzie Ball is a violinist, vocalist, producer, and founder of Classical Kicks Productions, dedicated to bringing classical music to new audiences in diverse settings.
James Pearson is a pianist, composer, and Artistic Director at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, where his trio serves as the house band. He is equally at home in classical and jazz.
'She set the place on fire with her solo performance' - San Francisco Chronicle
'Pearson is in shattering form on these sessions' - Sunday Times
A Piazzolla Escualo
T Layton. arr. Andrew Cottee 'After You’ve Gone'
G Gershwin, arr. Pearson 'The Man I Love'
F Kreisler Praeludium and Allegro in the Style of Pugnani
G Gershwin, arr. Heifetz ‘Bess, You is my Woman Now’ from Porgy and Bess
Gershwin, arr. Pearson - Gershwin Finale Medley
Interval
A Copland, arr. Pearson El Salón México
M Ponce, arr. Heifetz Estrellita
F Kreisler, arr. Rachmaninov Liebesleid
Selections from the Great American Songbook to include songs by Gershwin, Cole Porter, Heywood/Cook, Duke Ellington
L Bernstein, arr. Pearson West Side Story Suite
TWENTIETH-CENTURY DIN
CONDUCTED BY IWAN DAVIES
ALLISON COOK (Schoenberg), JANE BURNELL (Mahler) – SOPRANO
Sunday 19 July
St John's Church
8pm – 10pm
General £35, Balcony £30
This is the launch of Twentieth-Century Din, a new ensemble of outstanding young musicians, led by conductor Iwan Davies. Twentieth-century composers made it their mission to find new means of expression, breaking boundaries of forces and form. But their music is often considered difficult, inaccessible and obscure. TwentiethCentury Din will perform the most audacious and compelling works of the period, revelling in their drama, vitality and eccentricity – giving the lie to Noel Coward’s world-weary, 'twentieth-century blues'.
A Schoenberg
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21
Interval
G Mahler
Symphony No. 4 in G major, version for chamber orchestra by Erwin Stein
THE VACHE
BAROQUE BAND
IF IT AIN'T BROKE...
Monday 20 July
St John's Church
11.15am – 12.15pm
General £27, Balcony £22
From operas and multi-disciplinary concerts to children’s shows and youth residencies, The Vache Baroque Band creates inspiring experiences for audiences and artists to enjoy together. As an awardwinning UK charity, they give special focus to offering young and disadvantaged people opportunities to participate alongside leading professionals. Most recently, their education project for Deafblind Awareness Week was nominated for a 2025 International Opera Award. 'Huge fun' - The Spectator; 'An exceptional evening' - The Observer
For their second Buxton concert this year (see also 18 July), they present a programme featuring sixteenth- and seventeenth-century pieces based on popular songs and dances of the time, by:
A Holborne, Anon., C Simpson, J Dowland, R Allison, W Inglott, H Butler, J Jenkins, T Baltzar and W Lawes
See page 58 for details of their first recital
THROUGH THE HERITAGE LENS: A ROAD REVEALS ITS SECRETS
Monday 20 July
Meet at the Bath House at the corner of Macclesfield Rd and Burlington Rd
EDWARD ABEL SMITH
Monday 20 July
11.30am – 1pm
£20
See p15
12.30pm – 1.30pm
Pavilion Arts Centre £14
A Hateful Decision
Summer, 1940. Winston Churchill watches in horror as France falls to the Germans in just six weeks, completing the Nazi conquest of mainland Europe. He faces an urgent question: what will happen to France’s mighty navy? Under German control it presents a major threat to Great Britain and could mark a point of no return. With the Nazis closing in and time running out, Churchill ordered Operation Catapult. By the end of one of the most agonising but necessary military operations of the war, a large part of the French navy would be destroyed and nearly 1,300 French sailors would be dead, a number which would haunt all involved for the rest of their lives. Edward is a writer and documentary filmmaker. His book, The Life and Work of Nicholas Winton, was the subject of a film starring Anthony Hopkins.
BRODSKY QUARTET
VIOLINS, VIOLA AND CELLO
Monday 20 July 3pm – 5pm
St John's Church
General £37, Balcony £32
Since forming in 1972, the Brodsky Quartet have performed over 3,500 concerts throughout the world and released more than 70 recordings. Having recently celebrated their 50th anniversary, they continue to enjoy a busy international performing schedule, extensively touring major festivals and venues throughout Australasia, North and South America, Asia and Europe as well as in the UK.
'…the players gave unstintingly of their passion and energies, playing with a spirit so transformational you felt they were actually improving the world.' – The Strad
A Copland arr. Cassidy/Thomas Hoe-Down, from Rodeo
S Barber Adagio
B Bartók String Quartet No. 6 Interval
A Dvořák String Quartet in F, Op. 96, 'American'
ANDREA WULF
Monday 20 July
4pm – 5pm Pavilion Arts Centre £14
The Traveller: The Revolutionary Life of George Forster and his Search for Humanity
Andrea spreads out before us the life and times of George Forster, who journeyed to the far reaches of the known world, and whose radical ideas about humanity, equality and freedom challenged the worldviews of eighteenth-century Europe. He joined Cook’s second voyage at the age of seventeen, an exploration of vast contrasts from the icy world of Antarctica to tropical islands of the South Pacific. Studying the diverse nature, peoples and cultures he encountered, he came back imbued with a deep belief in the equality of races, an understanding far ahead of his time. On his return he was feted in England, France, Germany and Poland, using his fame to advocate for freedom and women’s rights and against empire, racism and slavery.
PUMP ROOM TALK: DR PETER COLLINGE
AMADIGI DI GAULA
LE DERNIER SORCIER
Monday 20 July Talk: 6pm – 6.25pm Performance: 7.15pm – 10pm
Monday 20 July
RUTH LARSEN
Tuesday 21 July 10am – 11am
Pavilion Arts Centre £14
Mistress: A History of Women and their Country Houses
Grand houses can be found across the countryside of England and Wales. But what was life like for the mistresses of these great houses? How much power and influence did they really have? Focusing on eighteen women, and spanning five centuries, Ruth looks at the ways in which elite women not only shaped the house, household, and family, but also had an impact on society, culture, and politics within their estates and beyond. We meet Brilliana Harley, who defended her castle at Brampton Bryan; Frances Boscawen, who oversaw the building of Hatchlands; and Lady Mary Elcho, who preserved her secret life as mistress to Arthur Balfour.
NEWE VIALLES BAROQUE CHAMBER GROUP
Tuesday 21 July 11.15am – 12.15pm
St Johns Church General £27, Balcony £22
Henrik Persson Viola da Gamba
Caroline Ritchie Viola da Gamba Lynda Sayce Theorbo James Akers Baroque Guitar
Founded in 2015 by Henrik Persson and Caroline Ritchie, Newe Vialles explores music for viols from the 16th to the 18th centuries, alongside new commissions. Distinguished by a unique core sound and vivid rhetorical style, Newe Vialles are currently showcasing two beautiful historical viols and the music their original owners might have played.
'The great musical treat on this disc is the playing of the viol consort, Newe Vialles' - BBC Music Magazine, 2019.
N Matteis Prelude for guitar, from The False Consonances of Musick
B Hely Sonata No.1 in G minor, for two bass viols and continuo
C Simpson Divisions in C major, for two bass viols
J Jenkins Pieces in G minor, for two bass viols and continuo
N Matteis Two Arias for guitar and continuo, from The False Consonances of Musick
C Simpson Divisions in F major, for two bass viols
D Norcombe Tregian’s Ground for solo viol
R Sumarte arr. Persson/Sayce Dafne, for viol and continuo
B Hely Sonata No. 3 in B flat major, for two bass viols and continuo
From The Division Violin 'Old Simon the King’
C Simpson Divisions in A minor, for two bass viols
THE MERRY WIDOW
Tuesday 21 July
Talk: 12.45pm – 1.10pm
Performance: 2pm – 2.45pm
Buxton Opera House See p19
PETER DONOHOE PIANO
Tuesday 21 July
St John's Church
R Schumann Fantasie in C major, Op. 17 TUESDAY 21
3pm – 5pm
General £37, Balcony £32
Peter Donohoe is acclaimed as one of the foremost pianists of our time, for his musicianship, stylistic versatility and commanding technique. In recent seasons he has appeared with Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic and Concert Orchestras, Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, and RTE National Symphony Orchestra. He is also in high demand as a jury member for international competitions.
'I cannot imagine a living pianist capable of improving upon Donohoe's outstanding artistry' - Robert MatthewWalker, Musical Opinion
L v Beethoven Piano Sonata in G major, Op. 14, No. 2
J Brahms Six Pieces, Op. 118
F Chopin Etudes, Op. 25, Nos 1-5
MARTIN SIXSMITH
Tuesday 21 July
Pavilion Arts Centre
3pm – 4pm
£14
Suing the Kremlin: The Battle for Putin’s Billions
A quarter of a century in power has allowed Vladimir Putin to enrich himself. He has done this by plundering Russia's resources, confiscated private businesses and persecuted those who stood against him. The revenues Putin stole built up an unparalleled war chest and this he used to pay for the invasion of Ukraine. Martin charts the fascinating story of what has happened to the men that Putin dispossessed and where their money went. A small team of legal experts has spent the last twenty years pursuing Putin in the courts of the world. These legal experts are based in London, and they are set on reclaiming this enormous wealth. Martin Sixsmith was for many years BBC correspondent in Moscow; has written a number of books on Russia and also broadcast his own 12-part series on the History of Russia for BBC Radio 4.
AN EXPLORATION OF FAIRFIELD’S HISTORY
SONG AT SIX
Tuesday 21 July
Meet at Fairfield War Memorial, The Green 3.30pm – 5.30pm £20 See p15
Tuesday 21 July
Bandstand at Pavilion Gardens 6pm FREE
LA LIBERAZIONE DI RUGGIERO
Tuesday 21 July 7.15pm – 9pm
Pavilion Arts Centre
TUESDAY 21 JULY
BEN TARLTON CELLO
Wednesday 22 July 9.30am – 10.30am
Assembly Rooms
£22
London-based cellist Ben Tarlton enjoys a career as a soloist, chamber musician and director of the Llantwit Major Chamber Music Festival. He has perfor med recitals and concertos on BBC Radio 3, and at Cadogan Hall, Sinfonia Smith Square, BBC Hoddinott Hall and Dora Stoutzker Hall, Cardiff. He gave the world premiere of Christian Henking’s Stone Mountain for cello and choir, amongst other works, with the Basler Madrigalisten in Switzerland.
'Playing with extraordinary precision and insight.' - The Guardian
J S Bach Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV1009
G Ligeti Sonata for solo cello
G Cassadó Suite for solo cello
SIR CHRIS BRYANT
Wednesday 22 July 10am – 11am
Pavilion Arts Centre
£14
A Life and a Half: The Unexpected Making of a Politician
Before he was a politician, Sir Chris Bryant MP was an Anglican priest, baptising babies and holding the hands of the dying. Before that, he manned the barricades in Latin America, and before that, he was the scared son of an alcoholic mother and an estranged father. Chris is 'equally at home behind the altar, in sweaty gay clubs, on the hustings or the stage'. Chris will recount growing up in General Franco's Spain, acting alongside some of the most talented names of the day as a teenager, and caring for his brother and mother as she descended into addiction. He ran the family home from sixteen, became ordained at twentyfour and came out as gay shortly after. And that's just the early years…All while tracking the landscape of late-twentieth-century British politics, from Thatcher to the birth of New Labour.
Wednesday 22 July
The Assembly Rooms 11am – 3pm FREE DAY
See p85
MÚSICA D'OUTRORA
STILL LIFE: EARLY BAROQUE FANTASY
Wednesday 22 July 11.15am – 12.15pm
St John's Church
General £27, Balcony £22
Música d’Outrora is an early-music ensemble founded in 2022. Bringing together musicians from three continents, the ensemble explores the vivid, unpredictable sound world of the early Baroque.
Recent activity includes the Across the Alps UK tour and participation in the 'BREMF Live!' programme at Brighton Early Music Festival. Through these projects, Música d’Outrora seeks to restore the theatrical intensity and emotional immediacy of early Baroque music. 'An ensemble one is now obliged to follow closely.' Scherzo
D Castello Sonata Prima (Book II)
J H Schmelzer Sonata Quinta from Sonate Unarum Fidium
G Strozzi Toccata Quarta per l’elevazione
A Ferrabosco II 'The Sound out my Voyce'
G G Kapsberger Toccata Prima (Book IV)
G Sanz Jácaras
A Stradella Sinfonia a Tre
D Castello Sonata Seconda (Book II)
RAISING THE CURTAIN: A PEEK AT THE HISTORY OF THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE IN BUXTON
Wednesday 22 July
Meet at Buxton Opera House 11.30am – 1.30pm £20
SIR ANTONY BEEVOR
Wednesday 22 July 12.30pm – 1.30pm
Buxton Opera House
£17
Rasputin and the Downfall of the Romanovs
How could a barely literate peasant from Siberia determine the fate of the world? Undoubtedly, the so-called 'mad monk' Rasputin bewitched Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra. Yet their strange and scandalous relationship conceals a riddle, one that casts an intriguing light on the controversial 'great man' theory of history. Rasputin was a devoted monarchist, not a revolutionary. He had no official position, no forces at his command. Nevertheless, he contributed more to the fall of the Romanov dynasty than any other individual. Sir Antony has received major prizes, has appeared in thirty-seven languages and sold more than nine million copies. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the Royal Historical Society, he has received honorary doctorates and fellowships from five universities.
COLOUR MY SONG WILLIAMS-HOWARD PRIZE CONCERT
Wednesday 22 July 1.45pm – 2.35pm
Assembly Rooms Free
Join us for the 5th Annual Williams-Howard Prize Concert at the Buxton Inter national Festival. Established in 2022 by Michael Harper, Vocal Tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music, this prestigious competition celebrates art songs by composers of African heritage.
The concert features the 2026 winners of the competition, showcasing the next generation of talent. Previous winners have gone on to perform at iconic venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Cadogan Hall and Wigmore Hall, as well as with BBC Philharmonic, English Touring Opera, and Kantos Chamber Choir amongst others.
ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG, CLAIRE BOOTH AND ANDREW MATTHEWS-OWEN VOICES AND PIANO
THE ROARING TWENTIES
Wednesday 22 July 3pm – 5pm
St John's Church General £35, Balcony £30
'The Twenties were drenched in melody' (Beverly Nichols)
As in the 2020s, the 1920s emerged from a pandemic, a financial crash and war. The decade responded, in the words of Zelda Fitzgerald, by going into battle 'with audacity and rouge', and with cocktails ('giggle juice'), new plays, new fashions and new sounds from Noel Coward and Ivor Novello to the Great American Songbook which have become immortal. Join us to celebrate a decade of laughter, love, gossip and intrigue. A time that was too good to last. As the decade ended there was the inevitable sense of 'The Party's Over Now' but what a decade it was!
THROUGH THE HERITAGE LENS: A ROAD REVEALS ITS SECRETS
Wednesday 22 July
Meet at the Bath House at the corner of Macclesfield Rd and Burlington Rd 3.30pm – 5pm £20
See p15
GAVIN FRANCIS
Wednesday 22 July 4pm – 5pm
Pavilion Arts Centre
The
Unfragile
£14
Mind: Making Sense of Mental Health
Dr Gavin Francis is a GP with a special interest in mental health and the bestselling author of Adventures in Human Being, Shapeshifters and Intensive Care. Between a quarter and a fifth of young people in the UK now suffer a mental disorder. One in four adults are prescribed psychiatric medication. These numbers represent a huge and recent expansion in mental health labelling but reveal nothing of the experience of those seeking help. Gavin draws on conversations with patients, colleagues, and his thirty years of practice to explore the chequered history of psychiatry, the nature of mental health and ill-health, and the problems, including mood disorders, trauma, anxiety and addiction, that he addresses daily. The mind, he argues, is dynamic and adaptive, better addressed not with rigid labels and protocols, but with curiosity, kindness, humility and hope.
PUMP ROOM TALK: MATT SCOTTCAMPBELL, PARTNERSHIP MANAGER, MOORS FOR THE FUTURE PARTNERSHIP
LA TRAVIATA
Wednesday 22 July
Talk: 6pm – 6.25pm
Wednesday 22 July 6pm – 7pm Pump Room £14
See p14
Buxton Opera House See p21
Performance: 7.15pm – 10pm
HANNAH BRINE WITH BIM WILLIAMS
Wednesday 22 July Doors 9.30pm / Music 10pm – Late
The Old Clubhouse
£15
Hannah Brine - Vocals, Bim Williams - Guitar
Hannah Brine is delighted to be returning to Buxton International Festival. 2025 was a big year for her – she released her debut album Blue Sky Now, generating airplay on BBC Radio London as well as lots of local BBC introducing plays. She also embarked on her first 20-date tour, playing venues including Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, Buxton Opera House, and London’s 606 Club.
'The songs hit their target delightfully' - Jazz Journal
JULIA BOYD
Thursday 23 July 10am – 11am
Pavilion Arts Centre £14
There is Sweet Music Here: The World of Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall is a modest building tucked away behind a busy shopping street. But inside lies something very special: one of the world’s most beloved concert halls, within whose walls we find tales of exceptional performers, composers, impresarios and, of course, audiences. The story of Wigmore Hall is the story of music in the 20th and 21st centuries, and of London itself. With a stellar cast of characters including Ferrucio Busoni, Arthur Rubinstein, Joseph Joachim, Yvette Guilbert, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Benjamin Britten, not to mention illustrious audiences including Siegfried Sassoon and Virginia Woolf. Julia Boyd is the Sunday Times bestselling author of Travellers in the Third Reich and a trustee of Wigmore Hall.
EWAN MILLAR AND TOMOS BOYLES OBOE AND PIANO
Thursday 23 July 11.15am – 12.15pm
St John's Church
General £27, Balcony £22
Ewan Millar is a leading young UK oboe soloist, a BBC Young Musician 2020 finalist, and the 2025 Royal Over-Seas League Gold Medal winner. He perfor ms widely in recital, and as a freelancer he has performed as principal oboe with major orchestras across the UK.
Welsh pianist Tomos Boyles is an emerging concert artist, performing at major venues across the UK. Prizes include first prize at the 2025 Dudley International Piano Competition and the Blue Riband at the National Eisteddfod of Wales.
JS Bach Arioso
S Barber Canzonetta
T Musgrave Niobe, for oboe and electronic tape
J Brahms Violin Sonata No.1, transcr. E Millar
P Facer Manhattanhenge
THE
HALLÉ
CONDUCTED BY EUAN SHIELDS
Thursday 23 July 3pm – 5pm
The Octagon £35
Annemarie Federle Horn
The Hallé makes its long-awaited retur n to the Buxton International Festival with a programme of three Romantic masterpieces, led by award-winning conductor Euan Shields. The concert opens with the dazzling overture to Weber’s opera Oberon, and continues with Richard Strauss’s First Horn Concerto, written when he was just 18. Brahms’s monumental Fourth Symphony, often hailed as his greatest, grows from the simplest idea into a vast emotional journey.
C Weber Oberon Overture
R Strauss Horn Concerto No.1 in E flat, Op. 11
J Brahms Symphony No.4 in E minor, Op. 98
LACHLAN GOUDIE
Thursday 23 July 4pm – 5pm
Pavilion Arts Centre
£14
The Secrets of Painting: The Hidden Art of the Masterpiece from Prehistory to Today
In addition to painting, Lachlan has written and presented several documentaries for the BBC including the landmark series The Story of Scottish Art for which he received a nomination from the Royal Television Society Scotland for the ‘Onscreen personality of the year’ award. Lachlan is judge of BBC1’s Big Painting Challenge, Celebrity Big Painting Challenge, and presenter of BBC4’s Life Drawing Live! But how do you paint a masterpiece? Lachlan seeks the answer to this question by exploring how twenty of the greatest paintings in human history were created, from a blank surface to the finishing brushstroke. Beginning at the dawn of civilization with prehistoric cave paintings and ending with the arrival of AI, Goudie unveils the methods and techniques employed by individual artists, bringing their studios to life at the very moment they produced their most celebrated works.
OPERA IN THE CAVERN
Thursday 23 July 4.30pm – 5.30pm
‘Extraordinary performances in a breathtaking space.’
Join us for an unforgettable, intimate tour beneath the earth, where you’ll marvel at beautifully illuminated, rock-sculpted galleries while enjoying stunning highlights from iconic operas and musicals. The experience begins with a glass of fizz just outside the Roman Chamber of Poole’s Cavern. From there, you’ll be guided through the breathtaking underground passages, rich in stalactites, stalagmites, and fascinating history.
MUSICALS IN THE CAVERN
Thursday 23 July 5.30pm – 6.30pm
SONG AT SIX
LA CLEMENZA DI TITO
Thursday 23 July
Bandstand at Pavilion Gardens 6pm FREE
Thursday 23 July 7.15pm – 9.45pm Buxton Opera House
DENNIS ROLLINS VELOCITY TRIO WITH SPECIAL GUEST CAMERON PIERRE
Thursday 23 July
Doors 7.30pm / Music 8pm – 9.45pm
Pavilion Arts Centre £25
Dennis Rollins - Trombone
Joel Barford - Drums
Ross Stanley - Organ
Cameron Pierre - Guitar
For 25 years trombonist Dennis Rollins has played at the forefront of the UK jazz, funk and pop as a virtuosic sideman to such stars such as Maceo Parker, Courtney Pine and Tom Jones, and as an award-winning leader in his own right.
For their Buxton performance Rollins and Velocity Trio will be joined by special guest, and stalwart of the British jazz scene since the ‘80s, Cameron Pierre on guitar.
'This band produces genuine fireworks' - Roger Thomas, BBC Music Magazine
EMMA CHAPMAN
Friday 24 July
Pavilion Arts Centre
10am – 11am
£14
Radio Universe: How to Explore Space Without Leaving Earth
How do you explore distant stars, buried water on Mars or the first moments after the Big Bangwithout leaving your back garden? Emma will take us on an electrifying voyage through the cosmos using one of the most powerful, yet overlooked, tools in science: the radio wave. Revealing how these invisible messengers glide through space, bounce off planets, tunnel through clouds and slip past galactic dust, they carry secrets of the universe that no other kind of light can uncover. We can follow a single radio wave as it escapes Earth and travels outward, ricocheting off the Moon, tunnelling through Venus's furnace-thick atmosphere, tracing ancient ice hidden in Mercury's shadows and diving deep into the swirling arms of the Milky Way. Emma is an award-winning radio astronomer based at the University of Nottingham, and a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin research fellow.
DELPHINE TRIO CLARINET, CELLO, PIANO
Friday 24 July 11.15 am – 12.15 pm
St John's Church
General £27, Balcony £22
The Delphine Trio brings together three passionate young musicians from all around the globe: Australian clarinettist Magdalenna Krstevska, Dutch cellist Jobine Siekman and South African pianist Roelof Temmingh. Winners of the 2025 Royal Over-seas League Chamber Music competition, they are regularly sought after to perform across the UK and the Netherlands.
'..... the trio are clearly probing and sensitive musical interpreters with enthusiasm for accurate and intense performance.' - John Hargreaves, Market Drayton Advertiser
C Frühling Clarinet Trio in A minor, Op. 40
C Pépin Snow, Moon and Flowers
J Psathas Island Songs
RAISING THE CURTAIN: A PEEK AT THE HISTORY OF THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE IN BUXTON
Friday 24 July Meet at Buxton Opera House 11.30am – 1pm
£20
See p15
JOHN CRACE
Friday 24 July 12.30pm – 1.30pm
Buxton Opera House £17
The Bonfire of the Insanities: How Does This Government Thing Work Again?
After fourteen years of Tory rule, John Crace has seen it all: a bucketload of sleaze and scandals, myriad questionable policy decisions, and an ever-revolving door of candidates trying to get themselves to the top of a sinking ship. With a bumpy start, Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and the Labour Party have taken the reins while Kemi Badenoch and the Tories slink off to regroup in opposition. Many proclaim that the United Kingdom's political landscape has changed but are those fabled sunlit uplands finally in view? Selected from John's much-loved Guardian column, The Bonfire of the Insanities will light up the opera house with a new chapter of governmental absurdity.
ISATA KANNEH-MASON PIANO
Friday 24 July
St John's Church
3pm – 5pm
General £37, Balcony £32
Isata Kanneh-Mason offers eclectic and stimulating recital programmes with repertoire encompassing Haydn and Mozart, Fanny Mendelssohn and Clara Schumann, Chopin and Brahms to Gershwin and beyond. In concertos, she is equally at home in Felix Mendelssohn and Beethoven, and in Prokofiev and Rachmaninov. In July 2024, she performed at the First Night of the BBC Proms with the BBC Symphony and conductor Elim Chan, a performance which resulted in stellar reviews in the mainstream press.
L v Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2, 'Moonlight' M Ravel Gaspard de la Nuit
Interval
D Tabakova Nocturne
D Tabakova Halo
L v Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53 , 'Waldstein'
Friday 24 July
IAIN DALE AND STEVE RICHARDS
Friday 24 July 4pm – 5.30pm Pavilion Arts Centre £14
3 for 2: Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair & Have I Said Too Much?
Buxton regular and LBC presenter Iain Dale and journalist and author Steve Richards will be ‘in conversation’ to discuss their respective short biographies of two of our most recent prime ministers – Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. Thirty-five years after Thatcher was ousted, and nearly twenty years since Tony Blair was replaced, Iain and Steve will explain why both ex-premiers have influenced today’s politics and why younger generations should understand their legacies. Steve will also talk to Iain about his newly published autobiography Have I Said Too Much?, which tells all about his life in politics and the media. Iain is the author or editor of more than 60 books on politics and presents the evening show on LBC Radio. Steve is a former political editor of The Independent and hosts the Rock ‘n’ Roll Politics podcast. SONG AT SIX
Friday 24 July Bandstand at
THE MERRY WIDOW
Friday 24 July
Talk: 6pm – 6.25pm
Performance: 7.15pm – 10pm
BLIND MONK TRIO
Friday 24 July
Doors 9.30pm / Music 10pm – Late
The Old Clubhouse
£15
Bob Whittaker - Tenor Sax
Hugo Harrison - Bass
Johnny Hunter - Drums
Blind Monk is an energetic Liverpoolbased group known for their original, quirky sound blending the moods of Coltrane and Led Zeppelin. They are part of the great history of classic sax/bass/drums trios (Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, FLY, J.D. Allen Trio), bringing their vicious brand of fierce, piano-less Jazz to the music of Thelonious Monk.
CAROLINE MOOREHEAD
Saturday 25 July
Pavilion
Arts Centre
10am – 11am
£14
A Sicilian Man: Leonardo Sciascia, the Rise of the Mafia and the Struggle for Italy’s Soul
Corruption, sleaze and violence were woven into the fabric of twentieth-century Sicilian life, as the Mafia rose to dominance; this is the story of one man who stood in opposition. In 1986, the largest Mafia trial in Italy’s history took place in Sicily. The maxi-processo saw 471 men and 4 women take the stand, accused of kidnapping, extortion, drug trafficking and many thousands of murders.
Sitting in the galley was Leonardo Sciascia. One of the greatest European writers of the twentieth century, he had published the first Mafia novel, The Day of the Owl, in 1961, and was widely seen by Italians as a true moral figure in a country where corruption had seeped into every corner of public and private life. Prize-winning historian Caroline charts Sciascia’s life against the rise of the Mafia, and lays out the thrilling and devastating struggle that ensued for Italy’s soul.
JACK HANCHER GUITAR
Saturday 25 July 11.15am – 12.15 pm
St John's Church
General £27, Balcony £22
Jack Hancher is a rising star of the classical guitar. In 2022, he won the prestigious Gold Medal of the Royal Overseas League Competition at London's Wigmore Hall, becoming just the third guitarist to win the award. This was preceded in 2021 by a tour of several European Guitar Festivals as a EuroStrings Artist. In 2024, he released his debut album The Memory Garden on the Deux-Elles label to critical acclaim.
'A guitarist with youthful intensity tempered by sophisticated musical intelligence' - Gramophone
C Debussy 'La Fille Aux Cheveux de Lin' *
C Debussy 'The Little Shepherd' *
C Debussy Danse Bohémienne *
M de Falla Homenaje
M Ravel Pavane Pour Une Infante Défunte *
M Ravel A la Manière de Borodine *
VERA BRITTAIN, BUXTON AND A TESTAMENT TO LOST YOUTH
F Mompou Canción No.6*
I Albéniz Capricho Catalan*
E Satie Gymnopédie No.1*
A José Sonata for Guitar
* transcribed by Jack Hancher
Saturday 25 July
Meet at Devonshire Dome reception 11.30am – 1pm £20
See p15
IAIN DALE WITH DEBORAH HAYNES AND THE GENERALS
GENERAL LORD RICHARD DANNATT, GENERAL SIR RICHARD BARRONS, MAJOR GENERAL TIM CROSS
Saturday 25 July 12.30pm – 2pm
Buxton Opera House £17
The Generals
A third world war has never looked more likely. Iain's new book The Generals' profiles 64 historical and contemporary military leaders from the UK, the USA and around the world. He will be joined on a panel by three British military leaders – General Lord Richard Dannatt, former head of the British Army, General Sir Richard Barrons, Commander, Joint Forces Command and Major General Tim Cross, Commanding Officer, Theatre Troops, Iraq. Also on the panel is Deborah Haynes, Security & Defence Editor for Sky News, and the creator of The War Game podcast series, in which politicians and military figures ‘wargame’ an attack from Russia. The panel will discuss the art of ‘generalship’ in modern warfare, learning the lessons of history and they will then talk about the current military threats to the UK and how to deal with them.
LE DERNIER SORCIER
Saturday 25 July
Pavilion Arts Centre 1.30pm – 3.05pm
See p25
ALASTAIR MILES AND MARIE-NOËLLE KENDALL BASS
AND PIANO
Saturday 25 July
St John's Church
3pm – 4.20pm
General £27, Balcony £22
Alastair Miles is one of the UK’s most renowned singers, in opera and concerts worldwide. He was honoured by the Worshipful Company of Musicians with the Charles Santley Award in 2024.
"The finest British bass of his generation" - The Guardian
Marie-Noëlle Kendall is much in demand as a performer and teacher. Her solo work includes concertos and recitals around the world. Chamber music has also been a big part of her musical life.
'...matches her singer all the way...' - Opera Now
J Brahms Four Serious Songs Op. 121
J Ibert Chansons de Don Quichotte (Don Quixote songs)
INTERVAL
R Strauss - Four Songs, Op. 87
G Finzi Four settings of Thomas Hardy
PETER APPS
Saturday 25 July
Pavilion Arts Centre
4pm – 5pm
£14
The Next World War: The new age of global conflict and the fight to stop it
Peter Apps is global affairs commentator at Reuters and a British Ar my reservist.
Exploring how the globalised world of the 1990s and 2000s has given way to the much more volatile face-offs of the 2020s, Peter goes behind the scenes in the corridors of power in Washington, Whitehall, Moscow and Beijing. He profiles the fights already happening to examine what could be the worst to come and the military and diplomatic battle to prevent that escalation. For some, this new era is already a reality. For others, such as European citizens being told to stockpile bottled water or who face possible conscription, it is coming ever closer. But for an unpredictable US and its nervous allies, this growing set of international confrontations from the Arctic to the Philippines represent likely the greatest threat yet to the world the West has built.
Saturday 25 July
LA TRAVIATA
Talk: 6pm – 6.25pm
Buxton Opera House
Performance: 7.15pm – 10pm
PETE ROTH TRIO FEATURING BILL BRUFORD
Saturday 25 July
Doors 7.30pm / Music 8pm – 9.45pm
Pavilion Arts Centre £25
Pete Roth - Guitar
Mike Pratt - Bass
Bill Bruford - Drums
The Pete Roth Trio creates intimate, interactive and improvised music for a new generation of enthusiasts. Roth’s original compositions, such as 'Dancing with Grace', the trio’s collaborative works, 'Part of the Charm' or 'Looking Forward to Looking Back,' and their reinterpretation of masterworks like Dvořák’s 'Largo from Symphony No. 9,' offer just a few gateways into the creative sphere of the Pete Roth Trio.
Expect the unexpected!
'It’s not retro. It’s not comfortable. It’s just brilliantly unruly.' - Fasching Club, Stockholm
Sunday 26 July 11am – 12.30pm St John's Church Free, Donations Welcome
Join the of Buxton International Festival Today
Friends Welcome
One of the benefits of being Chairman of the Friends is that I have the privilege of talking to Michael Williams about his plans for who will be coming to the Festival whilst they are still in the stage of development. So, I sit in his office saying 'Wow!' and 'That’s fantastic!' before almost anybody else gets to say it. Not all of his plans come to fruition, so sometimes I get to be disappointed. But most of them do, and so there will be plenty for you also to say 'Wow!' and 'That’s fantastic!' about in the brochure for 2026.
The two Friends' Days are on Wednesday 15th and 22nd July. I’m delighted that these days have become ever more popular as word about them gets around the Friends. But whether you are a Friend or not, do all come along to the Crescent’s beautiful Assembly Rooms between 11am and 3pm to hear short recitals from members of our Young Artists’ and Young Musicians’ programmes, see the display of Festival-related material, and have a chat
Next Generation
Friends
2026 is an exciting year for the Next Generation Friends. Our ever popular reduced ticket offer returns, with events bookable from just £5. The scheme has also been expanded to allow for a deeper and more meaningful engagement with the festival’s artistic life, with social events, performance opportunities and other ways to get involved. This marks a new two-way relationship with our young Friends. The Next Generation Friends scheme reflects our commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists, audiences, and advocates, and we are proud to place it at the heart of the festival’s future.
Ruth Silver Next Generation Friends Scheme Lead
Next Generation Friends Social at The Clubhouse, Buxton followed by The Merry Widow Friday 17 July
Next Generation Song at Six performances See P17.
Details will be sent to all Next Generation Friends in due course.
over a tea or coffee. The events are free, and all are welcome. On Wednesday 22nd we will have the special recital Colour my Song by the winners of the Williams-Howard Prize, which is also free to attend, at 1.45pm. The two days round off with our ‘Meet the Artists’ receptions from 5-6pm in the Assembly Rooms.
For our Next Generation Friends, don’t forget you can attend any book event for just £5 and other events for £10.
The support of the Friends makes the Buxton International Festival special. Thank you, as ever.
Tony Parsons Chair, Friends of Buxton International Festival
Or is freeforUnder 3 5 ’s Annual Membership starts from just £36
JOINING OUR COMMUNITY UNLOCKS A WHOLE HOST OF BENEFITS:
• Priority booking for all Festival events
• Six tiers of membership starting from just £36
• Regular newsletters during the year - via email and post
• Be the first to hear exclusive festival news & announcements
• Invites to special events throughout the year, including meals, recitals, and afternoon teas
NEXT GENERATION FRIENDS
Under 35’s can get tickets from £5 with our Next Generation membership –which is free to join.
To join, go to buxtonfestival. co.uk/friends.
FRIENDS’ DAYS DURING THE FESTIVAL
Wednesday 15 July and Wednesday 22 July 11am – 3pm
The Assembly Rooms at the Buxton Crescent Hotel FREE
You are warmly invited to the majestic Assembly Rooms at the Buxton Crescent Hotel each Wednesday of the Festival. Members of The Friends of BIF will be hosting free events throughout the day, alongside tea and coffee. Drop by to enjoy live music, the Festival display and the chance to find out more about this thriving organisation.
Assembly Rooms
UPCOMING EVENTS all welcome
LOWRY’S LAMPS BY RICHARD MAYSON
Friday 13 March 2026
10.30am–12pm
Thorneycroft, Buxton
£10
Use of the Assembly Rooms are kindly made available by
HARPSICHORD RECITAL BY
DELLAL MCDONALD
Saturday 18 April 2026
2pm–4.30pm
The Cloister House, Blithfield, Admaston
£45
LUNCH AT SNITTERTON HALL
Thursday 11 June 2026
12pm–3.30pm
Snitterton Hall, Matlock
£45
Join us for a coffee morning where Richard Mayson, an expert on painter L.S. Lowry, will discuss his book, Lowry’s Lamps. Richard, who grew up in Lowry’s home village of Mottram-in-Longdendale, argues that Lowry’s interest in lamps went beyond simple background elements, eventually becoming subjects in their own right in his later, more contemplative paintings. He further compares Lowry’s artistic representation of street furniture with the actual appearance of streets in Salford and Manchester, illustrating the artist’s unique interpretation and the changes over time. Coffee and biscuits will be served.
Join us for an afternoon tea at The Cloister House, where Dellal McDonald will entertain with a harpsichord recital of mainly French Baroque music with a generous helping of German Baroque – perhaps Bach or Handel, or both! Dellal says, 'I have been on a wonderful journey since taking up the harpsichord after a lifetime of playing the piano, and … the discovery of mostly French composers whose music encapsulates such charm, pathos and drama'.
Join us for a recital of Baroque opera arias by singers from the BIF Young Artists Programme, followed by a lunch in the beautiful gardens.
Visit buxtonfestival.co.uk/friends for more information on our events and how to join.
WHERE TO STAY
Set in its own mature grounds, this elegant Georgian hotel is situated only a few minutes’ walk from the centre of the spa town and its famous opera house. Family owned for 56 years, our 4-star hotel offers high quality accommodation and award-winning dining.
HAWTHORN FARM
B&B & Lavender
Cottage (Self Catering)
A 16th-century Grade 2-listed farmhouse full of character. One of the oldest buildings in Buxton, originally owned by the Duke of Devonshire, now with its fifth owners. We have four B&B rooms, two in the farmhouse and two in the barn conversion. Lavender Cottage for six people and Walnut Cottage for four people are both self-catering. There is free on-site parking and we are within walking distance of the town centre.
QUEEN’S HEAD HOTEL & PUBLIC HOUSE
The Queen’s Head Hotel offers bed and breakfast in our newly built accommodation rooms and in a converted stable block, both at the rear of our premises. All 13 of our rooms have central heating, en-suite bathrooms, tea/coffee making facilities and Sky’s ‘in-room’ TV service. Larger groups requiring accommodation are welcome but it’s best to call with your requirements.
01298 23002
The Park
Buxton SK17 6TQ leewoodhotel.co.uk
ROSELEIGH GUEST HOUSE
Only a 5-minute scenic walk from Buxton Opera House, located on Broadwalk, this Victorian 13-bedroom, family-run guesthouse built in 1871 overlooks the Pavilion Gardens and ornamental lake of which the superb landscaping was developed between 1861 and the early 1870s. Free residents’ parking for up to nine cars. Please visit our website for comprehensive virtual room tours.
01298 24904
19 Broad Walk
Buxton SK17 6JR
enquiries@roseleighhotel.co.uk roseleighhotel.co.uk
01298 23230
Fairfield Road
Buxton SK17 7ED hawthornfarmbuxton.co.uk
BIGGIN HALL
Biggin Hall has 21 en-suite bedrooms. It is situated in the Peak District National Park just a 20-minute drive from the heart of the Festival. There are 13 dogfriendly rooms in the converted outbuildings and 8 rooms in the main hall. Biggin Hall also features an award-winning restaurant. Book directly for our best available fair.
01298 84451
Biggin-by-Hartington
Buxton SK17 ODH
enquiries@bigginhall.co.uk bigginhall.co.uk
01298 23841
High Street
Buxton SK17 6EU
queensbuxton.co.uk
THE PALACE HOTEL & SPA
Situated in over 5 acres of landscaped gardens since 1868 with a central location in the historic spa town of Buxton.
Enjoy a spot of lunch, pre-theatre meal or dinner in the lovely Dovedale Restaurant or perhaps indulge in afternoon tea in our delightful conservatory.
Sit back and relax after a busy day by visiting one of our on site bars.
01298 767000
Palace Road
Buxton SK17 6AG
theelitevenueselection.co.uk/ourhotels/palace-hotel-spa-buxton
LEE WOOD HOTEL
wellness A new chapter of
Where healing waters meet Champneys calm
Discover otherworldly relaxation at Buxton Crescent, where serene spa experiences take centre stage. Beyond the spa, unwind in elegant bedrooms, indulge in delicious food, or enjoy cocktails at the bar. Now part of the Champneys family – the UK’s leading wellness spa brand – this peaceful, historic haven is designed to restore, from the groundwater up.
WHERE TO VISIT
BUXTON CRESCENT EXPERIENCE
BUXTON CRESCENT EXPERIENCE
Book your tickets today for the Buxton Crescent Experience.
Located in Buxton’s stunning Crescent building, the tour will immerse visitors, both young and old in Buxton’s unique history. The interactive exhibits celebrate the enduring appeal of the town’s Georgian past, its spa & mineral springs, famous visitors and how they’ve shaped Buxton today.
01298 214 577
The Crescent Buxton, SK17 6BH buxtoncrescentexperience.com
THE GALLERY
The Gallery is an independent Artist Cooperative, run entirely by it’s members. Showing Fine Art paintings and prints, designer jewellery, innovative textile and glass work, photography, sculpture, ceramics, wood and metalwork, as well as handmade soaps, and a wide range of affordable gifts and cards. Browsers and visitors always welcome.
ISLA FINE ART CARDS AND GIFTS
Aimed at the discerning customer, Isla Fine Art Cards & Gifts stocks a carefully curated range of beautiful and stylish gifts and cards alongside a selection of art by local artists and artisans. If you are looking for something a bit different in Buxton then this is the shop for you.
JOHN WHIBLEY ‘HOLIDAYS WITH MUSIC’
Since 1999 John Whibley 'Holidays with Music' have taken thousands of music and opera lovers on hundreds of Musical Holidays across Europe, America and the UK. Our 2026 season offers a wide range of opera, orchestral, chamber music and festival holidays to choose from. Please contact us for a brochure or find all the information on our website:
12 High Street
New Mills SK22 4AL facebook.com/newmillsgallery
01298 938492
4b & 5 The Colonnade Buxton SK17 6AL isla@isladirect.co.uk isladirect.co.uk
CRICH TRAMWAY VILLAGE
Crich Tramway Village is home to the National Tramway Museum, situated in the heart of Derbyshire. Vintage trams transport you along the traditional village street into open countryside. Your admission includes unlimited tram rides, entry to exhibitions, the woodland walk and sculpture trail. Watch our expert craftsmen restoring the vintage trams from the viewing gallery.
01773 854321 enquiry@tramway.co.uk tramway.co.uk
01663 746 578
john@whibley.co.uk whibley.co.uk
SMH Bullock Woodburn, based in Buxton, offers comprehensive accountancy and financial services to individuals and businesses. The team has been providing trusted support since 1882, delivering expert and tailored advice to help people meet their financial goals.
01298 22108
bullockwoodburn@smh.group
www.smh.group/bullockwoodburn
KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS
FOR DISCERNING TRAVELLERS
Our unique programme of Kirker Music Festivals offers small group holidays with an atmosphere akin to a country house party, with exclusive concerts each evening, private drinks parties and dinner in the company of the musicians.This year we will be joined by some of the finest international chamber musicians, who will perform in beautiful settings: from Lady Walton’s garden on the island of Ischia, to the the idyllic Sussex countryside, the unspoiled north coast of Tenerife and subtropical Madeira.
THE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN ISCHIA
A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 9 OCTOBER 2026
Our annual visit to the beautiful and verdant island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples is a highlight in the Kirker calendar. Sir William Walton and his wife Susana lived here for many years, and it is where Lady Walton created what is today one of the world’s most famous gardens.This year we will be accompanied by the Carducci String Quartet, bassist Levi Andreassen, pianists Thomas Luke and Charles Owen, as well as Kirker’s Director of Music, violist Simon Rowland-Jones.
Price from £3,598 (single supp. £560) for seven nights including return flights, seven dinners, six private concerts, and a private guided tour of La Mortella Garden
THE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN MADEIRA
A SIX NIGHT HOLIDAY | 24 NOVEMBER 2026
Our Kirker Madeira Music Festival combines winter sunshine with private concerts and exotic gardens. Staying at one of Europe’s most famous hotels, the historic 5* deluxe Reid’s Palace, we will enjoy exclusive concerts each evening and explore this island’s astonishing range of plants, trees and shrubs which cover the dramatic volcanic landscape. We will be joined by renowned pianist Melvyn Tan, the Sacconi Quartet and violist and composer and Kirker music director Simon Rowland-jones.
Price fom £4,989 (single supp. £894) for six nights including return flights, five concerts, four dinners and two lunches
THE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN ALFRISTON
A THREE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 9 NOVEMBER 2026
We are returning to Alex and Olga Polizzi’s hotel in the picturesque and historic village of Alfriston for our popular autumn escape. The Star is a superbly-managed and welcoming hotel with elegant accommodation and delicious cuisine. Music is at the core of our stay at The Star, with three concerts in the Old Chapel by pianist Daniel Lebhardt and violist and composer Simon Rowland-Jones, and two talks in the Pilgrim’s Room in the hotel. There will be time to explore the stunning Sussex coastline and the South Downs, with maps for Alex Polizzi’s favourite walks available.
Price from £1,697 (single supp. £360) for three nights including three dinners, three concerts, and talks with the artists
THE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN TENERIFE
A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 23 JANUARY 2027
Escape from the rigours of the British winter for a week of music-making in the subtropical Canary Islands. We return to Tenerife for our exclusive festival, staying at the splendid 5* Hotel Botanico surrounded by lush gardens in Puerto de la Cruz. Mass tourism is far away from where we will be staying and our tour will show you the island’s unspoilt, volcanic landscape, well-preserved colonial villages and lush gardens. The intinerary includes a guided tour of Mount Teide National Park, and a visit to the picturesque villages of Masca with its 17th-century Franciscan convent and La Orotova. Tenerife’s Botanical Garden is opposite the hotel. We will be joined by the esteemed Ensemble 360.
Price from £4,387 (single supp. £797) for seven nights including return flights, four dinners, and six concerts
Prices are per person based on two people sharing and include accommodation with breakfast, meals as described, a full programme of sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader.
Jantar jewellery, located within the Cavendish Arcade, specialising in sterling silver, Baltic Amber, local Derbyshire Blue John and unique gemstones for over 20 years. With timeless classics and incredible statement pieces, it's a treasure trove not to be missed.
01298 73116
Unit 3, Cavendish Arcade
Buxton SK17 6BQ
Jantar.co.uk
Modern design in the Peak District National Park. Visit the famous David Mellor Cutlery Factory, Design Museum, Café and Shop for the best in modern tableware and kitchenware. The free museum shows Mellor’s historic designs, from teaspoons to traffic lights.
01433 650220
The Round Building Hathersage S32 1BA davidmellordesign.co.uk
FRINGE 2026
JANTAR DAVID MELLOR
Gallery in the Gardens
The largest selection of locally made art & craft in the High Peak.
Located in the Pavilion Gardens - 23 acres of beautiful parkland.
Visit 'Art in the Octagon' 13th, 14th & 15th July, 10am-5pm
Our annual art extravaganza. 30 exhibitors all demonstrating their work.
Venue: The Octagon, Pavilion Gardens, Buxton. Free entry!
Open daily, check website for details.
HighPeakArtists
@HighPeakArtists
galleryinthegardens
High Peak Artists @ Gallery in the Gardens
Pavilion Gardens, St John’s Rd, Buxton, SK17 6BE
Tel: 07849 673058 galleryinthegardens.co.uk
WHERE TO EAT
A small independent bar & kitchen located a few minutes’ walk from Buxton Opera House. Open daily from 11.30am until late, serving local cask ales, a full range of wines & spirits alongside a varied and seasonal food menu. Relaxing, friendly atmosphere. Reservations welcomed.
01298 384394
8a Hall Bank Buxton SK17 6EW facebook.com/lubensbuxton lubensbuxton.co.uk
We nurture our dough for over 48h to create an airy, light, easily digestible crust. The result is a traditional Neopolitan style pizza prepared in front of you and fired in an authentic Italian brick oven. We are proud to propose a real pizza, with a real atmosphere. Authentic pizza, made by hand and with heart, passion and time.
01298 72577
3 Spring Gardens Buxton SK17 6BJ lagabypizza.com
& Accommodation with a Georgian
Relax and enjoy morning coffee, light meals or a traditional afternoon tea in the elegant surroundings of No.6, a glass of Fizz perhaps?
You can find us opposite the exquisite Opera House and parkland of the Pavilion Gardens.
We have four double rooms with ensuite facilities. Also a self-contained ground floor apartment at No.7.
Email reservations@no6tearooms.co.uk Book Online at www.no6tearooms.co.uk
LA GABY PIZZERIA
TAKE PART Learning and Participation
BIF Engage is the Buxton International Festival’s Learning and Participation programme, a year-round initiative to provide people all over the High Peak with opportunities to get involved with music and the arts.
The programme is made possible thanks to the funding we receive as a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England and the generous contributions from individuals, trusts, foundations, and companies, ensuring its continued impact on the community. For more information on how you can get involved, please visit our website or email joe.clarkson@buxtonfestival.co.uk
UPCOMING EVENTS
Space Day: Earth
Tuesday 2 June 2026
Pavilion Arts centre
Join 150 Year 5 Pupils as they premiere their new composition inspired by the wonders of Planet Earth.
Written by award-winning composer Sam Kane, conductor
University of Manchester Outreach Society and Opera
We are delighted to partner with the University of Manchester to deliver a series of interactive workshops for young people across Buxton. Throughout the
Kaleidoscope Community Choir
Tuesdays 1pm – 2pm
£5 online/ at the door
Buxton Methodist Church
If you love to sing, then come and join our friendly Kaleidoscope Choir. From choral classics and favourite hymns to pop and folk, you don’t have to audition or read music to be part of the choir. Just come along for an hour of singing led by the amazing Bella Hardy in the Buxton Methodist Church each Tuesday from 1pm.
Tom Newall, and an orchestra of professional musicians. Year 5 pupils will embark on a creative adventure, exploring the mysteries of Earth and turning them into original compositions. The journey will be brought to life by broadcaster Keelan Carew, who will present the journey behind the music.
year, we will visit local schools to explore the world of musical instruments. Introducing students to musicians, their instruments, and the unique sounds they create. These sessions are designed to inspire curiosity, encourage active listening, and deepen understanding of musical expression.
School Arts Award
We believe that every young person should have the opportunity to experience a highquality music education. In Buxton, we support over 200 children each year with access to music tuition, helping many of them progress to achieve their Arts Award Discover qualification. Arts Award is a nationally recognised qualification that introduces young people to music and the wider arts. It encourages participation, exploration, and personal development through the arts.
Arts Award is managed by Trinity College London in partnership with Arts Council England, and provides a valuable foundation for young people to grow in confidence, creativity, and a lifelong engagement with the arts.
Buxton
OUR SUPPORTERS
Buxton International Festival and artists are grateful for the support of the following:
FUNDERS
CORPORATE PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS
TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS
LG Harris Charitable Trust
SPECIAL THANKS TO
VENUE INFORMATION
BUXTON OPERA HOUSE
Events from 12pm – late
See website for opera end times OPERA HOUSE EVENING
Access Information
Buxton Opera House, a beautiful Edwardian building, is only partially accessible to wheelchair users and does not have a lift. Unfortunately, it cannot be accessed by motorised scooters. There are 3 wheelchair spaces available in the stalls, and there is an accessible toilet at ground floor level.
Hearing Loops
There are a limited number of passive infra-red (PIR) systems in both Buxton Opera House and Pavilion Arts Centre. Please reserve one when booking your ticket over the phone – a £10 cash deposit is required on collection. There is also an induction loop system available at the counter of both Box Offices.
01298 72190
Water Street, Buxton, SK17 6XN customerservice@boh.org.uk
Please reserve wheelchair spaces and PIR systems with the Box Office.
ACCESSINFORMAT
La traviata and The Merry Widow and Amadigi di Gaula
Events from 10am – 10.30pm
Access Information
Two wheelchair spaces available in the bleachers. Passive infra-red (PIR) systems available for performances with £10 cash deposit.
22 St John’s Road Buxton SK17 6XN
THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS
THE PUMP ROOM
Events from 11am – 10pm
Access Information
Fully accessible by wheelchair, apart from the Balcony.
6 St John’s Road Buxton SK17 6XN
Events from 10am – 6pm
Access Information
Accessible entrance through the main doors of Buxton Crescent Hotel. Lift available to upper floors.
01298 808999
Buxton Crescent Hotel Buxton SK17 6BQ
Events from 6pm – 7pm
Access Information
Fully accessible to all 01298 214577 The Crescent Buxton SK17 5BQ
THE PALACE HOTEL
Events from 2.30pm – 10pm
Access Information
Fully accessible.
St John’s Road Buxton SK17 6BE
POOLE’S CAVERN
Events from 12.30pm – late
Access Information Fully accessible via rear entrance.
01298 22001 Palace Road Buxton SK16 6AG
Events from 5pm – 6.45pm
Access Information
Wheelchair users can access the main chamber of the cave, but the remaining path is not accessible for those with mobility issues. There are dedicated parking bays for blue badge holders. Toilet facilities are fully accessible.
01298 26978 Green Lane SK17 9DH
BOOKING INFORMATION
PUBLIC BOOKING OPENS AT 10AM TUESDAY 14 APRIL 2026.
Priority booking for the Friends of Buxton International Festival opens on a staggered basis from 10am on Tuesday 17 March.
HOW TO BOOK:
Our booking service is run by Buxton Opera House. You can book online, by telephone, or in person at the Box Office.
Online: buxtonoperahouse.org.uk
By telephone: 01298 72190
In Person: at the Box Office at Buxton Opera House, Water Street, Buxton, SK17 6XN
For more information email: customerservice@boh.org.uk
BOX OFFICE OPENING TIMES
Tuesday to Friday: 10am – 6pm (8pm on performance days)
Saturday 12pm – 6pm (8pm on performance days)
Sunday to Monday: Closed (4pm – 8pm on performance days)
TICKET TYPES
Adult Full price Under 35s
£5 tickets for book events and £10 tickets to all other events are available to Next Generation Friends. Join the scheme for free at buxtonfestival.co.uk/friends. Proof of age required for each ticket at the Box Office.
Carer tickets
Free tickets are available for registered carers reserved alongside a full price ticket. Please reserve with the Box Office by email or phone.
Ticket availability at venues
Tickets for venues other than the Opera House can be bought at the door half an hour before each event, unless sold out.
Changes to Programme
We publish any cancellations, or changes to the music programme or to the cast of the operas or musical on buxtonfestival.co.uk and on social media. Refunds will not be given if there is a change to either the musical works performed or if a cast member is replaced. All information in this brochure is correct at the time of going to press.
Refunds
Tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged, unless an event is cancelled. We strongly advise you take out insurance when you purchase tickets to any of our events. Postage charges are nonrefundable
Gift Vouchers
BIF Gift Vouchers make the perfect gift for a Festival-lover. Order them now from our website or by phoning 01298 70395.
10% OFF when you book 3 out of 4 selected operas
Choose from: Amadigi di Gaula, Le dernier sorcier, La liberazione di Ruggiero, La clemenza di Tito
*Only one offer applies. Does not include Under 35’s tickets
JAZZ WEEKENDER TICKETS
One weekend ticket provides access to 12 gigs across the opening weekend, making it one of the best value ways to experience the Festival’s vibrant offering. Day passes are also available
Visit buxtonfestival.co.uk/whats-on/ jazz-weekender for more information.
BY CAR
Buxton is approximately one hour’s drive from the M1, M6, Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham and Derby. If you are using Sat Nav, please use the postcode SK17 6XN for Buxton Opera House and SK17 6BE for the Pavilion Arts Centre.
Please allow extra travel time on Carnival Day, Saturday 11 July, as some road closures will be in place.
PARKING AND ACCESSIBLE PARKING
There is limited pay and display parking outside Buxton Opera House with two disabled parking spaces in The Square (Water Street) and it is possible to offload adjacent to the forecourt.
Pay and display parking is also available at Pavilion Gardens car park, off Burlington Road, with eight disabled car parking bays. The car park is approximately 320 metres from the Opera House and 160 metres from the Pavilion Arts Centre.
A little further away are the car parks behind the Spring Gardens Shopping Centre, with 26 disabled parking spaces and Sylvan Car Park with four disabled car parking bays.
For events at Poole’s Cavern, there is a Pay and Display parking area for 80 vehicles, with dedicated parking bays for blue badge holders.
ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING
There are electric vehicle charging points at Morrisons Supermarket, SK17 9TB, and Sylvan Car Park at the end of Spring Gardens, SK17 6BY.
BY RAIL
Avanti West Coast runs direct trains from Euston to Macclesfield in less than 2 hours, plus a 20-minute taxi ride, or change at Stockport for trains to Buxton.
There are direct services from Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport by Northern Rail.
BY BUS
Direct services from Ashbourne, Derby, Glossop, Leek, Macclesfield, Sheffield and Stockport. Derbybus.info / Traveline.info.
BY AIR
Manchester Airport is approximately 45 minutes away by taxi/car. The Skyline 199 bus runs between Manchester Airport and Buxton and is a 40- to 90-minute journey depending on stops. Visit highpeakbuses.com for more information.
Please check gov.uk for travel advice.
Brochure designed by: Ginger Nut Creative Illustrations by: Patrick Boyer
S Ashwood Park
