The 2014 Festival, October 4th-18th, will be a double celebration. Special events marking the centenary of Dylan Thomas are included as major contributions to the year-long Dylan Thomas Festival recently announced by the Welsh Government and the opening concert by the Philharmonia Orchestra will mark the re-opening of the Brangwyn Hall. The programme will include Welsh National Opera, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Russian State Philharmonic Orchestra plus a range of arts at venues across the City.
For More information go to http://www.swanseafestival.org/
Saturday, October 4th, National Waterfront Museum, 2.30pm
Poetry & Jazz Afternoon
Join the Jen Wilson Jazz Ensemble for a splendid afternoon featuring the Dylan Thomas Jazz Suite ‘Twelve Poems’, as well as special readings by renowned Dylan Thomas expert and poet Peter Thabit Jones
(Admission Free but ticket required from the Grand Theatre Box Office)
Saturday, October 4th, Brangwyn Hall, 7.30pm
Philharmonia Orchestra
Christoph von Dohnanyi (conductor)
Frank Peter Zimmermann (violin).
Part of a tour, including London and European capitals, celebrating the 85th birthday of Christoph von Dohnanyi, Principal Guest Conductor of the Philharmonia, formerly Music Director of the world-famous Cleveland Orchestra. A prestigious event to celebrate the reopening of the Brangwyn Hall in its 80th year, following recent restoration.
Beethoven: Overture, Leonore No.3
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor
Interval
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor
(Tickets: £30, £25, £18)
This concert is made possible by a generous gift from the Friends of the Festival.
To book tickets go to http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=58482
Sunday, October 5th, Guildhall, 10.30am
Art & Pasta
Join the Festival bus at 10.30am outside the Guildhall for a morning tour of visual art exhibitions and installations across the City, followed by a pasta lunch. (Tickets: £15, including lunch and a glass of wine, are limited to 50 in number and must be booked in advance from the Grand Theatre box-office by Saturday, September 20th)
To book tickets go to http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=58483
Monday, October 6th, Brangwyn Hall, 6.30pm
In Conversation with Olivier Latry
Huw Tregelles Williams talks to Olivier Latry about his international career and uncovers the secrets of the French tradition of improvisation.
(Admission free)
Monday, October 6th, Brangwyn Hall, 7.30pm
Olivier Latry
The renowned titular organist of Notre Dame, Paris gives a recital on the historic 4-manual Willis concert organ.
Dupré: Cortège et Litanie
Franck: Prélude, Fugue et Variation
Vierne: Légende – Scherzetto
Liszt transc. Reger: The Legend of St. Francis walking on the waves
Interval
Widor: Symphony No.5
(Tickets: £15, unreserved)
To Book Tickets go to http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=58484
Tuesday, October 7th, Brangwyn Hall, 7.30pm
Catrin Finch and Steffan Morris
Two of Wales’ outstanding and versatile instrumentalists in a colourful programme of original works and arrangements for harp and cello, including the first performance of a work commissioned from young Welsh composer Joseph Davies – “a glamorously alluring sound-world … haunting, spectral” (Telegraph).
Bach: Prelude from Partita No.3 for violin
Bach: Prelude from Suite No.1 for cello
Bach: Sonata No.2 in D
Granville Bantock: Pibroch – A Highland Lament for cello and harp
Joseph Davies: Intricate Images (first performance, Tŷ Cerdd commission)
Interval
Sollima: Alone, for solo cello
Paul Patterson: BUGS! Mosquito Massacre
De Falla: Suite Populaire Espanolas
Astor Piazzola: Le Grand Tango
(Tickets £15, unreserved)
This concert is sponsored by Western Power.
To Book Tickets go to http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=58485
Wednesday, October 8th, Brangwyn Hall, 11.00am
Following a creative classroom project The Music in the Words, pupils from primary schools across the City perform their song-settings of selected verse by Dylan Thomas.
(Schools event – no admission to the public)
Thursday, October 9th, National Waterfront Museum, 7.00pm
Dylan Thomas: His Words in Music
An illustrated lecture by Edward-Rhys Harry
(Admission free but ticket required from the Grand Theatre Box Office)
Friday, October 10th,Grand Theatre, 7.00pm
Welsh National Opera
Carmen | Bizet
See wno.org.uk for the latest ticket information.
Saturday, October 11th, Brangwyn Hall, 6.30pm
In Conversation with John Corigliano
Huw Tregelles Williams talks to John Corigliano about his lifelong fascination with the work of Dylan Thomas, in particular the sound of the words which Corigliano describes “as bells, as musical instruments”.
(Admission free)
Saturday, October 11th, Brangwyn Hall 7.30pm
BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales
BBC Singers
Roderick Williams (baritone)
Robin Tritschler (tenor)
Grant Llewellyn (conductor)
Adrian Partington (organ)
Boy chorister from Hereford Cathedral
New York composer John Corigliano has set three major poems by Dylan Thomas for large vocal and orchestral resources, with all the colour and appeal of his award-winning film scores. Richard Elfyn Jones’ overture, similarly, shows off the full resources of organ and orchestra. An evening of unforgettable and thrilling sounds.
Richard Elfyn Jones: Brangwyn Festival Overture for organ & orchestra
(Swansea Festival Commission 1984)
John Corigliano: A Dylan Thomas Trilogy
(Wales premiere: with funding from Dylan Thomas 100)
(Tickets: £20, £12)
To Book Tickets go to http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=58487
Saturday, October 11th, Grand Theatre, 7.00pm
Welsh National Opera
Carmen | Bizet
See wno.org.uk for the latest ticket information.
Sunday, October 12th, Taliesin, 7.30pm
2 Guitarras Malaguenas with Chaparro se Malaga
(Tickets: £16, £15 for under 25s)
Monday, October 13th Brangwyn Hall, 7.30pm
Festival Lecture – Tales from the Keyboard
Looking ahead to performances of works by Schumann, Brahms and Rachmaninov, Jonathan Darnborough, Lecturer in Music, Oxford University, considers how the Romantic composer-pianists were influenced by the artistic ideals of the 19th century and developments in both piano technique and manufacture.
(Free admission including a glass of wine)
Supported by the Friends of the Festival
Tuesday, October 14th, Brangwyn Hall, 7.30pm
John Lill
After a career spanning 60 years (his first concert was at the age of nine), the celebrated British pianist returns to the Festival for a recital celebrating his 70th birthday, part of a series of concerts at prestigious venues in both the UK and further afield.
Mozart: Sonata in F K.332
Schumann: Faschingsschwank aus Wien
(Shrovetide celebrations from Vienna)
Prokofiev: Toccata in D minor Op 11
Interval
Brahms: Two Rhapsodies Op.79: B minor,G minor
Beethoven: Sonata in C Op.53 (Waldstein)
(Tickets £15, unreserved)
To Book Tickets go to http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=58488
Tuesday 14th – Saturday 18th October, Taliesin, 7.30pm
Afrovibes – 20 Years of Democracy
See taliesinartscentre.co.uk for the latest ticket information
Wednesday, October 15th, Brangwyn Hall, 7.30pm
Tribute to Thomas in song and verse:
This song recital by Swansea-born soprano Elin Manahan Thomas with readings by crowned poet Ifor ap Glyn from Daniel Jones’ memoir My Friend Dylan Thomas will offer an insight into the life and world of Dylan Thomas through song. Alongside songs by Lutyens, Richard Rodney Bennett, Strauss, Stravinsky, Poulenc and Morfydd Llwyn Owen on themes such as childhood and the imagination, the programme features the first performance of a song-cycle, commissioned by Pontio, by the poet Mererid Hopwood and composer John Rea on the theme of childhood friendship and Daniel Jones’ songs from Under Milk Wood.
(An evening curated by Pontio, Bangor University, with support from Dylan Thomas 100)
(Tickets £15, unreserved)
To Book Tickets go to http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=58489
Friday, October 17th, Brangwyn Hall, 7.00pm
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Family Concert
Introduced and conducted by Grant Llewellyn.
Tickets £15
Family Tickets: £12.50 for 1 adult + 1-2 children*
£18 for 2 adults + 1-4 children* (*16 and under)
To Book Tickets go to http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=58490
Saturday, October 18th, Brangwyn Hall, 6.30pm
In Conversation with Karl Jenkins
Huw Tregelles Williams talks to Karl Jenkins about his commissioned work and the multi-cultural influences upon his creative journey.
(Admission free)
Saturday, October 18th, Brangwyn Hall, 7.30pm
Russian State Philharmonic Orchestra
Valery Polyansky (conductor)
Peter Donohoe (piano)
A double-celebration: the centenary of Dylan Thomas’ birth and the 70th birthday of Karl Jenkins, two Swansea-born artists who have achieved international fame. This commission evokes the atmosphere of the mythical village setting of Thomas’ iconic play for voices, Under Milk Wood.
Karl Jenkins: Llareggub
(Festival commission with funding from Dylan Thomas 100)
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor
Interval
Sibelius: Symphony No.2 in D
(Tickets £30, £25, £18)
This concert is sponsored by Britannia Robbins
To BookTickets go to http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=58493
