Performers from 4 continents head to county for May’s international feast of arts

Norfolk & Norwich Festival announced it’s first six highlights for 2014 with tickets on sale now.

The Festival is renowned for bringing art from around the world to Norfolk and artists from four continents are represented in these six highlights.

With visits from international jazz superstars Hugh Masekela and Madeline Peyroux, dance iconoclasts Michael Clark Company and the UK premiere of the new show from Australian new circus pioneers Circa the festival is also set to draw visitors into the county for one of the country’s most diverse festival line-ups.

‘Our 2014 Festival is already lining up to be one of our strongest and most varied’ said Norfolk & Norwich Festival Artistic Director William Galinsky. ‘Hugh Masekela is not only one of the greatest jazz musicians of his generation but was also a committed opponent of Apartheid whose defiant political voice helped to oust the regime. It’s an honour to host him here in his 75th birthday year. Michael Clark Company are the innovative, adventurous and genre pushing dance company of the day and our relationship with Circa continues with the UK premiere of their new show ‘S’. Madeleine Peyroux is a singer songwriter of the highest quality who we have enticed to Norwich for the very first time.

The Festival is also about people, and the first opportunities to join in with Festival events are Breakin’ Convention where locals can contribute to theinternational festival for hip hop dance theatre and the chance to join the Festival Chorus to perform much loved, moving and inspiring classical music. I’m thrilled to be bringing Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra to Norfolk, one of the UK’s most exciting orchestras whose recordings have spent many weeks topping the classical music chart.’

The 2014 Norfolk & Norwich Festival runs from 9 – 24 May. The full line up will be revealed in late February.

‘Akin to theatre fit for the gods’
Circa have thrilled audiences all over the world with their bold new vision of contemporary circus. They have a special relationship with Norfolk & Norwich Festival which saw them perform total sell out shows in 2013 with both How Like An Angel and the world premiere of Beyond. The new show ‘S’ will fill the Theatre Royal stage with a stunningly beautiful mélange of bodies, described by The Australian Stage as ‘Akin to theatre fit for the gods’.
(Norwich Theatre Royal, Sunday 18 & Monday 19 May)

Jaw-dropping performances from around the world and around the corner
Breakin’ Convention is the international festival of hip hop and urban dance theatre. It comes to Kings Lynn Corn Exchange with a line-up of jaw-dropping performances by international companies and astonishingly adept contributions from local crews. Expect exhilarating break dance from companies including uplifting performances from Olivier Award-nominated ILL-Abilities, an international b-boy company challenging misconceptions about people with disabilities. There’s also Ukweli Roach’s ensemble performance looking at temptation and vice, Wanted Posse’s expression of the roots of their personal revolutions and our local West Norfolk crews showing they can hold their own in such exalted company. (Kings Lynn Corn Exchange, Tuesday Trumpet and flugelhorn master, singer, composer and bandleader Hugh Masekela has enjoyed a truly unique career that continues into his 75th year. He first picked up a horn in 1954 and in the years since has played music that acknowledges no barriers encompassing jazz, funk and hip hop with a generous chunk of the urban township jive of his birthplace. An engaging and warm live performer his exuberant sounds frequently implore the audience onto their feet. He has been a vocal supporter of South Africa’s struggle for equal rights and was proud to perform at the inauguration of Nelson Mandela. We’re proud to welcome this true living legend to Norwich for the first time. (Norwich Theatre Royal, Wednesday 21 May)

An unforgettable programme pondering the legacy of war
As the nation remembers the profound events of 1914, Elgar’s glorious Enigma Variations (including the serene NImrod), Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand (originally written for a pianist who lost his right arm in WW1) and Vaughan Williams’ cantata Dona nobis pacem (‘Grant us peace’) provide an unforgettable programme pondering the legacy of war. Norfolk’s own Festival Chorus are joined by one of the UK’s most renowned ensembles The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Canadian pianist Louis Lortie and fast rising soprano star Susanna Hurrell. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra have performed in New York, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Vienna and their CD with Nicola Benedetti spent several weeks at the top of the classical CD chart and became the best-selling classical album of 2012. (Sunday 18 May, St Andrews Hall)

The only thing that matters is the song…
American born, Paris raised jazz singer Madeleine Peyroux will be visiting Norfolk for the very first time. ‘The only thing that matters is the song’ says the enigmatic singer songwriter. That conviction, along with her absolutely one-of-a-kind voice, has taken her from busking on the streets of Paris all the way to international mainstream recognition, sold out signs outside concert halls all over the globe and five star reviews. She will be featuring songs from her new album The Blue Room that includes reworkings of landmark musical gems including songs by Leonard Cohen, Warren Zevon and Randy Newman.
(Norwich Theatre Royal Tuesday 20 May)

By turns ravishing, outrageous, borderline certifiable, and sometimes all three at once
Michael Clark Company first came to prominence in the early 1980s with daring, anarchistic dance that was nevertheless firmly rooted in his balletic training. Clark’s choreography has lost none of its iconoclasm but such is its impact that it threatens to take contemporary dance to the edge of the mainstream. For this new show eight dancers perform his exhilarating movement set to music by Pulp, The Sex Pistols, Relaxed Muscle (Jarvis Cocker) and Scritti Politti. The Daily Telegraph described the company as ‘by turns ravishing, outrageous, borderline certifiable, and sometimes all three at once’.
(Norwich Theatre Royal Saturday 24 May 7.30pm)

Full information on all Norfolk & Norwich Festival events at www.nnfestival.org.uk

The full programme for Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2014 will be unveiled in late February.

Listings: 

Tuesday 13 May 6pm foyer activities, 7.30pm show £18 – £10
BREAKIN’ CONVENTION (International/UK/France)
International festival of hip hop dance theatre from around the world.
Norfolk & Norwich Festival at Kings Lynn Corn Exchange, Tuesday Market Pl Kings Lynn PE30 1JW

Sunday 18 May 7.30pm £35 – £7
BOURNEMOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, FESTIVAL CHORUS (UK/Canada)
David Parry conductor, Louis Lortie piano, Richard Burkhard baritone, Susanna Hurrell soprano

Elgar Enigma Variations, Ravel Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, Vaughan Williams Dona nobis pacem
One of the UK’s most renowned orchestras joins forces with the Festival Chorus to perform an unforgettable programme pondering the legacy of war.
Norfolk & Norwich Festival at St Andrews Hall, Saint Andrews Street NR3 1AU

Sunday 18 & Monday 19 May 8pm £ 26.50 – £6.50
CIRCA: S (Australia)
UK premiere for new show from Australian new circus company of 2013 hits How Like An Angel and Beyond
Norfolk & Norwich Festival at Norwich Theatre Royal, Theatre St NR2 1RL

Tuesday 20 May 8pm £25 – £6.50
MADELEINE PEYROUX (USA)
Genre blending jazz singer with renditions of old classics and contemporary songs from her new album
Norfolk & Norwich Festival at Norwich Theatre Royal, Theatre St NR2 1RL

Wednesday 21 May 8pm £26.50 – £6.50
HUGH MASEKELA (South Africa)
World renowned South African jazz giant celebrates his 75th birthday year with a first visit to Norfolk for an evening of jazz, funk and urban township jive
Norfolk & Norwich Festival at Norwich Theatre Royal, Theatre St NR2 1RL

Saturday 24 May 7.30pm £23 – £5.50
MICHAEL CLARK COMPANY (UK)
British dance’s true iconoclast returns with a show set to a soundtrack of Pulp, The Sex Pistols, Relaxed Muscle (Jarvis Cocker) and Scritti Politti
Norfolk & Norwich Festival at Norwich Theatre Royal, Theatre St NR2 1RL

Norfolk & Norwich Festival Box Office 01603 766400. Online: www.nnfestival.org.uk
Book in person at Norwich Theatre Royal, Theatre St NR2 1RL

Norfolk & Norwich Festival aims to use the transformational nature of the arts, culture and creativity to bring about positive change for individuals, communities and the spaces in which they live. The organisation works with local, national and international partners to deliver the annual Norfolk & Norwich Festival each May and Norfolk & Norwich Open Studios. The Norfolk & Norwich Festival is one of 14 Bridge Organisations with a mandate to develop arts and cultural opportunities for children and young people in the East of England.
Norfolk & Norwich Festival is funded and supported by Arts Council England, Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council and the generous support of sponsors and donors.

Norfolk and Norwich Festival 2014 runs from 9 – 24 May 2014
www.nnfestival.org.uk

 

ASD Consultants, Engineering, Architecture, Surveying