“The festival is an embarrassment of riches” Matthew Parris, The Times
Buxton International Festival (BIF) is riding high on the waves of success following an extraordinary 2023 festival season. With attendance figures surpassing all expectations and a string of sold-out events, the festival celebrated with accolades across the board. Once again, the festival’s cutting-edge opera program stole the show, closely followed by the hugely popular books program.
On the back of this fantastic year, the Festival announces its plans for 2024 with five eagerly awaited operas and, in a major coup for BIF, a performance from the Cuban-British director, choreographer and ballet dancer, Carlos Acosta.
Highlights from BIF 2023 include:
- 150 events over 18 days
- 28,821 tickets sold
- Over 2,000 people attended the top book events between Jeremy Bowen, Alastair Campbell and Dame Kate Bingham
Commenting, Adrian Kelly, Buxton’s artistic director said: “Buxton International Festival has built its success on a commitment to the highest artistic standards in opera, music, books and jazz. As we watch our audiences grow and return year after year, we realise we have the formula to produce something very special each year. With the festival’s ambition and popularity on the climb, we are excited to announce our plans for 2024.”
BIF Opera line up for 2024
Verdi’s Ernani
A Buxton International Festival production.
Giuseppi Verdi’s Ernani is an operatic dramma lirico in four acts which tells the tragic love story of Elvira, who is caught between three men: her lover, her guardian and the King of Spain.
Adrian Kelly Conductor
Venue: Buxton Opera House
Dates: 6, 10, 12, 14, 17 July (all at 7.15pm except for a 2pm matinee on 14 July)
Handel’s Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno
A Buxton International Festival and The Early Opera Company production.
Following the success of Acis & Galatea at Buxton in 2021, the Festival is delighted to again join forces with The Early Opera Company for a new production of Handel’s Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno.
Christian Curnyn Conductor
Venue: Buxton Opera House
Dates: 7, 11, 15 and 18 July (at 7.15pm except for 2pm matinee performances on 11 and 18 July)
Peter Brook’s adaptation of Bizet’s La tragédie de Carmen
A Buxton International Festival and Norwich Theatre Production.
In its second collaboration with Norwich Theatre, BIF presents Peter Brook’s adaptation of Bizet’s La tragédie de Carmen in Buxton Opera House. Brook’s gritty adaptation includes elements of the Georges Bizet opera as well as the original Prosper Mérimée novella on which Bizet’s opera was based.
Venue: Buxton Opera House
Dates: 5, 9, 13, 16 July (all at 7.15pm)
Ethel Smyth’s The Boatswain’s Mate
This brand-new BIF production, written by British composer and suffragette Ethyl Smyth, centres around a humorous battle of the sexes on the seafront in Margate. It’s full of twists and turns complete with all the quintessential sounds and sights of British summertime. Performed at the Pavilion Arts Centre.
Venue: Pavilion Arts Centre
Dates: 8, 14, 19 July, all at 7.15pm
Joseph Haydn’s La Canterina
The last of the BIF’s new productions for 2024 is Haydn’s two-act operetta, La canterina. This comedic opera has all the ingredients for a riotous show with its stock-in-trade buffo figures: the aspiring, money-grabbing diva; her mother adept at procuring suitors; an oily, lascivious singing.
Venue: Pavilion Arts Centre
Dates: 7, 11, 18 and 20 July (at 7.15pm except for 2pm matinee performances on 7 and 20 July)
Carlos Acosta
Superstar Cuban-British director, choreographer and ballet dancer, Carlos Acosta, will make his debut at Buxton International Festival with his intensely personal evening of dance, On Before. Acosta, a long-time principal dancer at the Royal Ballet, has danced as a guest principal with all the major ballet companies across the world and now enjoys a mighty career as a director and choreographer. On Before pays homage to Acosta’s late mother featuring choreography by world renowned artists, including Russell Maliphant, Kim Brandstrup, and Will Tuckett. Acosta will perform as both a soloist and alongside Laura Rodríguez, a founding member of his Cuban dance company, Acosta Danza.
Public booking for this event is now open. Click here to book.
Venue: Buxton Opera House
Dates: Saturday 20 July at 7.30pm and Sunday 21 July at 6pm.
Festival timeline
- Public booking is now open for Carlos Acosta and the Jazz Weekender Packages.
- 5 March 2024: Priority booking for the full programme opens on a staggered basis for BIF Friends.
- 2 April 2024: Public booking for the full programme opens.
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Priority booking for all festival events
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Group bookings: 10% discount on ticket prices for groups of 10+
We welcome groups of all types to Buxton International Festival and provide a group booking service for parties of 10+ along with 10% discount on ticket prices.
A group discount is available for any groups of 10+ to any events across our programme of opera, music, jazz and books. We can work with you to find you the best festival itinerary for your party.
Click here to find out more or get in touch with our team: jen.francis@buxtonfestival.co.uk