One of Scotland’s oldest arts festivals celebrates its 45th birthday with a glittering array of stars and acts this summer.
The Perth Festival of the Arts takes place from May 19 to 29, and features long-term favourite Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, KT Tunstall, the English Touring Opera, the John Wilson Orchestra, Dundee band Sinderins, Alex Horne and the Horne Section and comedian Nina Conti.
Founded in 1972 when it primarily concentrated on classical music and opera, the Perth Festival of the Arts has grown through the decades.
Administrator Sandra Ralston said: “We hope that everyone will find something of interest in this year’s programme, which covers a wide spectrum of events from KT Tunstall to the Halle Orchestra. To mark the 45th birthday of the festival we have commissioned Helen MacKinnon, a young Perth composer, to write a new choral piece, which will be sung in St John’s Kirk.“
Jools Holland’s special guests this year will be Pauline Black and Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson from The Selecter, with his band playing Perth Concert Hall on Saturday May 28.
Classical music, as always, is an essential part of the event with BBC Prom regulars The John Wilson Orchestra opening the Festival with a glitzy Broadway programme and The Hall Orchestra closing the programme with Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.
English Touring Opera will stage a new full production of Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’. And The Sixteen, return to St John’s Kirk, Perth, with their Choral Pilgrimage.
Local talent also features with young Perth composer Helen Mackinnon, who is writing a new piece of choral music for the festival service.
Tickets for the festival go on sale on Monday.
For more information visit www.perthfestival.co.uk.