Perth Festival of the Arts is delighted that several top acts have sold out, with the ticket sales providing a boost for the annual event.
Tickets for Jools Holland, Van Morrison, the Importance of Being Earnest and the Sixteen have been snapped up, with one of the festival organisers describing sales as “fantastic”.
The festival, which has attracted global interest, opened on Thursday with a lunchtime concert by pupils at Kilgraston School, followed by the English Touring Opera performing the Siege of Calais at Perth Theatre.
Tonight will see Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra play at Perth Concert Hall with special guest Roland Gift, of the Fine Young Cannibals and the English Touring Opera will perform Simon Boccanegra at Perth Theatre.
The festival is a registered charity and is now in its 42nd year. It has grown from its classical and opera roots to include a diverse range of acts.
Sandra Ralston, Perth Festival of the Arts administrator, last night told The Courier she feels the boost in ticket sales could be partly attributed to the prolonged cold weather.
She said: “The ticket sales are fantastic and are better than last year’s. I think that, after the long winter, people want to go out and enjoy themselves and, hopefully, they’ve seen something in our brochure that appeals to them.”
She continued: “There are still loads of tickets for other shows including Admiral Fallow and the Hazey Janes, Sir James Galway and Horrible Histories. When people see that some shows are sold out, they think the festival is sold out, which isn’t the case.”
The festival will also see the legendary Van Morrison play Perth Concert Hall on Wednesday.
Craig Dennis, chairman of Perth Festival of the Arts, said the festival directors are “delighted” to continue to receive sponsorship from Brewin Dolphin.
“The continuing support over the last 10 years has enabled us to bring world-class artists, such as Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Bryn Terfel, to the festival,” he said.
John Cowmeadow, divisional director of Brewin Dolphin, added: “We’re delighted to have been part of one of the country’s premier arts festivals for so long, and to mark our 10 years we’re sponsoring two keynote concerts opening with Jools Holland, and the prestigious closing event the Brewin Dolphin Festival Concert with the world-renowned Moscow State Symphony Orchestra.”