Savannah VOICE Festival Unveils Lineup for 2021 Season

Savannah VOICE Festival is unveiling an impressive lineup for the 2021 season as they return Live for the ninth annual Festival which will be staged Aug. 8 - 22, 2021 in and around Savannah, offering a variety of genres of music such as opera, musical theatre and popular song. The live shows will have COVID-19 safety precautions in place and a lower seating capacity with an early and late evening show for most performances, to ensure physical distancing for audiences. Virtual programming will remain and stream in late August so that audiences around the world can continue to enjoy the VOICE productions. While tickets don't go on sale to the general public until July 1, members will have access to early ticket sales which starts June 21. Any household which has donated $150 or more each year automatically becomes a Member of the VOICE Programs (MVP).

Mayor Van Johnson, who opened the 2020 virtual festival says "We are fortunate to be moving toward our new normal with the ninth annual Savannah VOICE Festival this year with a return to live audiences. We are reassured that SVF leaders are maintaining protocols to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 and look forward to welcoming visitors to the Hostess City this August - in person and online."

For the first time, SVF has partnered with WSAV-TV, the local NBC affiliate to broadcast a look back at an exciting year of Savannah VOICE Festival artists and music you saw on screen in 2020 and sneak previews of what's to come when the festival returns Live in Savannah Aug. 8-22. This preview will broadcast at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 6 as well as online at WSAV.com/SVF.

Having made a name for itself in Savannah and beyond, the VOICE Festival will return to venues including Asbury Memorial Church, Charles H. Morris Center, Davenport House Museum Garden, Demere Center for Living, Jewish Educational Alliance, and Telfair Academy. Savannah VOICE Festival Live will feature festival favorites including Aria, Broadway, free Master Classes, Inspiration (sacred music) and more.

New and exciting productions for 2021 include Song, on Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. with great song literature including world premieres of new works with emerging composers and young writers from a collaboration between SVF and DEEP. Another interesting new show is Femme at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Aug. 18, which showcases women in music. Back by popular demand is Rock on Aug. 20 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., which features radio hits by artists from Abba to Foreigner to the Carpenters. Kick start your weekends with Coffee, delightful performances in the garden of the Davenport House Museum garden along with coffee and pastries at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 14 and Aug. 21.

The jewels in the crown of the Festival include Feast at 5 p.m. on Aug. 14, a workshop of SVF's new commission by Composer in Residence, Michael Ching. 'A Royal Feast' is a work composed with Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts students, presenting an imaginative story of Cinderella after her wedding to Prince Charming.

Other crowning performances take place on the evening of Aug. 21 at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. as the most famous opera of all time, La Bohéme - is presented in an abridged version of Puccini's love story - Bohéme is conducted by Andrew Bisantz and directed by Fabrizio Melano.

Some festival events will be free with other events offering tickets from $22.50-$50. See Appendix One for the complete Festival overview.

Maria Zouves, who co-founded the festival with her husband, world-renowned operatic baritone Sherrill Milnes, is thankful to return to Savannah's stages for the ninth season of beautiful music encompassing a variety of genres. "Our line up and partnerships demonstrate our deep ties to Savannah and significant level of community engagement," says Zouves. "The success and longevity of the Milnes VOICE Programs speak volumes to the support we have. Our artists are excited about returning Live, and the Festival is proud to continue to serve our new audiences around the world through online shows with WSAV and in our own streaming schedule."

Streaming events take place in late August and will be announced soon. For a full lineup of all Savannah VOICE Festival concerts, performances, master classes and other events, or for membership and tickets, please call 855.766.7372, email info@savannahvoicefestival.org or visit www.savannahvoicefestival.org.

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