Norfolk & Norwich Festival Announces 2016 Events

Norfolk & Norwich Festival, one of the biggest arts festivals in the UK, has today announced the first shows of its 2016 Festival. With more to be announced, highlights for 2016 so far include: a ground-breaking UK Premiere from contemporary circus cabaret troupe Race Horse Company; the World Premiere of a major new commission from one of the UK's foremost young composers - Kemal Yusuf; excerpts from electro-acoustic polymath Max Richter's intensive investigation in the power of the human brain - Sleep; Aurélien Bory's industrial robot's dance with acrobats Sans Objet; Twenty Feet From Stardom's Lisa Fischer's first ever solo UK concert; an epic staging of Mahler's Symphony of a Thousand by Norwich Philharmonic and a revival of Rona Munro's critically acclaimed The James Plays. The festival runs 13 - 29 May 2016 with full line up still to be announced.

The flagship arts organisation for the east of England, Norfolk & Norwich Festival showcases some of the world's most renowned international artists alongside regional talent, drawing audiences from across the UK. On the 2016 programme the Festival's Artistic Director William Galinsky said: "We are hugely excited to announce some of the first shows for the 2016 Festival. Next year's programme continues our commitment to nurturing the best of local and national talent as well as bringing in the best new international work. 2016 is shaping up to be one of our most ambitious Festivals to date and I look forward to announcing the full programme for the Festival early next year."

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

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Race Horse Company presents
WHITE NIGHTS
UK Premiere

Race Horse Company presents a sophisticated circus cabaret. White Nights is made of Race Horse blood; classy and edgy with an international cast.

Be led into the night by soulful and mesmerising New York City singer and host Sophia Urista, while Race Horse Company's Finnish circus boys provide danger, fun and fury. Dancer and wild child Iona Kewney completes this ensemble of delicious performers.

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Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
FESTIVAL CHORUS
David Parry conductor
Savitri Grier violin
Jeni Bern soprano
Christopher Diffey tenor
Alexander Robin Baker baritone

Chausson Poème Op. 25
Kemal Yusuf Cain (World Premiere)
Franck Symphony in D minor

The World Premiere of an ambitious choral work is flanked by two masterpieces of nineteenth century Romanticism. From one of the foremost young composers today, Kemal Yusuf's Cain recounts the Biblical story of the first-born human in music of breathtaking scope and power. It contrasts exquisitely with Chausson's rhapsodic Poème and Franck's richly textured Symphony.

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MAX RICHTER ENSEMBLE

Hailed as the most influential composer of his generation, British electro-acoustic artist Max Richter is inspired equally by Bach, punk rock and ambient electronica. Richter's sonic world blends a formal classical training with modern technology, with work including scores for the award-winning films Waltz with Bashir and Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island.

Richter and his ensemble will perform selections from SLEEP, his landmark work scored for piano, strings, electronics and voice, which was broadcast as part of BBC Radio 3's Why Music?. Described by Richter as his 'personal lullaby for a frenetic world,' don't miss an astounding night from this leading contemporary classical artist.

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Aurélien Bory presents
SANS OBJET

In the 1970s it made cars. Now transplanted from assembly line to stage, an industrial robot stars with acrobats Olivier Alenda and Olivier Boyer in a spectacular dance between man and machine. By turns friendly and frightening, the robot is the unlikely hero of a remarkable futurist fantasy.

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LISA FISCHER

The star of the Oscar-winning Twenty Feet From Stardom, Lisa Fischer is best-known as the woman who sings her heart out with the Rolling Stones - the YouTube of her Gimme Shelter duet with Mick Jagger has had millions of hits.

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National Theatre of Scotland, National Theatre and Edinburgh International Festival present
THE JAMES PLAYS
By Rona Munro
Directed by Laurie Sansom

Exhilarating and vividly imagined, The James Plays trilogy brings to life three generations of Stewart kings who ruled Scotland from 1406 to 1488. The productions include: James I: The Key Will Keep The Lock; James II: The Day Of The Innocents and James III: The True Mirror.

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Norwich Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus present
MAHLER'S SYMPHONY OF A THOUSAND
Matthew Andrews conductor
Kirstin Sharpin soprano
Katherine Broderick soprano
Catherine May soprano
Anne Marie Gibbons alto
Anna Burford alto
Peter Wedd tenor
James Harrison baritone
Richard Wiegold bass

To celebrate its 175th Anniversary, the massed ranks of the Norwich Philharmonic are joined by eight outstanding soloists and several choirs from across Norfolk for a spectacular staging in the Norfolk Showground Arena of Mahler's epic and rarely-performed Symphony of a Thousand.

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LISTINGS

Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2016 will run from 13 - 29 May.

Tickets are on sale to the public from 9.30am on Wednesday 11 November with priority booking opening at 9.30am on Thursday 5 November.

Box Office 01603 766400, online www.nnfestival.org.uk or in person at Norwich Theatre Royal Box Office.

Concessions and Under 25s discounts available

Race Horse Company presents
WHITE NIGHTS
Wednesday 18 May - Saturday 28 May, 7.30pm and Sunday 29 May, 5pm
(except Thursday 19 & Tuesday 24 May)
The Adnams Spiegeltent, Norwich
Tickets £20
Recommended age 14+.

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra presents
FESTIVAL CHORUS
Sunday 15 May, 7.30pm
St Andrew's Hall, Norwich
Tickets £37, £32, £25, £20, £10, £7

MAX RICHTER ENSEMBLE
Thursday 19 May, 8pm
Norwich Theatre Royal
Tickets £28, £24, £20, £15, £8

Aurélien Bory present
SANS OBJET
Tuesday 17 & Wednesday 18 May, 7.30pm
Norwich Theatre Royal
Tickets £22, £18, £15, £12, £7

LISA FISCHER
Saturday 21 May, 8pm
Norwich Theatre Royal
Tickets £22.50, £22.50, £18, £15, £7

National Theatre of Scotland, National Theatre and Edinburgh International Festival present
THE JAMES PLAYS
By Rona Munro
Directed by Laurie Sansom
Saturday 14 - Sunday 15 May, 11am/3pm/7.30pm daily
Norwich Theatre Royal
Tickets £85, £80, £68, £58, £24
Recommended age 14+.
Running times: James I 2hrs 30 mins, James II 2hrs 22mins, James III 2 hrs 30 mins
(all including interval). The James Plays are only available to book as a trilogy.
Please note these productions contain strong language, flashing and strobe lighting, violent scenes, nudity and are not suitable for children.

A Norwich Theatre Royal presentation

Norwich Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus
MAHLER'S SYMPHONY OF A THOUSAND
Saturday 21 May, 8pm
Norfolk Showground Arena, Royal Norfolk Showground

NOTES TO EDITORS

Norfolk & Norwich Festival is the flagship arts festival for the East of England with a reputation for innovative and inspirational programming and commissioning. One of the big four UK international arts festivals, each May we transform and celebrate our city and county through an internationally acclaimed programme of music, theatre, literature, visual arts, circus, dance and outdoor arts, enjoyed by over 75,000 people. The organisation has been an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation since April 2012 and is one of 10 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, Norwich City Council and the generous support of other sponsors and donors. Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2016 runs from 13 - 29 May.
www.nnfestival.org.uk

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