What's On

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2023-06-09: Pre-concert talk: GIANT Composer Sarah Angliss introduces the world premiere of Giant at the Aldeburgh Festival, in a live talk about this fascinating opera. Dates: Fri, 09 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-09: GIANT A brand-new opera from visionary composer Sarah Angliss, telling the story of the 18th-century “Irish giant” who was betrayed in the name of science. Dates: Fri, 09 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-09: Kreutzer Quartet: Remember... The first of two concerts by the Kreutzer Quartet imagined as responses to the Aldeburgh Festival opera, Giant. Including a world premiere by Sarah Angliss, featuring two voices, a string quartet, field recordings and live electronics. Dates: Fri, 09 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-10: Kreutzer Quartet: Continuation The second of two concerts by the compelling Kreutzer Quartet, envisioned as a coda to the Aldeburgh Festival opera, Giant. With Rainier, Michael Finnissy, David Matthews and Mozart. Dates: Sat, 10 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-10: GIANT A brand-new opera from visionary composer Sarah Angliss, telling the story of the 18th-century “Irish giant” who was betrayed in the name of science. Dates: Sat, 10 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-10: Celestial Navigation (after Joseph Cornell) “Light is a wave and so is sound. A piano is a boat, a spaceship, a dreamy discoverer of wonder worlds... this performance is an ode to the night sky, to the vastness of space, to that pure silent light that travels from the other side of the universe to reach an eye, yours or mine, and to make us wonder.” Pavel Kolesnikov Dates: Sat, 10 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-11: EXAUDI - Verses of Love EXAUDI presents a portrait of love, with work by Festival featured musician Cassandra Miller, as well as Michael Finnissy, Monteverdi, Gibbons and Elisabeth Lutyens Dates: Sun, 11 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-11: Pre-performance talk: BBC Philharmonic I Join Cassandra Miller in conversation about her life and work. This evening’s concert by the BBC Philharmonic in Snape Maltings Concert Hall includes her work, La Donna. Dates: Sun, 11 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-11: BBC Philharmonic I Violinist Simone Lamsma joins the BBC Philharmonic and their new chief conductor John Storgårds with a programme including classic works by Britten and Sibelius alongside Festival featured artist Cassandra Miller. Dates: Sun, 11 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-12: Two Pianos: Bach and Shostakovich Acclaimed piano duo Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy interweave music by Bach and Shostakovich, in the first of two Aldeburgh Festival performances created especially for the historic Jubilee Hall. Dates: Mon, 12 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-12: Festival Masterclass: Roderick Williams on Britten Song Watch and learn as world-famous baritone Roderick Williams coaches Britten Pears Young Artists.

A Masterclass is a rare opportunity to be a fly on the wall for live-on-stage coaching sessions between emerging musicians and established artists.
Dates: Mon, 12 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-12: Pre-performance talk with Anna Thorvaldsdottir An opportunity to hear an Aldeburgh Festival featured composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir talk about her work including the evening’s performance of her elemental new work, Metacosmos. Dates: Mon, 12 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-12: BBC Philharmonic II Be swept up by a stirring trio of orchestral works by Britten, Tchaikovsky and Aldeburgh Festival featured composer, Anna Thorvaldsdottir. Dates: Mon, 12 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-13: Festival Masterclass: Dame Ann Murray on Britten Song Acclaimed mezzo-soprano Dame Ann Murray leads an inspirational coaching session for Britten Pears Young Artists. Dates: Tue, 13 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-13: Danish String Quartet: Rosamunde The world-renowned Danish String Quartet makes its Aldeburgh Festival debut playing a new work by Anna Thorvaldsdottir alongside its inspiration, Schubert’s Rosamunde Quartet. Dates: Tue, 13 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-13: A Line in the Sand A song recital with a difference: words and music explode in an exploration of challenge and protest in art song, with pianist Allyson Devenish, soprano Nardus Williams, baritone Roderick Williams and poet Rommi Smith. Dates: Tue, 13 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-14: BRITTEN SONG TRAIL: Duo Discoveries The Britten Song Trail is a choose-your-own-adventure through the best of Britten's songs.
A mini recital of early Britten songs in one of the original Aldeburgh Festival venues.
Dates: Wed, 14 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-14: BRITTEN SONG TRAIL: Ancient Melodies The Britten Song Trail is a choose-your-own-adventure through the best of Britten's songs.
A mini recital in the cosy seaside tasting room of Fishers Gin, featuring Benjamin Britten’s songs for voice and guitar.
Dates: Wed, 14 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-14: BRITTEN SONG TRAIL: Cabaret The Britten Song Trail is a choose-your-own-adventure through the best of Britten's songs.
A mini recital in a converted Victorian pumphouse, transformed into a cabaret for the morning.
Dates: Wed, 14 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-14: BRITTEN SONG TRAIL: Divine Poetry The Britten Song Trail is a choose-your-own-adventure through the best of Britten's songs.
A mini recital bringing Benjamin Britten’s songs for voice and harp to Aldeburgh’s historic Moot Hall.
Dates: Wed, 14 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-14: BRITTEN SONG TRAIL: Miniatures The Britten Song Trail is a choose-your-own-adventure through the best of Britten's songs.
A mini recital in the Ballroom Arts gallery space, featuring a selection of Benjamin Britten’s powerful small-scale songs.
Dates: Wed, 14 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-14: BRITTEN SONG TRAIL: Finale The Britten Song Trail is a choose-your-own-adventure through the best of Britten's songs.
The Song Trail culminates at Aldeburgh Church, for a special lunchtime finale with Roderick Williams and Britten Pears Young Artists.
Dates: Wed, 14 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-14: The King's Singers (GL)ORIANA Join vocal group The King’s Singers for a programme including Benjamin Britten’s work dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II. Dates: Wed, 14 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-14: Britten and the Viola An illuminating exploration through music and words of Britten’s enduring relationship with the viola. Dates: Wed, 14 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-14: Knussen Chamber Orchestra: Explorations Ryan Wigglesworth directs the Knussen Chamber Orchestra in two Elliot Carter song cycles and chamber works by Mozart. Dates: Wed, 14 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-15: Festival Walk: Blyth Estuary and Henham Estate It is well known that Benjamin Britten arrived at many of his ideas on daily “composing walks”, and that his music is entwined with the landscape of the Suffolk Coast. Take part in this walk, with the chance for a wild swim. Dates: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-15: Film: Billy Budd A special Festival screening at Aldeburgh Cinema of Basil Coleman‘s classic 1966 BBC film of Britten‘s opera Billy Budd, starring Peter Pears as Captain Vere. Dates: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-15: The King's Singers: Wonderland Enter Wonderland with this imaginative King’s Singers programme, taking you on a wild, colourful journey. Dates: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-15: CBSO: Holst, Britten and Elgar The CSBO, with chief conductor Kazuki Yamada making his Aldeburgh Festival debut, present an all-British programme of Holst, Britten and Elgar. Dates: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-16: Bozzini Quartet: Just So Cassandra Miller’s work has been hailed among the “best classical music works of the 21st century” by the Guardian. An opportunity to hear her work played by long-term collaborators Bozzini Quartet, in a programme also featuring Howard Skempton’s Tendrils and Britten’s second String Quartet. Dates: Fri, 16 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-16: BBC Symphony Orchestra: AIŌN In this epic programme, the BBC Symphony Orchestra returns to Snape Maltings Concert Hall to perform Mahler’s Symphony No.1 and the UK premiere of Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s AIŌN, an electrifying exploration of time. Dates: Fri, 16 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-16: Goldberg Hear Aldeburgh Festival featured musician pianist Pavel Kolesnikov perform Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Dates: Fri, 16 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-17: Bach on Two Pianos In the intimacy of Aldeburgh's Jubilee Hall, virtuosic duo Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy play music by Bach in Kurtág's enigmatic arrangements for four hands. Dates: Sat, 17 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-17: In Conversation: Bozzini Quartet A discussion with the Bozzini Quartet, including tea and cake. Dates: Sat, 17 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-17: Bozzini Quartet with Juliet Fraser: Influences The Canada-based Bozzini Quartet is joined in Orford Church by soprano Juliet Fraser for a programme of Beethoven, Bach and Festival featured composer Cassandra Miller. Dates: Sat, 17 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-17: Sinfonia of London: Orchestral Showpieces The Sinfonia of London are joined by Festival featured artist Roderick Williams for a highly atmospheric programme of orchestral showpieces including Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, which famously appeared in Disney’s Fantasia, and a world premiere by Sally Beamish. Dates: Sat, 17 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-18: Concerteenies Introduce little ones to the magic of music with Aldeburgh Festival stars and the brilliant Concerteenies. Dates: Sun, 18 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-18: The Art of Being Human In this UK premiere, music of the 16th and 17th centuries, dance, and visual art come together. Laurence Dreyfus and his ensemble Phantasm, choreographer Sommer Ulrickson, and visual artist Alexander Polzin explore the healing potential of art. Dates: Sun, 18 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-18: Sinfonia of London: Scottish Ballad John Wilson's hand-picked “super orchestra” unites with virtuosic piano duo Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy for this rare opportunity to hear Britten's Scottish Ballad. Also including British orchestral favourites by Delius and Walton, plus Elgar's radiant Symphony No.2. Dates: Sun, 18 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-19: Film: An Empty Stage Explore the life of the outstanding British artist closely connected to Benjamin Britten, in this fascinating documentary screened at the historic Aldeburgh Cinema. Dates: Mon, 19 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-19: Ensemble Renard: Bagatelles An inventive programme of wind quintets, including Bartók, Schumann, Ligeti and Hans Abrahamsen, played by the vibrant Ensemble Renard. Dates: Mon, 19 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-19: Talk: About the Etudes Pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard gives an introduction to one of the most astonishing, virtuosic piano cycles – Ligeti's Etudes Dates: Mon, 19 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-19: Ligeti's Etudes Pierre-Laurent Aimard opens up a whole world of imagination as he performs Ligeti's virtuosic and dazzling solo piano Etudes. Dates: Mon, 19 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-19: Late Night Ligeti Leading Ligeti interpreter Pierre-Laurent Aimard is joined by collaborator Michael Wollny for a spontaneous night of jazz-inflected improvisations, using Ligeti's Etudes as the basis. Dates: Mon, 19 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-20: Remembrances and Memories Chinese-American pianist George Xiaoyuan Fu is “one of the most exciting pianists of our time” (The Arts Desk). He plays works by Schumann, Beethoven, Cassandra Miller with Michael Finnissy, and a UK premiere by Anna Thorvaldsdottir, plus Fu's own Passacaglia on a theme by Radiohead. Dates: Tue, 20 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-20: Festival Masterclass: Claire Booth on Contemporary Arias  Watch and learn as renowned soprano Claire Booth leads an inspirational coaching session with Britten Pears Young Artists. Dates: Tue, 20 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-20: Hesse Lecture: Why read Dickens? In this year's Aldeburgh Festival Hesse lecture, in the elegant surroundings of the Theatre Royal, Professor John Mullan, specialist in 18th century literature and Lord Northcliffe Chair of Modern English Literature at University College London, asks “Why read Dickens?” Dates: Tue, 20 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-20: A New Venetian Coronation (1595) An enveloping performance echoing throughout the vast space of St Edmundsbury Cathedral by the multi-award-winning Gabrieli Consort and Players. Dates: Tue, 20 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-21: Summer Solstice Yoga We welcome you to the beautiful Red House gardens for a calm and reflective Aldeburgh Festival moment.
Join us for a tranquil early-morning yoga session to celebrate the summer solstice.
Dates: Wed, 21 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-21: Festival Musical Walk: HerStory Walk with the team behind the HerStory creative performance project on this immersive musical journey along the Sailors' Path to Snape Maltings, learning and singing songs from the opera along the way. The newly created HerStory film will be screened in the Peter Pears Recital Room, Snape Maltings at 2pm. Dates: Wed, 21 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-21: At the Threshold Soprano Juliet Fraser presents a captivating triptych of musical works including a collaboration with Festival featured composer Cassandra Miller and two first performances. Dates: Wed, 21 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-21: Knussen Chamber Orchestra: Haydn, Brahms and Wigglesworth Symphonies by Haydn and Brahms, plus the UK premiere of Ligeti's Little Serenade, and the world premiere of Ryan Wigglesworth's Vignettes de Jules Renard. Dates: Wed, 21 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-22: Film: Four Quartets on Film Four films made by director Tim Hopkins, responding to the magic of string quartets by Judith Weir, John Woolrich, Joe Cutler and Helen Grime, presented at Aldeburgh Cinema. Dates: Thu, 22 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-22: Pre-performance talk: Composition & Performance Drop in with mentor Colin Matthews in discussion with young composers from the Composition & Performance course. Dates: Thu, 22 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-22: Britten Pears Contemporary Ensemble An invigorating afternoon featuring performers and composers from the Britten Pears Young Artist Programme premiering six brand-new works. Dates: Thu, 22 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-22: Peter Pears' Birthday To mark this special occasion there will be a short recital in The Red House library of Britten songs written for his greatest inspiration, the singer Peter Pears.
After the concert, we will raise a glass to Pears on what would have been his 113th birthday.
Dates: Thu, 22 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-22: The Swan In the twilight at Blythburgh Church, pianists Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy play an atmospheric programme inspired by the unique location and its cherished sunsets, including Rachmaninoff, Schubert and the world premiere of a new commission by Leonid Desyatnikov. Dates: Thu, 22 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-23: Ligeti Quartet: Sonata We celebrate the centenary of towering composer György Ligeti with the first of three programmes curated by the Ligeti Quartet. Dates: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-23: Ligeti Quartets Join the Ligeti Quartet and friends for an enticing programme of György Ligeti's music, including the incredible Poème Symphonique for 100 metronomes. Dates: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-23: Ligeti Quartet: Nouvelles Etudes Don't miss this scintillating climax to Ligeti Day: the remarkable premiere of 14 new tributes to Ligeti by composers including Xiaoyong Chen, Rolf Hind and Emily Hazrati. Dates: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-23: Film: 2001: A Space Odyssey A late-night screening of Stanley Kubrick's cult film about extra-terrestrial life, with an extraordinary soundtrack featuring the music of György Ligeti. Dates: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-24: Marian Consort: Inviolata Pioneering vocal ensemble The Marian Consort performs Inviolata – interrogating the music of the past; reviving important, unjustly forgotten works; and using both as inspiration for new compositions. Dates: Sat, 24 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-23: pre-performance talk with Bill Barclay Before the world premiere of his concert-theatre work Letters to a Young Poet, listen to director Bill Barclay talk about the piece. Dates: Sat, 24 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-24: World Premiere: Letters to a Young Poet The cherished "Letters to a Young Poet" of Rainer Maria Rilke come together with Ravel and Debussy’s string quartets in an inventive union of music and text. Dates: Sat, 24 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-24: Sixteen Strings In an unmissable Aldeburgh Festival evening, a rare opportunity to see four string quartets share the Snape Maltings Concert Hall stage. Dates: Sat, 24 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-25: Pre-performance talk: Nathan Williamson and the Heath Quartet Composer Nathan Williamson talks with the Heath Quartet ahead of their performance. Dates: Sun, 25 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-25: Heath Quartet: Three Quartets Join us for a moving programme of string quartets by Fanny Mendelssohn, Benjamin Britten, and a world premiere by Nathan Williamson, played by the highly acclaimed Heath Quartet. Dates: Sun, 25 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-25: In Conversation: Alison Wilding and Rosie Cooper Twenty years after Alison Wilding's sculpture Migrant was first installed at Snape Maltings, and to celebrate its proud new setting in the reedbeds, the artist returns to the Aldeburgh Festival with an ambitious solo show. In this talk she discusses her work with Rosie Cooper, Director of Wysing Arts. Dates: Sun, 25 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-25: Britten Sinfonia: Three Concerti In the penultimate concert of the Aldeburgh Festival, join us for three contrasting piano concertos with Festival featured artist Pavel Kolesnikov and the Britten Sinfonia. Dates: Sun, 25 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information
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2023-06-25: Die schöne Müllerin The finale of the Aldeburgh Festival... Roderick Williams sings his arrangement for baritone and string quartet of Die schöne Müllerin with the award-winning Carducci Quartet. Dates: Sun, 25 Jun 2023 Booking and More Information

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