The Perth Festival of the Arts - by Sandra Ralston

CLASSICAL MUSIC

The highlight of this year?s event will be the Bell Lawrie Festival Concert with Dame Kiri te Kanawa and The Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Other classical music concerts include The Russian State Symphony Orchestra, The King?s Consort, Artists in Residence The Schubert Ensemble and English Touring Opera who will present three operas. They will be ?Cosi fan Tutte?, ?Maria Stuarda? (Mary Queen of Scots) and The (Little) Magic Flute for Primary School children.

POPULAR MUSIC

Teenage Fanclub will be supported by Raising Kain, and are just about to release a new album and are playing their first ever concert in Perth.

Joan Armatrading will play in Perth City Hall with her band. The Festival is so lucky to host this one off show. Joan is travelling especially from London for this one night.

Stacey Kent and her musicians will perform songs from the Great American Songboo, and Aberfeldy, the Edinburgh band whose latest album and single are selling well, are rising stars of the vibrant Scottish music scene and will be supported by Nick Harper. Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain are legendary ambassadors of Scottish Traditional music and will play a night in Perth Theatre.

COMEDY

On the comedy front there will be Paul Merton?s Impro Chums. The star of ?Have I Got News For You? brings his friends for some witty improvisation. Also ?Victor Borge and Me? with Rainer Hersch, this show got 5 stars at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year. Sir David Frost will talk about his life in television including comedy programme ?That was the week that was? and Ian Rankin and Jackie Leven will present a humorous view of growing up in Fife.

DANCE

Ballet Russe will present ?La Fille Mal Gardee? and Tango Siempre are offering a hot night of Tango from Argentina.

PERTH MUSICIANS

This year there will be performances from Chansons and the Fair City Singers, Perth Youth Orchestra, Michael O?Donnell and Alasdair Beatson and daily concerts in St John?s Kirk by Perthshire schools.

VISUAL ART

Perth Museum and Art Gallery will stage an exhibition by Scottish artists William Gillies and John Maxwell and will also host an exhibition by the Ukranian artist Grygoriy Shyshko. The ArTay marquee will be sited in St John?s Place form 19th to 22nd May. This is a free event featuring the works of Scottish Contemporary artists and they are all for sale.

HOW TO BOOK

The Festival brochure is now available from Perth Theatre and the full programme and booking details are also on the Festival website or from the Festival Box Office at Perth Theatre on 01738 472706.

Sandra Ralston
Perth Festival of the Arts

The following holiday cottages are relevant to this article:

The Old Brewhouse - Near Blairgowrie, Perthshire -Sleeps 5

The Neids - Near Blairgowrie, Perthshire - Sleeps 8

Schoolhouse Cottage - Near Cupar, Fife - Sleeps 2

Buckhood Cottage - Near Kirriemuir, Angus - Sleeps 4

The Carlton Town House - Bridge of Allan - Sleeps 2 (max 4)

Kirkton Cottage - Kingoldrum, Near Kirriemuir, Angus - Sleeps 4

Inchrye Lodge - Near St Andrews, Fife - Sleeps 4

~~ The Perth Festival of the Arts - by Sandra Ralston ~~

The Perth Festival of the Arts - by Sandra Ralston