Lancaster Arts has launched its thrilling season of live events, featuring both classical and genre-blending concerts, powerful and moving exhibitions, and an amazing theatre line-up of fun, cutting-edge performances.
Continuing the theme of Flight, the autumn season will see returns for renowned orchestra Manchester Camerata and contemporary theatre pioneers Forced Entertainment, as well as a unique evening with legendary record producer Joe Boyd.
Leeds International Piano Competition winner Anna Tsybuleva will present An Evening of Debussy and Rachmaninov on Thursday 10 October, in what will be the first of four concerts in the Great Hall at Lancaster University.
The dynamic Manchester Camerata will perform Schubert's Octet for wind and strings on Thursday 17 October, the second time the orchestra have performed there in the last 12 months, and on Thursday 21 November Pixels Ensemble will perform a special concert programme on the theme of Flight.
Away from the classical genre, FitkinWall, comprising Graham Fitkin and Ruth Wall, will present Harpland on Thursday 31 October. This genre-bending evening, inspired by Scottish folk traditions, combines music from three harps with electronica and will include a light installation from acclaimed artist Peter Freeman.
A very special musical treat awaits on 25 October with world famous music producer Joe Boyd, who has produced music by the likes of Pink Floyd, R.E.M. and Fairport Convention, and will join vinyl maestro Andrew Barker in conversation on his latest book, And the Roots of Rhythm Remain which will be available to purchase on the night. Audience members can request a story of their favourite artist or song in advance. This event is in partnership with Lancaster Litfest.
The final musical event of the season is Murmurations, an immersive experience in the Nuffield Theatre on 4 December with Lancaster based artists Darren Andrews and Dave Shooter/Guerrilla Biscuits. Combining Andrews' breath-taking films of starling murmurations with Shooter's live soundtrack created from recordings of the birds, this promises to be an amazing one-off evening.
Forced Entertainment, who have been performing in the Nuffield Theatre since 1985, bring their 40th anniversary show Signal to Noise, on 6 November after an international tour. This witty, absurd and charming show asks the question what's human and what's not, what's real life and what's just pretending?
All are invited to a season celebration at the opening of exhibition Swoop Swirl Swarm on 31 October, featuring work from artists, Turner Prize nominee 2012 Monster Chetwynd, Christopher Stewart and Norman Adams, that explores the darker themes of Flight. Visitors are encouraged to go on to Harpland in the Great Hall afterwards.
The Nuffield Theatre will welcome Emily Woof's quirky, touching and funny one-woman show Blizzard on 13 November, following hit runs at the Soho Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe and New York's 59East59 Theatre. Then, on 19 November, Van Huynh Company return with their brand-new dance show Exquisite Noise, that addresses ideas of protest and inequality.
Speaking ahead of the season launch, Lancaster Arts Director Jocelyn Cunningham said: "Our autumn season is full of 'one-off' experiences that audiences will not see anywhere else with amazing artists and stories to be told; artists from around the world and also from here in Lancaster. We are very proud of this final season on the theme of Flight. We only do events for one night so make sure you book in advance!"
There will be additional free events taking place alongside the programme, including artist talks through the Tuesday Talks programme and a workshop exploring data and art as part of the Festival of Social Sciences, taking place at the Cornerhouse in Lancaster on 7 November. New and intriguing projects are added all the time, so keep up to date via the Lancaster Arts website and social media channels.
