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The Deutsche Bank Autumn Festival of Performing Arts begins this week and brings with it a selection of classes old and new, ranging from singing, music, acting and language, and even an extra special performance from Eisteddfod-veterans.
To highlight the fact that this year marks 70 years since the Eisteddfod began again after World War II, a group of septuagenarians will take to the stage at the Jersey Arts Centre at 7 pm on Wednesday 15 November. Having first graced the stage in the dance section in 1947, they will be back, this time in the mime class, portraying their first Eisteddfod experience after the Liberation.
Another introduction this year will be the inclusion of Russian in the Modern Languages Section, which adds to the impressive range of classes in Spanish, Italian, German, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Polish and, of course, French, which has been performed for over a hundred years.
A further highlight of this year’s Festival in the Music Section is the Leonard Herivel Concerto class for talented Juniors and Adults. The Jersey Sinfonietta will be accompanying several of the younger performers in a unique performance opportunity never before offered at the Festival. Russell Abraham and the orchestra members will be performing with Emilie Edelenbos (violin), Jessica Donoghue (alto saxophone), Finlay Hare (cello) and Julie Robinson (violin). Also performing will be Luke Brown, Natasha Ronayne and Veronika Benhakak, accompanied on piano. The musicians will all be playing at the Jersey Opera House at 7pm on 9 November.
Key dates for this year’s Festival include:
Christine Hamon, General Administrator for the Festival, commented: "We are always looking at ways to evolve the Festival and allowing people to enter online for the first time this year has certainly helped bring the Eisteddfod into the modern age, whilst we are also pleased to have brought a number of new classes to the event. In particular, we are looking forward to watching our group of septuagenarians in their nostalgic mime performance, which will also act as a pertinent reminder of the commitment we have as a community to the arts. We are grateful as always to our sponsor, Deutsche Bank. With their continued support, we are able to offer excellent venues in which all our entrants may perform."
Andreas Tautscher, Chief Executive of Deutsche Bank in the Channel Islands said, “We are proud to continue our partnership with the Jersey Eisteddfod which for well over a century now has provided such a valuable platform for islanders to showcase and develop their talent.”
The Deutsche Bank Festival of Performing Arts starts on Friday 3rd November, with classes across the Music, English Speech and Drama, Jèrriais, French and Modern Language Sections throughout November. Full details can be found at www.jerseyeisteddfod.org.je.
