Brighton Early Music Festival (26th October 2017)
I feel very privileged to be one of four trainees at the Brighton Early Music Festival (BREMF) this year. I have been working with BREMF officially since July and have relished every second. I have been involved with a wide variety of areas within the organisation including marketing, publicity, development and production. I have also enjoyed opportunities to act as a guest e-newsletter editor, Front of House Manager and the honour of representing BREMF at times such as writing this article! I am particularly looking forward to Ensemble Tempus Fugit’s Calcutta on 5th November, an imaginative production not to be missed where Baroque meets India, and where I will be taking on the role of Concert Manager.
Opening this weekend, the 2017 programme promises some insightful and unique productions. BREMF strives to be accessible to all, welcoming newcomers to early music by implementing concerts in casual pub settings, such as BREMF LIVE! Clubnight on 4th November, and events such as the Introducing the Lute workshop held last weekend. This workshop was aimed at guitar players looking to broaden their skills to other instruments which use similar techniques. Such events aim to target a younger audience, a (hopefully growing) minority of early music fans, for whom not many events are tailored. BREMF also sees the importance in sparking an interest at a very early age by presenting family-friendly productions such as Little Baroque Company’s The Pigeon & The Albatross on 11th November (one performance in Brighton and one in Portslade for those further afield).
Above all, I am very excited for this weekend’s performances of Pygmalion in which Ensemble Molière take Jean-Phillippe Rameau’s short opera to 21st Century Paris, and perform alongside a specially commissioned animated film by Kate Anderson in place of traditional sets. BREMF hope the setting and short length (one hour long) will entice those with little experience of watching opera as well as families. I was lucky enough to see Satoko Doi-Luck (musical director) present a sneak preview of the production last Saturday at the Festival Preview Day, demonstrating the stunning visuals, matched by a mesmerising live performance by Josh Cooter (Pygmalion). I have no doubt in my mind it will be an enchanting and magical performance. With three performances on offer across this weekend (28th & 29th October), it truly is an opportunity to seize while available.
I have loved working with BREMF over the past four months and cannot wait for the challenges and spectacles that lie ahead!
Stephanie Williams, BREMF Trainee 2017