Arts festival returns with international artists and regional talent

VIBRANT theatre, music, spoken word and outdoor arts are coming back to venues as Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival returns in May. Running from May 21 to June 14, the festival will once again bring artists and audiences together in towns and villages throughout the region to celebrate creativity. Now heading towards its 50th anniversary, the festival continues its mission to present world-class performing arts, blending international productions, nationally acclaimed performers and outstanding regional talent in an exciting and wide-ranging celebration of live performance. This year’s festival opens with Sand, Silt, Flint by Aberdeenshire-based singer and producer Fiona Soe Paing at Eskdalemuir Hub, an evocative production combining traditional ballads, electronic soundscapes and visual storytelling. The opening weekend also features the Scottish Chamber Orchestra performing Rhythms of Fire at The Bridge in Dumfries, promising an electrifying programme including Mendelssohn, Schumann and Beethoven. [caption id="attachment_67087" align="aligncenter" width="721"]

LIVE MUSIC . . . Rhythms of Fire[/caption] Theatre remains at the heart of the festival, with a dynamic programme spanning powerful storytelling. Highlights include the return of acclaimed storyteller James Rowland with the deeply moving and hilarious Team Viking, and the award-winning Boiler Room Six telling the remarkable true story of a Titanic stoker’s fight for survival. Performing five shows across the region, Glasgow Oran Mor’s famous A Play, A Pie and a Pint brings another of its delicious lunchtime theatre offers with Member’s Only. International work also features strongly this year. Quebec company La Fille Du Laitier brings their bold and visually striking silent-film inspired adaptation Macbeth Muet to the region, while a unique collaboration between Japanese company Bird Theatre and The Galloway Agreement presents Towa Mura by Tom Pow, a lyrical exploration of rural life and community. [caption id="attachment_67084" align="aligncenter" width="687"]

RETURNING . . . A Play, a Pie and a Pint[/caption] Music continues to play a central role in the festival’s programme, with performances ranging from classical to folk and contemporary soundscapes. Opera lovers can enjoy Opera Caledonia’s semi-staged performance of Verdi’s La Traviata at the spectacular Barwhillanty Estate, alongside Scottish Opera’s popular Pop-Up Opera performances of The Elixir of Love and Rigoletto.

Meanwhile, Firelight Trio present a lively evening of European folk traditions, and local musicians Rebecca Carson and Anne Chaurand showcase a dazzling flute and guitar recital in Kirkcudbright. Families are also well catered for with Fungi Frida & the Myco Heroes, an interactive outdoor performance exploring the environment through storytelling, music and puppetry. Looking ahead to this year's festival, Simon Hart, Director and CEO of Arts D&G, said: “We are really pleased that along with leading national and regionally based artists and companies, we have been able to bring international work of the highest quality to this year’s festival. It’s a packed line-up of great theatre, music, spoken word, street arts and opera for all ages and tastes! We look forward to welcoming you to a venue in your community this May and June!” For more information and to book tickets, visit: www.artsdg.org.uk