With an unrivalled mix of music of all kinds, drama, dance, comedy, literature and family events featuring stellar artists and fabulous performances, there’s a whole lot to see at this year’s Lichfield Festival (7th-19th July).
Here’s our pick of the crop:
Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers with KNDS Fairey Brass Band (Sat 11 July, 7.30pm, Lichfield Cathedral)
Enjoy the hilarious antics of the cheese-loving inventor and his loyal pooch on Lichfield Cathedral’s big screen while the original musical score is played live by the world famous KNDS Fairey Band.
Then marvel at the players’ astonishing skill in a second half of brass band favourites, including Also Sprach Zarathustra and Eric Whitacre’s popular Seal Lullaby.
A perfect for evening for all.
Rumer (Fri 17 July, 7.30pm, Lichfield Cathedral)
This is a first Lichfield Festival appearance for the MOJO Award-winning, Brit nominee singer-songwriter Rumer, celebrating the 15th anniversary of her smash hit album Seasons of My Soul.
Alongside her own hits, including the sensational Slow and Seasons of My Soul, she’s also known for her superb musicianship and soulful renditions of Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
Othello: The Lord Chamberlain’s Men (Tue 7 July, 6.30pm, Lichfield Cathedral Lawn)
With a history stretching back to Shakespeare’s original company, the Bard doesn’t get more authentic than this.
Witness his thrilling tragedy, Othello, as it was first performed – in the open air, with an all-male cast and period Elizabethan costumes, music and dance.
GX2: The Don Shirley Trio Project (Thu 16 July, 7.45pm, The Hub at St Mary’s)
Visionary jazz pianist/composer Don Shirley’s life story reached new audiences through the film Green Book and now Lichfield Festival artist-in-residence Gabriella Swallow (cello) celebrates The Don Shirley Trio Project, joined by Mercury award-nominee Joe Webb (piano), in repertoire including pioneering recordings, spirituals and standards revealing his unique blend of classically-infused jazz sophistication.
BBC National Orchestra of Wales (Sat 18 July, 7pm, Lichfield Cathedral)
One of the UK’s top symphony orchestras, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, brings an all-American feast as part of the Festival’s America250 series marking 250 years of American Independence.
The sumptuous Violin Concerto by Samuel Barber (with award-winning soloist Maria Ioudenitch) is the centrepiece, with Copland’s much-loved Appalachian Spring and Ives’s Three Places in New England.
Xuefei Yang & Maria Vega (Thu 16 July, 7.30pm, Lichfield Cathedral)
After lighting up the Cathedral stage in 2021 with their exuberant and colourful performance, flamenco dancer extraordinaire Maria Vega and sensational Chinese guitarist Xuefei Yang reunite for a second show Silk and Fire: Bridging Cultures along the Silk Road from the Orient to Iberia.
Expect a Spanish-Chinese fusion that blends visual spectacle and rhythmic vitality with lyricism, elegance and dynamic dance.
Nick Higham (Mon 13 July, 4pm, Wade Street Church)
For 30 years Nick Higham was a familiar face as a BBC correspondent.
Now he’s been delving into the forgotten stories of British ‘mavericks’ tasked with daring missions at the end of World War I.
His cast of eccentric heroes includes a Scottish aristocrat, an indestructible soldier, a brilliant inventor and a spy.
Guinness World Records (Sat 18 July, 10.15am, The Hub at St Mary’s)
Marvel at the miraculous and extraordinary world of the Guinness World Records with its entertaining editor-in-chief Craig Glenday who knows a thing or two about the tallest, shortest, strongest, longest record-breakers.
He’ll share inside secrets of the GWR and maybe introduce a special guest record-breaker or two.
Ballet Cymru: Sleeping Beauty (Mon 13 July, 7.30pm, Lichfield Cathedral)
Enter an enchanted world of love, magic and destiny.
Ballet Cymru is known for its innovative choreography, exceptional dancing, distinctive costumes and immersive projections (check out the gorgeous images on the Festival website).
Add to that Tchaikovsky’s glorious music and the unique backdrop of Lichfield Cathedral and you truly have a night to treasure.
Loose Chippings – Victoria Wood on Love, Life & Loss (Sun 19 July, 5.15pm, The Hub at St Mary’s)
Singer and actor Amy J Payne, and MD Oliver Rundell (piano) explore Victoria Wood’s celebrated and unique take on life’s ups and downs through her songs and monologues, in Loose Chippings.
From eating sandwiches by the loose chippings on the A597 to Barry’s baggy Y-Fronts, this is an affectionate tribute to a national treasure.
Find out more about The Lichfield Festival
Lichfield Festival runs from 7th to 19th July, offering more than 60 events at venues across the city. Visit www.lichfieldfestival.org for details
