Leading festival returns for its ninth year with an impressive programme of leading cabaret, opera and jazz vocal talent

Leading music festival Celebrate Voice returns to Salisbury in October. Artistic director, Lynsey Docherty, has hand-picked a programme that features an impressive line-up of leading musical and vocal performers from the worlds of opera, cabaret and jazz for Celebrate Voice’s ninth festival, which takes place in the Guildhall from 20-29th October.

“It’s a testament to the festival’s place in Salisbury’s cultural and community calendar that Salisbury City Council gifted the magnificent Guildhall to Celebrate Voice,” said festival organiser Lynsey Docherty. “I’m proud of how the festival has grown over nine years and stayed true to the ethos of producing a first-class quality event, while engaging in a profound, holistic way, using music as a therapeutic tool for social inclusion and heightened well-being.”

A ‘best of British’ theme runs through this year’s festival with celebrated performers from the West End, leading opera houses and from the recent Edinburgh Festival. Highlights include a performance from one of the UK’s leading jazz stars, award-winning singer, Claire Martin OBE. Described as ‘one of the crown jewels of the jazz world’, she will bring an international level of vocal performance which has become synonymous with the festival’s jazz offer.

Lynsey added: “Bringing leading singers from the West End, the national opera houses and Edinburgh to my home city is exciting, and having so many singers engage so authentically with local people in the daytime community events is something incredibly special. And indeed the hosts, volunteers and supporters are invested in the festival in a way which is not always seen, but is worth a celebration in itself.”

Olivier Award-winning West End star and actress, Janie Dee, will take a short break from filming a new series for Paramount to celebrate the talent of composer, singer and writer Noel Coward. She will be performing ‘Coward & Friends’ with King of Cabaret, Stefan Bednarcyzk in a show specially curated for the festival.

Fresh from the Edinburgh Festival, Fringe sensation, Paulus will present ‘Looking for me Friend – The Music of Victoria Wood’, his critically acclaimed tribute to one of Britain’s favourite comics. As part of a special cabaret double bill, Caroline Kennedy will star as Bumbleina, an ‘irresistibly funny’ single 30-something, looking for love via a dating app. Also fresh from Edinburgh, Liza Pulman from the comedy trio Fascinating Aida will open the festival with her brand new show ‘The Heart of It’.

Elsewhere, a leading British opera cast will celebrate British operetta with four performances of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comedy The Pirates of Penzance. The cast will be staying with local families during the festival.

The festival is about more than just bringing leading performers to the city. Community events have always played an important role in Celebrate Voice festivals and this year is no exception. Events include a gala for older people, music workshops for people with memory loss and dementia, a whole day devoted to young adults with SEND creating a show with the festival’s opera singers, as well as a host of musical family events.

For tickets, visit https://www.celebratevoice.co.uk/tickets-faqs.html