Nevill Holt Opera (NHO) has announced that six concerts will take place in the gardens of the Nevill Holt Estate in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, on 29 August and 5 and 12 September, with two performances on each date, at 1pm and 4pm.

Each visit will last for two and a half hours, and audience members will be able to enjoy the 45-minute performance, as well as explore the sculptures in the gardens and purchase locally sourced food and drink. The events will be carried out with strict social distancing and hygiene measures in place, following up-to-date and official advice and guidance.

The series is called Music for a Summer’s Day and consists of three productions which are to be performed twice on each date. First is An English Country Garden on 29 August. NHO Young Artists will entertain audiences with a selection of English folksongs in arrangement by Grainger, Elgar, Parry and more.

Summer Shakespeare will be on 5 September. NHO Young Artists accompanied by double bass and piano will sing the ‘Birthday Madrigals’ by John Rutter and ‘Songs and Sonnets’ by George Shearing. These works are written in the jazz style using some of Shakespeare’s most famous texts.

Finally, Choral Music from the Renaissance is on 12 September. NHO Young Artists will sing a celebration of continental choral masterworks from the Renaissance period, featuring works from composers including Gabrielli, Palestrina and Monteverdi.

NHO Managing Director Annie Lydford commented: “Despite the immense challenges of the last four months, we have tried to approach this summer as creatively as possible. It is exciting for us to be able to present a concert series, enabling paid work for our Young Artists and bringing live music to those who are so desperate to hear it. It matters to us that we are producing work and able to funnel our financial support through to the artists and freelancers who are particularly affected by the pandemic.”

Tickets cost £35 each and are available now. NHO is holding back 20 tickets for each concert to distribute to those it works with through its community and education programmes and to those who may not otherwise be able to afford to come.

 

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A series of socially distanced concerts will take place in the grounds of the Nevill Holt Estate this August and September (Robert Workman).