Saturday July 11th is the final day of the 2015 Cheltenham Music Festival. I have loved being part of it, and not just on stage, but in the audience too. The Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra gave an exultant performance of Mahler’s 3rd symphony, with Sarah Connolly and local children’s choirs, prepared by the brilliant Rachel Bowen. Her husband, festival director Meurig Bowen, also wrote his first play: a mixture of monologue and recital on the life of Erik Satie: The Velvet Gentleman. It was a beautifully shaped, intimate study of a man I knew little about. Much more than the famous gymnopodies were featured, and his strange, sad and often lonely life made a touching, funny, contemplative and occasionally surreal story. Despite some fraught moments before-hand (the original actor pulled out; David Bamber stepped in with only a few day’s notice) it was a great and deserved success.
I was delighted to see both the programme and tee shirts featuring my illustrations this year – such an honour! The tee shirts are modelled by volunteers Emily and Ellis; Ellis is himself a young composer and we had a lovely chat backstage before the concert for schools. The white rabbit tallies with an Alice in Wonderland 150th anniversary event at the festival…
And now – the final day – with a family day in the park and the BIG concert with The Flowers Band. I am still practising frantically and so looking forward to being on stage with such a magnificent ensemble.
If you haven’t booked, there is still time, and there will be a few tickets on the door. Here are the details!
http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/music/whats-on/2015/james-mayhew-paints-mussorgskys-pictures/
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