Bath International Music Festival


Bath International Music Festival

Late May to early JuneLocated about 100 miles west of London, the city of Bath was already known for its mineral hot springs and 18th-century architecture when the idea for a music festival germinated and in 1948, a children's festival was held. Lack of funds and public interest nearly extinguished the festival over the next decade, but it gained a new spark with the appointment of violinist Yehudi Menuhin as artistic director in 1959. During his tenure in the 1960s, the festival became an event of international scope and featured dance, theater, and not-to-be-missed parties in addition to opera and orchestral music. In subsequent years, film presentations, art exhibitions, and children's events were also part of the program.
Today, the 17-day festival presents all types of music—classical, jazz, contemporary, early, world—performed by local and international musicians and features some 150 events, including concerts, lectures, gatherings, workshops, open rehearsals, and educational programs. Festival events take place not only in many of Bath's well-preserved historic buildings, but also in the city streets and on the riverfront.
CONTACTS:
Bath Festivals
2 Church St.
Abbey Green
Bath, BA1 1NL United Kingdom
44-12-2546-2231; fax: 44-12-2544-5551
www.bathmusicfest.org.uk
SOURCES:
GdWrldFest-1985, p. 89
MusFestEurBrit-1980, p. 43
MusFestWrld-1963, p. 24