FAIREST ISLE FESTIVAL
EARLY MUSIC EXTRAVAGANZA ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT
10-12 MAY 2024
Palisander
Described as “Early Music’s very own Spice Girls”, Palisander and their plethora of recorders (from 6 inches, to 6 feet tall!) give concerts and education workshops around the world, with international performances including Japan, Italy, Russia, Greece, Germany, France, Portugal, Israel and Malta.
The ensemble have won numerous competitions, in the UK and further afield, and have held a place on the prestigious Emerging European Ensembles programme since 2019. Palisander regularly perform on BBC Radio 3, and in 2023 were invited to appear live on BBC 2’s Newsnight programme.
Devising their own choreography, as well as writing new compositions and unique arrangements for the ensemble, the group’s members are keen ambassadors for the recorder’s versatility. This is brought to life in the exciting theatrical concerts, for which Palisander is known. “Palisander – making recorders phenomenally interesting and exciting” – Katie Derham, BBC Radio 3, 2019.
Bjarte Eike and Barokksolistene
Photo: Theresa Pewal
The Norwegian-based ensemble Barokksolistene, established by baroque violinist Bjarte Eike in 2005, is recognized as one of the world’s most dynamic and exciting ensembles in the field of historically informed performance. Eike and Barokksolistene are known for their distinctive combination of musical virtuosity and flawless ensemble playing. Through their explorations of folk music, dance, storytelling and improvisation they have created unique concert performances that draw full houses in venues all over the world.
Barokksolistene’s popular concept “The Alehouse Sessions”, with its humoristic exploration of cultural life in Cromwell’s London, was filmed for the BBC and premiered in april 2023.
WORKSHOP - Saturday 11 May 2024
‘Come and Sing’ Vivaldi Gloria and informal performance with Barokksolistene.
Mary Bevan - Soprano
Mary Bevan’s engagements for 2023/24 include Cleopatra Giulio Cesare in her debut with the Rome Opera, Dido Dido and Aeneas in Denmark with Barokksolistine and her debut with the Zurich Opera House as La Folie Platée. In 2022/23 she made a return to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden as Morgana in a new Richard Jones production of Alcina conducted by Christian Curnyn, appeared in LIGHT: Bach Dances with the Hofesh Shechter Company at the Philharmonie de Paris, sang Eurydice Orfeo and Eurydice at Teatro La Fenice and made her debut with the Bayerische Staatsoper as the title role La Calisto.
Previously for ROH, she sang Lila in David Bruce The Firework-Maker’s Daughter, title roles of Rossi Orpheus (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse) and Turnage Coraline (Barbican), and made her main stage debut as Barbarina Le nozze di Figaro. Elsewhere, highlights include Rose Maurrant in Weill Street Scene in the houses of Monte Carlo and Madrid, Zerlina Don Giovanni for the English National Opera, Marzelline Fidelio for the Royal Danish Opera, and her debut at the Bolshoi Theatre as Dalinda in David Alden’s production of Ariodante.
In concert, Bevan has toured across Europe, Australia, Asia and the US, and made her Carnegie Hall debut with the English Concert (Harry Bicket). Other recent appearances include Creation at the Barbican with the Academy of Ancient Music, a return to the BBC Proms in 2022 with Mass in B Minor, and performances with the Handel and Haydn Society, Philharmonia Baroque, BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Concert Orchestra. She has also appeared in recital at Wigmore Hall, and the Leeds Lieder, Lammermuir, Osafestivalen and Oxford Lieder festivals, and has recorded extensively.
Mary Bevan was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honors list in 2019.
Mary Bevan is represented by Intermusica.
DIDO & AENEAS - Sunday 12 May 2024
Don’t miss the festival finale, one of the opera world’s super hits: Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell led by the fabulous soloists Mary Bevan.
Frederick Long - Bass-baritone
Photo: Joey Thompson
Frederick trained at the Royal Academy of Music (where he was made an associate) and the National Opera Studio. He launched his operatic career at Glyndebourne and has since been engaged by other major UK houses including ENO, WNO, Opera Holland Park and the Royal Opera, Covent Garden. Frederick also enjoys an association with English Touring Opera, and performances as the magician Isménor in Rameau's Dardanus, the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas, and Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte, received widespread critical acclaim.
Having performed Dido & Aeneas with Barokksolistene in Denmark last year, he is very excited to be returning with them to Fairest Isle Festival for a repeat performance. He has toured the US as a soloist with the Monteverdi Choir, with performances including the Bach B minor mass at Carnegie Hall, New York. Previous engagements with the group include Christmas Oratorio at La Scala, Milan, and the Palace of Versailles.
A versatile musician, he hugely enjoys collaborative music-making and is frequently invited to join leading solo-voice ensembles, including I Fagiolini and Solomon's Knot.
When avoiding work, or work is avoiding him, he can be found with his wife Emily and young children, pottering about the cider presses of Somerset.
DIDO & AENEAS - Sunday 12 May 2024
Don’t miss the festival finale, one of the opera world’s super hits: Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell with Frederick Long as Aeneas.
ROWAN PIERCE - SOPRANO
Photo: Gerard Collett.
Yorkshire-born Rowan Pierce is a former Rising Star of the OAE and a Harewood Artist at ENO.
She appears regularly with ensembles including AAM, Gabrieli Consort, SCO, BBC Scottish Symphony, OAE, City of Birmingham Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic and Florilegium and has appeared at the Wigmore Hall on many occasions.
Operatic roles include Tiny / Paul Bunyan and Papagena / The Magic Flute (ENO and Covent Garden), Barbarina / Le Nozze di Figaro (Nevill Holt Opera, Grange Festival, ENO), Papiria / Lucio Papirio Dittatore (Buxton), Oberto / Alcina (Glyndebourne and the Staatstheater Stuttgart) and Quivera and Orazia / The Indian Queen (Opéras de Lille, Luxembourg and Caen and Antwerp Opera) all under Emmanuelle Haïm.
Festival appearances include the Ryedale, Oxford Lieder, Bath, Cheltenham, BBC Proms, Lammermuir, Edinburgh, Leeds Lieder and Chiltern Arts Festivals.
Recordings include a solo disc of Purcell songs, Vaughan Williams’ Ninth Symphony with the RLPO and the award-winning King Arthur and The Fairy Queen with the Gabrieli Consort.
Rowan Pierce studied at the Royal College of Music where she won various awards. She subsequently won both the Song Prize and First Prize at the inaugural Grange Festival International Singing Competition. She is a Samling Artist and was generously supported by the Countess of Munster Award and Midori Nishiura at the RCM.
DIDO & AENEAS - Sunday 12 May 2024
Don’t miss the festival finale, one of the opera world’s super hits: Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell with Rowan Pierce as Belinda.
CIARA HENDRICK - Mezzo Soprano
Ciara studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, at the opera studio of L’Opéra National du Rhin and was an OAE Rising Star.
She performs regularly with I Fagiolini and the Dunedin Consort and with the renowned violinist Rachel Podger. Recent performances include Daniel (Handel’s Susanna) at the Göttingen Festival, Ino (Handel’s Semele) with the OAE, Monteverdi’s Vespers with I Fagiolini, Bach’s St Matthew Passion with Kristian Bezuidenhout and Bach’s B Minor Mass with John Butt.
Recent highlights include a collaboration with Rachel Podger on programmes exploring the Bach Dynasty, a new completion of Handel’s unfinished opera Titus l’Empereur at the Halle Handel Festival, performing some of Pepusch’s beautiful solo cantatas from Spiritato’s latest recording, Taste of This Nation and Bach’s Magnificat with Solomon’s Knot.
DIDO & AENEAS - Sunday 12 May 2024
Don’t miss the festival finale, one of the opera world’s super hits: Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell with Ciara Hendrick as Sorceress.
Tania Murphy - Mezzo soprano
Born and raised in Belfast, mezzo-soprano Tania Murphy is currently based in York where she is undertaking a Masters degree in ‘Solo Voice Ensemble Singing’ under the direction of Robert Hollingworth. Alongside this, Tania holds an Alto Choral Scholarship at York Minster where she was the first ever female undergraduate student to be appointed this role in 2021.
Outside of University, Tania enjoys a busy freelance career of both solo and ensemble singing in the UK and Ireland. She is currently a member of the first cohort of Chamber Choir Ireland Studio 2023/24, directed by Eamonn Dougan and is an alumna of the Young Artist Programme Genesis Sixteen, directed by Harry Christophers. Tania regularly performs with The Ulster Consort, BBC Daily Service Singers, Charles Wood Singers and The 24, directed by Robert Hollingworth.
Previous opera performances include Handel’s Theodora at Northern Aldborough Festival and Puccini’s Turandot at the Grand Opera House, Belfast. Tania is looking forward to making her opera solo debut in Handel’s Dido and Aeneas at Fairest Isle Festival!
DIDO & AENEAS - Sunday 12 May 2024
Don’t miss the festival finale, one of the opera world’s super hits: Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell with Tania Murphy as the Second Witch.
Robert Hollingworth – Artistic Director
Photo: Riccardo-Cavallari
Aside from his award-winning work with I Fagiolini, Robert is a conductor, broadcaster, educator, editor, Monteverdi specialist and festival director. Robert founded “musical shapeshifters” I Fagiolini in 1986 to share his love of vocal music - the group will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026 and has performed its signature projects around the world on stage, online, on radio and tv “following [his] giddy, eclectic imagination wherever it leads” (The Spectator). Robert has spent much of his life considering how audiences receive music, instead of just how performers want to deliver it.
Upcoming conducting highlights include multiple world premiere album releases of large-scale, multi-choir Benevoli Masses with I Fagiolini (the first of which received a 5* review in Limelight Magazine and declared as ‘magical music’ by Gramophone), and directing territory premieres of the same with choirs and orchestras including RIAS Kammerchor (Berlin). Robert was musical director of Shobana Jeyasingh Dance’s Monteverdi/Roustom production Clorinda Agonistes, with tenor Ed Lyon. He has conducted orchestras including the English Concert, Academy of Ancient Music, BBC Concert Orchestra, Irish Baroque Orchestra and directed some of the world’s finest chamber choirs including Accentus, NDR Chor, RIAS Kammerchor (Berlin), Netherlands Chamber Choir, National Chamber Choir of Ireland, BBC Singers, Danish National Vocal Ensemble and Capella Cracoviensis.
DIDO & AENEAS - Sunday 12 May 2024
Don’t miss the festival finale, one of the opera world’s super hits: Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell, Directed by Robert Hollingworth.