Norfolk and Norwich Festival
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Arts and music festival centred on Norwich in East Anglia. The Norfolk & Norwich Festival was established in 1772 to support the building of the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital. It grew substantially in the mid-1990s when directed by Marcus Davey, who now runs London concert venue The Roundhouse, and is now under the direction of Jonathan Holloway, who founded and ran the National Theatre's outdoor festival Watch This Space.
The eclectic event has included major performances and new works by Ray Davies of the Kinks, Carl Davis with the London Philharmonic Orchestra performing a Charlie Chaplin film score, Alexander Balanescu in residence and many others.
It has now branched out to include outdoor and site specific performances including large-scale free events.
In marketing terms, the Festival first became television news when it made the unusual move of employing 3PR, a public relations consultancy that handled the Independent Family Brewers of Britain. By avoiding the arts mainstream, this appointment started an odd tradition of peculiar launch events that survives today and, naturally, led to the event's own beer, FestivAle.
The Festival runs in numerous Norwich venues.
[edit] External links
The Norfolk And Norwich Festival has had Jonathan Holloway at its helm since 2004 - he tells BBC Norfolk why he regards being its director as the "best job in the world."
The Norfolk and Norwich Festival runs in 2008 from May 2-17. Full programme details can be found at www.nnfestival.org.uk Music headliners include Laurie Anderson's only UK performance of Homeland (outside London) John Williams and John Etheridge, classical accordianist James Crabb, the Hilliard Ensemble, Tokyo String Quartet, Russian State Symphony Orchestra, European Chamber Orchestra with Natalie Clien, legendary trumpet player Jon Hassell, Maceo Parker with Dennis Rollins, Stan Tracey, early music superstar Jordi Savall and the Choir of King's College, Cambridge.
Other highlights include the contemporary circus No Fit State with a brand new show in a silverspaceship big top in Earlham Park, Norwich. Michael Clark Company present ground breaking contemporary dance with The Stravinsky Project over two nights (9 & 10 May) at the Theatre Royal, Norwich
BBC Norfolk: Interview with Michael Clark
The children's festival includes an artistic treasure hunt around the city, called City of Secrets on May 10. Over 50 small and large performances will take place.
