Buxton International Festival (9-26 July) announces its stand-out 2026 programme with more than 160 events planned across 17 days including six operas, four of them brand new productions; book events with leading opinion-formers of the day; world-class classical concerts; and a bigger than ever jazz programme.
Stand-out performers include Lady
Hale, Jimmy Wales (Founder of Wikipedia), Sir Nick Clegg, Andrew Graham-Dixon, Courtney
Pine, Martin Sixsmith, the Hallé and English Concert orchestras, Roderick
Williams, Steven Isserlis, the Brodsky Quartet, Denys Baptiste and Darius
Brubeck. And this year’s operas include two of the best-loved works in the
canon, Giuseppe Verdi’s iconic opera La traviata (a joint production
with Norwich Theatre) and Franz Lehár’s operetta, The Merry Widow (a
Scottish Opera, Opera Holland Park and D’Oyly Carte Opera co-production).
Commenting on the 2026
programme, Buxton’s CEO Michael Williams said: “Our ambition at Buxton knows
no bounds and we have not only pulled together a fantastic programme of events
but also increased our partnerships with other acclaimed companies which brings
a vital new aesthetic and energy to the festival. We can’t wait to get started.”
OPERA
The festival’s 2026 operas encompass a range of centuries, styles, and stories. Alongside La traviata and The Merry Widow in Buxton Opera House, BIF also presents lesser-known gems by women composers including Viardot’s Le dernier sorcier and Caccini’s La liberazione di Ruggiero (performed by Vache Baroque) in the Pavilion Arts Centre. The English Concert orchestra returns to Buxton for Handel’s Amadigi di Gaula; and there’s a special concert performance of Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito in Buxton Opera House.
Commenting, artistic director, Adrian Kelly said: “We are thrilled to be completing our Verdi cycle with La traviata in Buxton Opera House and delighted to offer The Merry Widow which has had terrific reviews to date. Our Pavilion Arts Centre operas embrace Buxton’s commitment to celebrating the less well-known works and we’re very proud of our collaborations this year with Opera Holland Park, D’Oyly Carte Opera, Vache Baroque, Scottish Opera, Norwich Theatre, The English Concert Orchestra and of course our own festival orchestra.”
The festival offers a wealth of classical and romantic chamber music repertoire, ranging from Mozart and Haydn to Schumann, Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Smetana performed by outstanding ensembles such as the Sacconi Quartet, the Sitkovetsky Trio, the Gould Piano Trio and the Brodsky Quartet.
2026 also brings a
welcome return to Buxton for The Hallé orchestra after an absence of over 60
years. Their programme in the Octagon concludes with Brahms’ masterful Fourth
Symphony.
Pianist Joseph
Middleton returns to curate another series of vocal recitals with a stellar
group of singers including Roderick Williams, Nicky Spence and Sarah Connolly.
Other high-profile soloists include renowned cellist Steven Isserlis and
pianists Peter Donohoe and Isata Kanneh-Mason. Young artists this summer include pianist
Junyan Chen, whose programme features Rachmaninov and Gershwin. And a familiar
face, Alexander Armstrong joins the throng with Claire Booth and Andrew
Matthews-Owen for The Roaring Twenties.
Adrian Kelly continues: “Last
year’s concert series enjoyed unprecedented success and we have done our best
to outdo last year’s offering with the return of some outstanding artists who
have been regular visitors to the festival, plus some new faces.”
JAZZ
Buxton’s brand-new jazz director,
Wesley Stephenson, kick-starts the festival with jazz royalty - Darius Brubeck
and Courtney Pine both feature as part of the opening Jazz Weekender, alongside
Laura Jurd, the Tony Kofi and Denys Baptiste Quintet and Josephine Davies with
Satori and Alcyona Mick.
And for the first time this year,
The Old Clubhouse opens for three relaxed, late-night jazz sessions with the
Gaz Hughes piano trio, the Blind Monk Trio plus Hannah Brine with Bim
Williams. Other highlights include the
Arun Gosh Quintet and the Andrew McCormack Trio.
Commenting, Wesley
said: “We’re living in an incredible period of
history for modern jazz with the art form fully embracing diversity in so many
ways, fusing with wider world music.”
BOOKS
Buxton’s books programme continues to grow in breadth and popularity. It is now recognised as one of the most notable non-fiction festivals in the north of England. This year’s programme features serving politicians, broadcasters, art historians, the military, mental health supporters and environmental advocates. Lady Hale, Sir Antony Beevor, Jimmy Wales, Sir Nick Clegg, Andrew Graham-Dixon, Claudia Hammond and Iain Dale top the bill amongst many others.
Books director, Vicky Dawson comments: “I have observed that the word ‘humanity’ inadvertently features in many of our authors’ books this year. They define it as the ability to love, create and show compassion; in essence, the quality of being truly alive rather than acting like a robot. Yes, our book festival covers conflict, inequality and the dangers of power, but we also look at hope, heroism, diplomacy, trust, lives lived in nature and through art, kindness, curiosity and exception.”
PICTURES
Pictures can be
found HERE
Video - the 2025 Highlights
Video can be viewed HERE.
“Incredible variety: and it all happens in three weeks”- Sir Antony Pappano
“Absolutely brilliant. It’s been a privilege to be here” – Clive Myrie, BBC
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