THIS YEAR’S EDITION of the Classical/Pops Festival will have a bigger dose of Bajan spice than ever before.
Speaking at Wednesday’s launch at The Paddock, Apes Hill, St James, producer Michael Aiken said organisers are keeping with the thrust to showcase Barbadian talent and artistes. Fans would have seen the Mighty Gabby and soca queen Alison Hinds in previous years, but it’s a triple dose for the 2016 edition.
The curtain comes down on the show tomorrow night with Tony and award-winning star of Aida, Lion King and The Colour Purple Heather Headley and American tenor David Miller. The acclaimed St Leonard’s Boys’ Choir, Shontelle Martin and classical guitarist David Collins will be performing during Headley’s set.
“In years past we’ve kind of incorporated the artistes, but you’ll hear this year that the programme has a distinctly Bajan feel. That’s the difference between when I invite talent, and when the talent invites talent,” Aiken said, adding that Headley suggested some of the local acts she wanted.
Classical/Pops opens tonight with Opera Night: From Carmen To Claus featuring the famed Fabio Armiliato, who has incorporated a Christmas flavour.
Aiken said they felt Barbados would have been the perfect fit from the time they decided to bring the show to the Caribbean three years ago.
“We’re just going to take what we’ve built and year after year, after year we’re just going to build it,” he told reporters.
He said they are “particularly” proud of the fact that it’s the “most prestigious” festival in the Americas.
“More importantly, it’s the only one that takes place in the Caribbean. To be honest, it’ll be very difficult for anybody to duplicate. So I’m very proud that Barbados is going to be the only partner that we have something like this [with]. We’re not looking to take it anywhere else. We just want to keep growing this and adding more events, a conference and many more things to make it even more spectacular,” he said.
Aiken said the orchestra from Classical/Pops is made up of leading musicians from the Boston and Toronto symphonies, the New Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera. Additionally, the conductor is Thomas Wilkins who is the principal conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. (YB)