The semi-professional, Saint Endellion Summer Festival, was founded 53 years ago by musical priest, Roger Gaunt, when he invited a group of college friends to help him renovate St Endellion’s derelict rectory – one of the last surviving prebendal houses in England. Slowly it grew and evolved from a group of friends putting on small scale concerts and an annual play to include an orchestra and a chorus. And from the ranks of its enthusiastic participants emerged a young Cambridge graduate and organist called Richard Hickox who took over from Roger Gaunt as Artistic Director in the mid Seventies, when he also instituted a sister festival at Easter.This year it will put on what must surely be one of its most daring performances yet: a concert performance of Wagner's .Die Walkure - the first time that it will be performed in Cornwall. Desbite it's semi professional status the festival has managed to put together an impressive cast (see below) including Susan Bullock and Grange Park Opera's Tristan, Richard Berkeley-Steele. There will be three performances: twice in the church, (July 30 and August 5) and once in Truro’s Hall for Cornwall (August 2).
Cast:
Susan Bullock (Brunnhilde)
Rachel Nicholls (Sieglinde)
Andrew Slater (Hunding)
St Endellion Festival Orchestra led by Gabrielle Painter.
Details and Booking at the Festival website Here
