Inspired by The Field of Cloth of Gold 18 JUNE - 5 JULY 2020 FOUNDER & LEAD SPONSOR From the Festival Director As I am writing this a cloud of uncertainty hangs over all of us. We are ploughing ahead – and everything is in place for a festival that was set to be our richest, most engaging yet. The arts, and culture in general, have this glorious way of interceding in times like these. I am writing this from home, excitement perhaps waning… but positivity remaining strong. I am writing this to you all just underneath a tapestry that hangs over my piano, which I love so much – The Lady and the Unicorn (‘Hearing’). Isn’t it beautiful that alongside the five ‘Sense’ tapestries, the sixth tapestry in this exquisite series of medieval tapestries is dedicated to desire? What would we all desire for now? Woven over 500 years ago, these works of art are yet another example of how Art remains strong when everything else around us fails. Art somehow manages to speak differently and collectively to each and every one of us, has done so throughout history – and still does. One need only mention the Christmas Truce which brought ceasefire and peace, if only for Christmas Eve, in the First World War; the incredible BalticChain for Freedom when two million people in the Baltic created a 675 kilometre chain of people holding hands and singing across the borders of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania; or, the West­Eastern Divan orchestra which, to date, still brings Palestine and Israel together, defying fierce political divides in the Middle East, creating a space where all differences are forgotten and something new and beautiful is created by making music together. We cannot hold hands today, but we shall tomorrow; and we will most certainly share the richness and beauty of the arts evermore. 500 years ago was also when the magnificent feast of the Field of Cloth of Gold took place. This Foreword was the inspiration behind this year’s festival: lavish manifestations of grandeur, feasting and splendour, everything Tudor, historical richness, significant anniversaries, international relations, The Field of Cloth of Gold! What a resonant and evocative theme for a Festival in this city. We peace, and gold! For this momentous anniversary, it had seemed appropriate to fully embrace our hope to be able to bring this cultural pageant to you in its full glory this summer… Every year the wonderful city of Oxford and all its historical connections with the city’s festival of the arts Festival becomes richer: in its distinguished performers, in the connections it forges among our becoming a colourful canvas for its greatest celebration to date. communities, and in the range of audiences we attract. The arts will remain alive. There are a thousand golden The Oxford Festival of the Arts has been delighting threads woven through this year’s programme and we will audiences for over a decade now, and is established both find a way of sharing this. I shall sign off by saying once as a major source of entertainment and community more that the Arts are essential to humanity. Magdalen engagement in Oxford. College School recognises this in every aspect, which is With a fortnight’s events including internationally why the festival is an integral part of its fabric. It is a renowned authors and musicians, film, dance, and song, delight and an absolute privilege to be part of the MCS the Festival will provide something to divert and delight everyone. family; and I promise the festival will do its utmost to still reach you in different ways, no matter what. #OFAVirtual. I look forward to welcoming you to the Oxford Festival of the Arts this summer. Stay well and safe until then… Michelle Helen Dr Michelle Castelletti Director, OXFORD FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS Helen Pike Master, MAGDALEN COLLEGE SCHOOL 2 3 PROGRAMME OF EVENTS PROGRAMME OF EVENTS Please note that ‘MCS’ is an abbreviation for Magdalen College School. DATE TIME EVENT VENUE PAGE DATE TIME EVENT VENUE PAGE ARTS AND ARTEFACTS MAGDALEN COLLEGE SCHOOL MUSIC PERFORMANCES 25 June 16:00 ­ 19:00 MCS Summer Art Exhibition MCS Art Department 25 25 June 17:00 ­ 18:00 Bob Chilcott’s community opera Birdland MCS Field 25 28 June 12:00 ­ 13:30 Emma Ridgway presents Ruth Asawa at MAO Modern Art Oxford 34 19:00 ­ 20:00 Bob Chilcott’s community opera Birdland MCS Field 25 26 June 17:00 ­ 18:00 Bob Chilcott’s community opera Birdland MCS Field 28 ENTERTAINMENT 19:00 ­ 20:00 Bob Chilcott’s community opera Birdland MCS Field 28 18 June 19:30 ­ 21:30 A Tudor Entertainment MCS Dining Room 7 29 June 19:30 ­ 21:45 MCS Proms Sheldonian Theatre 36 19 June 21:30 ­ 22:45 Field of Cloth of Gold in Lights MCS Field 8 03 July 20:00 ­ 21:30 Madrigals on the River MCS Field 49 20 June 11:00 ­ 22:00 Comedy Festival T.O.A.D. 12 21 June 11:00 ­ 22:00 Comedy Festival T.O.A.D. 16 SPEAKER SERIES 01 July 19:30 ­ 21:30 A Funny Evening with Gyles Brandreth Festival Marquee 44 19 June 18:45 ­ 19:15 Sir James MacMillan with Suzi Digby OBE University Church 10 02 July 19:30 ­ 22:30 An Evening with Brian Blessed Festival Marquee 48 22 June 17:30 ­ 19:30 Dr David Rundle and Dr Glenn Richardson Magdalen College Chapel 18 23 June 18:00 ­ 19:00 Professor Nicholas Delbanco with Helen Pike MCS Studio 20 SILENT FILM (with music) 23 June 20:00 ­ 21:00 James Cracknell OBE MCS Big School 21 28 June 15:00 ­ 16:15 Oliver Twist Ultimate Picture Palace 34 24 June 18:00 ­ 19:00 Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch Weston Library Lecture Theatre 22 29 June 21:00 ­ 23:00 The Passion of Joan of Arc Magdalen Collge Chapel 36 25 June 18:00 ­ 19:00 Amber Butchart St Luke’s Chapel 26 30 June 21:00 ­ 22:30 Charlie Chaplin Shorts Ultimate Picture Palace 41 26 June 18:00 ­ 19:00 Karen Hearn MCS Studio 28 28 June 18:00 ­ 19:00 Professor Suzannah Lipscomb Festival Marquee 35 JOIN IN 30 June 18:00 ­ 19:00 Dr Janet Dickinson and Dr Lynn Robson Magdalen College Chapel 38 20 June 12:00 ­ 16:00 Walk with Giant Henry Bonn Square 12 30 June 19:30 ­ 20:30 Damian Lewis with Tom Ward Festival Marquee 39 21 June 10:00 ­ 16:00 Real Tennis (1 hour time slots) Merton College Tennis Courts 16 01 July 18:00 ­ 19:40 Patricia Lovett MBE Weston Library Lecture Theatre 42 1 27 June 11:00 ­ 16:30 Tudor History Walking Tours (1 ⁄2 hour time slots) Central Oxford 32 1 27 June 12:00 ­ 15:00 Rowing Tasters (1 ⁄2 hour time slots) Meet on JS Terrace, MCS 32 SYMPOSIUM 1 28 June 12:00 ­ 15:00 Rowing Tasters (1 ⁄2 hour time slots) Meet on JS Terrace, MCS 34 19 June 10:30 ­ 17:30 TALLIS 2020 Grove Auditorium, Magdalen 10 04 July 10:00 ­ 17:00 Illuminated Manuscript workshop MCS Studio 51 20 June 09:30 ­ 17:00 TALLIS 2020 Grove Auditorium, Magdalen 10 05 July 11:00 ­ 16:00 Tudor Village MCS Field 55 THEATRE MUSIC 24 June 19:00 ­ 19:45 Henry Vlll or All is True Dean’s Garden, Christ Church 23 19 June 18:45 ­ 19:15 Pre­performance talk by Sir James MacMillan University Church 10 25 June 19:00 ­ 19:45 Henry Vlll or All is True Dean’s House, Christ Church 26 19 June 19:45 ­ 21:00 40 VOICES University Church 11 27 June 14:00 ­ 16:10 Henry Vlll or All is True (45 minute time slots) The Painted Room 33 20 June 18:00 ­ 19:00 Tudor Evensong Magdalen College Chapel 13 28 June 14:00 ­ 16:10 Henry Vlll or All is True (45 minute time slots) The Painted Room 35 20 June 19:30­ 21:00 Gold Medal Winners Holywell Music Room 14 30 June 19:30 ­ 20:30 PSS PSS Oxford Playhouse 40 21 June 19:00 ­ 20:00 In celebration of Jacqueline du Pré St Mary Magdalen 17 01 July 19:30 ­ 20:30 Jo Blake: Blodeuwedd Untold Old Fire Station 43 21 June 20:00 ­ 22:00 The Alex Garnett Quartet Freud 17 01 July 19:30 ­ 20:30 PSS PSS Oxford Playhouse 46 22 June 20:00 ­ 21:00 Elin Manahan Thomas and Elizabeth Kenny Merton College Chapel 19 23 June 19:30 ­ 21:50 Beethoven Complete Piano Trios Holywell Music Room 20 MAGDALEN COLLEGE SCHOOL THEATRE PERFORMANCES 24 June 18:30 ­ 20:30 Music for a Midsummer’s Evening Magdalen College Chapel 23 30 June 19:30 ­ 21:15 Twelfth Night MCS Field 37 24 June 19:30 ­ 21:45 Beethoven Complete Piano Trios Holywell Music Room 24 01 July 19:30 ­ 21:15 Twelfth Night MCS Field 46 24 June 20:00 ­ 22:00 The Easy Rollers Freud 24 01 July 21:30 ­ 22:50 The Duchess of Malfi MCS Big School 46 25 June 21:00 ­ 22:00 Music from the Royal Choirbook Magdalen College Chapel 27 02 July 19:30 ­ 21:15 Twelfth Night MCS Field 49 26 June 20:00 ­ 21:45 Alison Balsom OBE ­ Music for the Royal Fireworks Christ Church Cathedral 30 02 July 21:30 ­ 22:50 The Duchess of Malfi MCS Big School 49 27 June 19:30 ­ 22:00 The Golden Age of Jazz with the BBC Big Band Festival Marquee 33 04 July 19:30 ­ 20:30 OXUS String Quartet Friends Meeting House 52 04 July 21:00 ­ 22:15 Zoe Gilby and Andy Champion St Mary Magdalen 53 05 July 19:00 ­ 21:00 Music for Mustardseed Sheldonian Theatre 56 4 5 THE CREATION OF OUR COVER DESIGN In November 2019 we launched an exciting competition with our partners OX Magazine to invite entries for the cover design of our festival brochure for 2020.