Beverley and East Riding Early Music Festival reveals 2024 programme

Florence Lockheart
Thursday, February 1, 2024

The festival, centred around the theme of ‘threads of gold’ will run from 24 - 26 May

Production group The Telling will close the festival with their music theatre show 'Into the Melting Pot' which explores the stories of the women forced to flee from medieval Spain due to religious intolerance (Image courtest of BEMF)
Production group The Telling will close the festival with their music theatre show 'Into the Melting Pot' which explores the stories of the women forced to flee from medieval Spain due to religious intolerance (Image courtest of BEMF)

Beverley & East Riding Early Music Festival has launched the programme for the upcoming 2024 edition of its festival. Centred around the theme of ‘threads of gold’ the festival draws parallels between Beverley’s remarkable history and Spanish early music.

Kicking off on 24 May, the festival welcomes Spanish ensemble El Gran Teatro del Mundo. Building on the success of their 2023 UK tour, they open the festival with Life is a Dream (la vida es sueño). The 2024 edition is also set to welcome festival debuts from current New Generation Baroque Ensemble Ensemble Augelletti and Tenebrae, who will perform Tomás Luis de Victoria’s Requiem – a masterpiece of the Spanish Golden Age – at Beverley Minster.

Festival director Dr Delma Tomlin MBE said: ‘This year we are threading together music, history and song – designed to entertain, to engage and to intrigue.  There’s a wealth of music and drama in store and as always, there are plenty of opportunities to make music as well as enjoy it – so we hope to weave you a tapestry of delights for 2024.’

Alongside talks and tours exploring Beverley’s intriguing past and workshops offering festivalgoers the chance to explore Baroque orchestral performance and the music of Spain’s Golden Age, the festival will welcome guest artists including the London Handel Players, violinist Bojan Čičić and harpsichordist Steven Devine.

Closing on 26 May, the festival welcomes production group The Telling to present their music theatre show Into the Melting Pot exploring the stories of the women forced to flee from medieval Spain due to religious intolerance. You can find the full Beverley & East Riding Early Music Festival programme here.