The Béal Festival 2012 takes place from 7-9 November
The festival of new music and poetry will be held at Smock Alley, Banquet Hall, Temple Bar, and will feature performances and readings over a three-day period.
Featured composers include Robert Ashley, whose recent opera World War III Just the Highlights receives its European premiere, and Tom Johnson, whose newly-commissioned work for vocal ensemble Tick Tock Rhythms will be premiered.
Performers include sean nós singer Iarla Ó Lionáird, American baritone Thomas Buckner, ConTempo String Quartet and the vocal group ensembÉal. Experimental poets Maurice Scully, Aodán McCardle and Billy Mills will also perform at the festival.
Irish composers programmed include Béal artistic director David Bremner, Scott McLaughlin, Gráinne Mulvey, Berndatte Comac, and Ailís Ní Ríain, whose specially-written work for the festival Eyeless will be premiered by Iarla Ó Lionáird.
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Running as a thread through the entire festival are short performances by resident group, TheOpenRehearsals, a collective of musicians and actors who present improvised opera with “a blend of strict criteria and unbounded freedom which produces an uncanny air of focus and unpredictability”.
The Béal 2012 Festival is supported by the The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon and Dublin City Council. Day tickets are available for €10 and festival passes for €25 from Smock Alley Theatre or 01 6770014.
Listen to an interview with composer and artistic director of the festival, David Bremner.
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Further information: