MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 09 COMMISSIONS:
It Felt Like a Kiss
Immersive theatre created by Adam Curtis & Punchdrunk; music composed by Damon Albarn

Kraftwerk and Steve Reich
Double bill: two pioneers of contemporary music at Manchester’s Velodrome

Marina Abramovic Presents…
Pioneer of long-durational art curates group show at the Whitworth Gallery

JS Bach/Zaha Hadid Architects
ZHA create installation at Manchester Art Gallery for the music of Bach

Everybody Loves A Winner
Bingo comes to the Royal Exchange Theatre; show created by Neil Bartlett

Antony & The Johnsons with Manchester Camerata
UK premiere of full-length orchestral show in new light environment

Flailing Trees
Gustav Metzger’s provocative public art; a forest in Manchester’s city centre

Manchester Report
Chaired by Lord Bingham, an inquiry into strategies to combat climate change

Procession
Jeremy Deller curates a uniquely Mancunian procession along Deansgate; free, all welcome

Elbow & The Halle
Mercury-winners meet original Manchester band, orchestrated by Joe Duddell

Carlos Acosta
Greatest male ballet dancer of his generation in exclusive mixed programme

Prima Donna
The world-premiere of Rufus Wainwright’s debut opera

Young@Heart in End of the Road

Acclaimed choir of advanced age premiere their final production

The Great Indoors
Free weekend of performance and activity for children and families in the town hall

De La Soul
Exclusive shows celebrating the 20th anniversary of 3 Feet High and Rising

Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed
Performing together for the first time in the UK

Same Teens/Mystery Jets
Teen promoters present their favourite band, plus DJs; under 19s only

Amadou & Mariam and The Beating Wing Orchestra
Malian duo composing and performing with local, cosmopolitan group

Durutti Colum – Paean to Wilson
Original Factory band perform their tribute to Anthony H Wilson

True Faith
Dave Haslam curates several evenings of Manchester-made talent

Festival Feast
Culinary experts create special dishes for this free banquet

2-19 July 2009
www.mif.co.uk
For more information, images, quotes and interview requests please contact:
Nadja Coyne,
Head of Press
t: +44 161 238 7335
e: nadja.coyne@mif.co.uk

Festival Director Alex Poots said “We are very pleased to be able to bring together such a range of artists for the 09 event. We’ve tried to give our artists room to breathe, encouraging them to explore new ways of working within their fields and beyond. Manchester has long thrived on invention, innovation and radical thought, and MIF aspires to be part of that tradition.”

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council said: “This year’s programme is incredibly exciting and is even more ambitious than in 2007. To be hosting this internationally renowned festival of original new work is great for the city and further enhances its reputation as a leading international centre for art and culture in all its forms. It provides tremendous opportunities to showcase not only the city’s artistic venues but also our home-grown talent alongside outstanding international artists, presenting work that is both innovative and ground-breaking demonstrating just what Manchester is about.”

Manchester International Festival is the world’s first festival of original, new work and special events and takes place biennially in Manchester, UK. The Festival launched in 2007 as an artist-led, commissioning festival presenting new works from across the spectrum of performing arts, visual arts and popular culture, many of which went on to tour nationally and internationally. Among the 25 world premieres in the 2007 Festival were Monkey: Journey to the West, a new opera directed by Chen Shi Zheng, composed by Damon Albarn and designed by Jamie Hewlett, and Il Tempo del Postino, a group show by 15 of the world’s leading contemporary artists; plus new theatre productions, debates, food inventions by Heston Blumenthal and an international music series featuring Lou Reed, Kanye West, Happy Mondays, PJ Harvey, and Gossip.

Manchester International Festival 09 will run from Thursday 2 – Sunday 19 July 2009.
Tickets are on sale now, at www.mif.co.uk or call 0844 815 4960 No per ticket booking fees (transaction fees apply)

• J S BACH/ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS – Zaha Hadid Architects create a unique environment within Manchester Art Gallery for Bach’s solo works for piano, violin and cello; sublime music in a sublime space. Soloists are Piotr Anderszewski (piano), Jean-Guihem Queyras (cello) and Alina Ibragimova (violin).
• EVERYBODY LOVES A WINNER – A new theatrical experience created by acclaimed director Neil Bartlett with Simon Deacon and Struan Leslie. The Royal Exchange theatre becomes a Bingo hall, immediately familiar and strange. With added music, dancing and quite possibly a chance to win some cash…
• PRIMA DONNA – Rufus Wainwright’s debut opera. A portrait of a fading opera singer; set in Paris and sung in French. Directed by Daniel Kramer, conducted by Pierre-André Valade and designed by Antony McDonald. Soprano Janis Kelly takes the lead role, Madame.

“These are the first of twenty-plus commissions from leading artists that will premiere at next year’s Festival,” said Festival Director Alex Poots. “A commissioning festival is inherently a risky endeavour – the warm reception the first Festival received across the UK and internationally was remarkable. I hope we can build on that in 2009.”

Manchester International Festival, the world’s first festival of original, new work and special events, takes place biennially in Manchester, UK. The Festival launched in 2007 as an artist-led, commissioning festival presenting new works from across the spectrum of performing arts, visual arts and popular culture. Among the 25 world premieres in the 2007 Festival were Monkey: Journey to the West, a new opera directed by Chen Shi Zheng, composed by Damon Albarn and designed by Jamie Hewlett, and Il Tempo del Postino, a group show by 15 of the world’s leading contemporary artists such as Matthew Barney, Tacita Dean, Douglas Gordon, Philippe Parreno and Olafur Eliasson; plus new theatre productions including site-specific work Interiors by Stewart Lee and Johnny Vegas, debates, food inventions by Heston Blumenthal and an international music series featuring Lou Reed, Kanye West, Happy Mondays, PJ Harvey, and Gossip.

The Festival is launching a major new creative learning programme for 09. MIF Creative will provide opportunities for local people to engage with the Festival, work alongside high profile artists and develop their creative skills. MIF Creative begins with a new Trainee Producers Scheme; find out more here

MIF has appointed Quaytickets, The Lowry’s ticket agency, as the ticketing partner for the 09 Festival. Tickets for Prima Donna and J S Bach/Zaha Hadid Architects go on sale at noon, Friday 10 October online via www.mif.co.uk and by phone 0844 815 4960. Tickets for Everybody Loves A Winner will go on public sale on 4 November from www.mif.co.uk and the Royal Exchange box office www.royalexchange.co.uk

Manchester International Festival 09 will run from Thursday 2 – Sunday 19 July 2009. The entire Festival programme will be announced in March 2009.

NOTES TO EDITORS

J S BACH/ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS
VENUE: Manchester Art Gallery

Nine live performances in a specially created space

• Zaha Hadid Architects have been commissioned to design a unique, intimate environment within Manchester Art Gallery for performances of Bach’s solo piano, violin and cello works
• Each soloist will perform three evening recitals;
  • Piotr Anderszewski (piano): 3, 4, 5 July
  • Jean-Guihem Queyras (cello): 10, 11, 12 July
  • Alina Ibragimova (violin): 15, 17, 18 July
• Tickets priced £12.50 – £28.00; capacity c.250. No additional per ticket booking fees. A one-off transaction charge per booking is applicable to all online and phone bookings.
• The space will be open to the public during MAG’s opening hours
• Students from Chethams School of Music will perform in the space during the first week of the Festival, times tbc
• Commissioned by MIF. Co-produced by MIF with Manchester City Galleries

EVERYBODY LOVES A WINNER
VENUE: Royal Exchange
Performances throughout the Festival

• A new theatrical experience created by Neil Bartlett (director, The Pianist, MIF 2007), Simon Deacon and Struan Leslie
• Everybody Loves a Winner appropriates and excavates a very British institution, Bingo. The Royal Exchange becomes a bingo hall, with added music and dancing.
• Full creative team:
  • Director: Neil Bartlett
  • Music: Simon Deacon
  • Movement: Struan Leslie
  • Designer: Miriam Buether
  • Lighting Designer: Chris Davey
• Tickets on public sale 4 November, priced £8.00 – £29.00. No additional per ticket booking fees. A one-off transaction charge per booking is applicable to all online and phone bookings.
• Co-commissioned by MIF and the Royal Exchange

NB Everybody Loves a Winner will continue its run after the Festival ends

PRIMA DONNA
VENUE: Palace Theatre
Five performances, 10 – 19 July

• Rufus Wainwright’s debut opera
• Portrait of a fading opera singer; set in Paris, sung in French
• Creative team and cast:
  • Composer: Rufus Wainwright
  • Director: Daniel Kramer
  • Designer: Anthony McDonald
  • Conductor: Pierre-André Valade
  • Soprano: Janis Kelly
  • Soprano: Rebecca Bottone
  • Tenor: William Joyner
  • Baritone: Jonathan Summers
• Performances: 10, 14, 17 July (evening); 12, 19 July (matinee). Tickets £12.50 – £47.50
• Prima Donna is produced in partnership with Opera North whose orchestra will be performing and who will be providing their rehearsal space at their studios in Leeds
• Commissioned by MIF. With thanks to Alistair Spalding for his collaboration and support

NB Rufus Wainwright will not be performing in Prima Donna

MIF CREATIVE
MIF Creative is a £750,000 programme which combines a series of major community-based commissions from leading artists with skills development opportunities for local people. MIF Creative has been launched with the support of Manchester City Council, North West Development Agency and the National Endowment for Science, Technology & the Arts.

(download this press release here)