The story of Mary Prince to headline Bermuda Festival
The story of Mary Prince, Bermuda’s “beacon for the British anti-slavery movement”, will lead off this year’s Bermuda Festival as the event returns to live audiences.
The story of Ms Prince, born into enslavement on the island, is among six Bermudian and international shows being staged as part of the festival, the 47th of its type.
The festival will also return to in-person performances with audiences after two years of virtual events because of Covid-19.
There will be 19 different performances throughout the festival, which will run across several venues from March 17 to May 21.
Sold – The Story of Mary Prince is an award-winning show from London, delivered in the African Griot style and fusing song, dance, drama, narrative, poetry and ritual.
The show highlights the influence of Ms Prince’s autobiography, which helped to encourage the abolitionist movement in Britain.
Also on the line-up is the Stanford Philharmonia Orchestra, an elite chamber orchestra of 45 musicians made up of students, staff members and graduates of the Californian university.
Diane Ferlatte will star in several shows and perform stories and song with African American roots in Have I Got a Story to Tell.
Baroque to Tango will feature two nights of classical music with two different concerts for piano, cello, and violin.
Bermuda’s Joy T Barnum will perform an array of songs as part of Stand Up, a show spanning several genres.
The festival will end with a performance by Bermudian band Three Kings along with New York City-based The Full Watts Band for an evening of reggae and Jamaican music.
Cindy Campbell, the festival’s executive director, said: “Organising a festival during a pandemic was a huge challenge.
“There were many, many unknowns and we are thrilled that we are able to present a diversified festival that mixes both overseas and local artists.”
Tickets for the festival go on sale on February 24 and will be available at https://bermudafestival.org/
March 17, 18 & 19: Sold: The Story of Mary Prince
* All shows to be held at the Centennial Hall, St Paul AME Church, Hamilton.
March 17 from 7.30pm. March 18 and 19 from 8pm.
“One woman’s extraordinary journey to overcome the brutality of slavery and become a beacon for the British anti-slavery movement.”
March 24, 25, 26: The Stanford Philharmonia
*All shows to be held at the Earl Cameron Theatre, City Hall, Hamilton.
March 24 from 7.30pm – Beethoven's 7th Symphony. March 25 from 8pm – Favourite Themes from Movies featuring violinist Caroline Campbell. March 26 from 8pm – Grieg’s Piano Concerto featuring pianist Ethan Chi.
April 28, 29, 30: Have I Got a Story to Tell
*Various venues.
“Diane Ferlatte brings to life on stage stories that hold truths touching upon our common humanity, our history & our culture.“
April 28 from 6pm at the Queen’s Warehouse, St George's. (Ages 7 and up)
April 28 from 8pm at the Queen’s Warehouse, St George's (Adults and family)
April 29 from 6pm at Willowbank, Somerset (Ages 7 and up)
April 29 from 8pm at Willowbank, Somerset (Adults and family)
April 30 from 2pm at the Centennial Hall, St Paul AME Church, Hamilton (Ages 5 and up)
April 30 from 4pm at the Centennial Hall, St Paul AME Church, Hamilton (Ages 3 and up)
April 30 from 8pm at the Centennial Hall, St Paul AME Church, Hamilton (Adults and family)
May 5 and 7: Baroque to Tango
* All shows at the Ruth Seaton James Auditorium, CedarBridge Academy.
May 5 from 8pm – An evening at the café with Bach, Handel, Brahms and Schoenfield.
May 7 from 8pm – An Evening with the Romantics: Bach, Frank and Piazzolla.
May 12 & 14: Stand Up
* All shows at the Victualling Yard in Dockyard
May 12 & 14 from 8pm.
“Joy T Barnum will show us once again why her octave-crossing performances have turned heads and gained the Bermudian soul singer the opening act position for international artists The Four Phantoms and Heather Nova.”
May 20 & 21: Three Kings and The Full Watts Band
* All shows at the Victualling Yard in Dockyard
May 20 & 21 at 8pm.
“The Three Kings are true Bermudian legends who have fire in their veins and endless stories at their fingertips. The Full Watts Band pays loving tribute to the golden years of Jamaican music by bringing to life classic recordings by the great singers and harmony groups of the rocksteady and early reggae era.”
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