When the 2008 Bermuda Festival opens on January 15 next year it will mark the 33rd anniversary of what has become a "must" on the cultural calendar. As always, the line-up will include dance, music, something for children, and a local production.

"This will be another fantastic year for the Bermuda Festival as we present some truly memorable acts," chairman John Ellison enthused. "The Festival opens with all the fire, excitement and passion of Tango dancing. Then later, by way of marked contrast, we shall have the outstanding musical talent of teenage piano prodigy Benjamin Grosvenor, and the final act is the classic musical 'Ragtime', performed by the ever-popular Gilbert & Sullivan Society. I hope both locals and visitors alike will be thrilled by this year's line-up."

The Festival chairman also paid tribute to the executive staff, thanking the "amazing" team of volunteers, all of whom continued to be "the driving force behind this wonderful annual event".

"Also, from the bottom of my heart, I express thanks for the tremendous generosity of the individuals and businesses who provide financial support for the Festival, which is so essential for our continued existence," he said. "I am sure everyone will enjoy the exciting 2008 programme."

Online bookings begin on Monday, November 5 through www.bermudafestival.org. Performances will run from January 15 to February 23 and, as tickets sell quickly, patrons are encouraged to purchase them early.

For those who have already received the Festival brochure, the deadline for returned mail order forms is Friday, November 16.

The Festival box office next to the Ferry Terminal on Front Street will be open from November 26-December 8 between noon and 2 p.m., and again between January 14 and February 23 at the same times, and patrons are asked to note that on-line bookings are not available when the box office is open.

For telephone bookings, call the Festival box office at 296-5774 during box office hours.

Details of performances are as follows:

Tango Fire (January 15-17, City Hall Theatre, 8.30 p.m.) The ultimate Tango experience — extraordinary musicianship, haunting singing, and ten alluring dancers whose agile bodies intertwine seductively as they move from gentle intimacy to fiery passion. Adrenalin-charged, the show is a frenzy of flashing legs, dazzling speed and daring lifts. Carolina Soler's skilful choreography reveals a playful theatricality as the performance develops from its roots in the bars and clubs of Buenos Aires to the Tango of today.

Eliot Fisk (January 18-19, City Hall Theatre, 8 p.m.) Charismatic guitarist renowned as an imaginative virtuoso and a born risk-taker. Has brought an entirely new dimension to classical guitar. He will perform two different programmes: the first featuring all Latin American music, in which he will be joined by his wife, guitarist Zaira Meneses; the second is a solo classical concert which will include not only familiar classical works for guitar, but also some of his own transcriptions.

Interpreti Veneziani (January 22-23, City Hall Theatre, 8 p.m.) Hailing from Venice, the nine musicians of Interpreti Veneziani play primarily Baroque music on original instruments. The string ensemble has gained a reputation for "youthful exuberance and all-Italian brio", and this has remained their hallmark as they have performed around the world. Much of their time is spent performing in Venice, with an annual season at San Vidal Church, where Vivaldi used to play, and where his spirit still prevails.

Parsons Dance (January 25-26, City Hall Theatre, 8 p.m.) For the sheer feel-good factor of its inventive choreography, the Parsons Dance Company is worth a visit. Behind the gleeful façade lies the extraordinary athleticism, precision and teamwork of the energized dancers, who electrify the stage with their wit and virtuosity. David Parsons' choreography is intelligent, original, mischievous and heartwarming. Filled with joyous energy, it shows his innate sense of showmanship and leaves audiences exhilarated.

The Clarinet and All That Jazz (January 28, February 1, City Hall Theatre, 8 p.m.) Richard Stoltzman's virtuosity, musicianship and personal magnetism have catapulted him to the highest ranks of international acclaim. Well known as a classical musician, on this occasion he demonstrates his expertise as a jazz clarinettist with his son Peter, whom the Los Angeles Times described as a "monster jazz piano player", at his side. Father and son have delighted audiences around the world with their innovation and versatility, and City Hall will be set alight with their stirring sound.

Italian Saxophone Quartet (January 29, 31, City Hall Theatre, 8 p.m.) Enjoy the rich, sensuous sound of the four charismatic musicians who make up the Italian Saxophone Quartet. Each is an established soloist in his own right, and among their number is Federico Mondelci who wowed local audiences with his performances at last year's Bermuda Festival as a soloist with Moscow Chamber Orchestra. Performing two different programmes the ISQ musicians will demonstrate their exhilarating bravura as they blow their way from Scarlatti and Vivaldi, through to Cole Porter, Gershwin and more.

Benjamin Grosvenor (February 2, City Hall Theatre, 8 p.m.) The remarkable talent of pianist Benjamin Grosvenor was first revealed to the world in 2004, when at the age of 11 he won the keyboard section of the 'BBC Young Musician of the Year' competition. Still only in his mid-teens, he has already appeared as soloist with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at London's Royal Albert Hall, the New York Youth Symphony at Carnegie Hall in New York, and the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra in Rio de Janeiro.

Angélique Kidjo (February 3-4, Fairmont Southampton Resort, 8.30 p.m.) One of Africa's best-loved divas, she has made her mark as one of the spunkiest performers in the pop world today. Her music intelligently explores the musical links between her native Africa and the African diaspora, touching on thrilling African funk, Brazilian rhythms, salsa, Caribbean calypso, reggae, mambo and more. Angélique is renowned for her exuberant stage presence, which electrifies her audience and helps in her goal of using her music to develop cultural diversity and encourage international harmony.

Take 6 (February 5-6, Fairmont Southampton Resort, 8.30 p.m.) Joyful, sophisticated, rollicking and mind-blowing, the sound of Take 6 is unmistakable. It is a celebration of the human voice lifted in appreciation of the wonders of life and the goodness of God. From its roots in incredible a cappella jazz arrangements with positive lyrical content, through pop, R&B and soul, to gospel, this multi Grammy Award-winning sextet uplifts, encourages and grooves more than it has ever done before.

Mitchell Zeidwig (February 8, Fairmont Southampton Resort, 8.30 p.m., February 9 same venue 2.30 p.m.) This artist gives new meaning to the phrase "pianist envy". Zeidwig's virtuosic skills extend far beyond the piano. Masterful, hilarious and ingenious, he forges his way through a glorious programme, aided and abetted by a quartet of local musicians. Thrilling audiences with flamboyant feats, extraordinary expertise, and daring dexterity, this performer brings a new dimension to musical entertainment. Saturday's performance is a shortened version designed specifically for children.

Tenebrae February 12-13, St. John's Church, Pembroke, 8 p.m.) A 12-voice chamber choir whose background includes renowned choirs such as those of King's College Cambridge, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral, the English National Opera and the Royal Opera at Covent Garden. Performed in St. John's Church, Pembroke, these concerts will soak in the ambiance of the building as the choir intersperses, to great dramatic effect, Renaissance choral works, Mediaeval chants and English folk songs, with contemporary compositions from Tavener to the Beatles.

The Man Who Planted Trees (February 14-17, Daylesford Theatre. February 14/15: 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. February 16/17: 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.) This captivating tale about a French shepherd, who spent most of his life planting a forest to transform a bleak landscape, is brought to life by a couple of puppets and their human assistants. A dog (who never stops talking) assumes the central role, and the story is effectively told with humour, music, and aromas which evoke the French countryside. A puppetry adaptation of Jean Giono's environmental cult classic by Puppet State Theatre Company, it is a uniquely memorable blend of comedy and inspiring storytelling.

Ragtime (February 15-17, 19-23, City Hall Theatre, 8 p.m.) The limitless talents of the Gilbert & Sullivan Society come together once again in this epic musical, directed by Vuivienne Elborne and Mark Dorrell. Ragtime paints a nostalgic and powerful portrait of life in turn-of-the-century America. Based on E.L. Doctorow's distinguished novel, the music intertwines three distinct stories which poignantly illustrate history's timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair, love and hate. The score by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty is just as diverse as the melting pot of America that it seeks to recreate. It draws upon traditional Jewish folk sounds to colour the haunting music and yearning lyrics of the immigrants; Vaudeville's outrageous style to capture the spectacle of Evelyn Nesbit; and Joplin and jazz to evoke the enlivened spirit of Harlem.