'Mama Mia!', the Music of Abba kicks off the 2011 Bermuda Festival of the Performing Arts in January.

Festival chairman Ian Davidson announced the line up of concerts yesterday gothic opera, swing music and a multimedia fusion show are also to be featured as part of the 36th annual event.

"We believe our selection has broad appeal. The Music of Abba will be performed by original Abba musicians from Sweden.

"Illusionist Ted Outerbridge will deliver a show designed to captivate the entire family. Playing Beethoven, Chopin, Adams and Schumann, pianist Maria Thompson Corley will thrill our classical music lovers. And that's just a sampling of the acts."

The East Coast Chamber Orchestra featuring an unconducted ensemble of young American string players takes to the stage on January 21 and 22.

Bermudian Heather Nova will perform an acoustic show on January 29 with guests Australian multi-instrumentalist Arnulf Linder and friends from the Chewstick Foundation.

The Festival continues on January 27 with Grammy-nominated wind quintet Imani Winds.

The Marian Anderson String Quartet will perform on February 1, while illusionists Ted and Marion Outerbridge are to feature on February 4 and 5 with a family-oriented magic show.

The Mark Morris Dance Group on February 8 and 9 will be followed on February 11 by Maria Thompson Corley on piano.

The group Opera A La Carte performs 'Tosca' on February 14, 15 and 17 under the direction of Nick Heath.

Bass player Christian McBride and his new jazz quintet Inside Straight, will play a collection of swing and blues acoustic jazz on February 19.

The February 21 to 23 performance is Andalusian dance, music and singing from Paco Pena and his group Flamenco Vivo.

The Island's own Bermuda Festival Orchestra, conducted by Ryan Ellis, plays on February 25 and 26, featuring solos from Kent Hayward, Kerri-Lynn Dietz and Oliver Grant.

The last show of the festival, on February 28 and March 1, will be DreamWeaver.

It's billed as a "cutting edge multimedia theatre event in which City Hall Theatre will be transformed into a virtual dreamscape" of theatre, video and music". It features some adult content.

A final act listed on brochures, Nicholas McAuliffe's 'A British Subject', is no longer offered.

Tickets are available online from Monday at www.bermudafestival.org and www.bdatix.bm.

For $3 extra they can be booked over the phone on 232-2255.

Tickets will also be sold at festival box office locations: iStore, 46 Reid Street, Hamilton; All Wrapped Up Home, Washington Mall, and Fabulous Fashions at the Heron Bay Plaza, Southampton. Christmas gift souvenir brochures will be available with tickets from December 1.