Buxton International Festival

Buxton International Festival is the Peak District’s star-studded summer celebration of opera, music, jazz and books offering more than 160 events in the town's famous Frank Matcham Opera House and surrounding venues. Buxton boasts numerous five star reviews every year and has been listed as a must-visit festival by both The Times and The Sunday Times. Last year, the festival’s production of Handel’s Il Trionfo del tempo e del disinganno performed by the Early Opera Company was nominated for an International Opera Award.Commenting, Michael Williams CEO said: “Following the enormous success of 2024 which saw Buxton clinch wonderful reviews and a hatful of award nominations, we knew we had to produce something special for 2025. We hope this year’s offering will continue to impress and inspire.”

Early music has always featured at Buxton and 2025's highlights include Vache Baroque’s production of Handel's Orphée; Apollo’s Cabinet performing A Birthday Party for a King (music at the court of Frederick the Great); the return of The English Concert with Paula Murrihy to perform some of Handel’s greatest opera arias plus Geminiani’s Concerto Grosso; and the Portrait Players perform The New Lyre, songs by 17^th century women including Strozzi and Leonarda.