CELEBRATING THE BEST IN ARTS, CULTURE AND MUSIC!

************** SADLER'S WELLS IS DANCE LESLEY GARRETT AND THE FRON MALE VOICE CHOIR GILBERT & SULLIVAN'S THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD Presented By Carl Rosa Opera DAME KIRI TE KANAWA AND THE FUTURE STARS OF OPERA KIND OF BLUE AT 50 FEATURING JIMMY COBB'S SO WHAT BAND WOMAD PRESENTS WORLD MUSIC AT THE TOWER

NOW CONFIRMED: NIGEL KENNEDY with the PHILARMONIA ORCHESTRA presents an evening of Bach and Ellington

International concert promoters and owners of the O2 Arena, AEG Live, have teamed up with legendary operatic and concert impresario Harvey Goldsmith, to launch the 2009 TOWER FESTIVAL at the TOWER OF LONDON, celebrating the very best in arts, culture and music.

The TOWER FESTIVAL will take place over the 10th-20th September at the historic and prestigious TOWER OF LONDON, the royal palace and fortress on the banks of the River Thames in London.

Already confirmed for this spectacular celebration of arts, culture and music are; SADLER'S WELLS IS DANCE featuring Tamara Rojo (Ballet), Paco Pena & Company (flamenco), Anton Du Beke & Erin Boag (Ballroom/Strictly Come Dancing) and more to be announced. LESLEY GARRETT WITH THE FRON MALE VOICE CHOIR, GILBERT & SULLIVAN's THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD presented by Carl Rosa Opera, DAME KIRI TE KANAWA and THE FUTURE STARS OF OPERA WITH THE CITY OF LONDON SINFONIA, KIND OF BLUE AT 50 FEATURING JIMMY COBB'S SO WHAT BAND and the legendary WOMAD presenting a weekend of world music. NIGEL KENNEDY is now a confirmed performer featuring the Philharmonic Orchestra. Other major artists and productions will be added to this stunning event over the coming weeks....

The TOWER FESTIVAL 2009 is set in one of the most beautiful and spectacular historic royal palaces right in the heart of London. Performing many roles over the centuries, from royal apartments to prison, the 90ft high and 107ft wide White Tower was begun in 1078 by William the Conqueror and today is home to unique royal arms and armour including that of Henry VIII, as well as being the heart of the Tower of London World Heritage Site. Arguably the finest celebration of, opera, dance, jazz, world and classical music in London, the TOWER FESTIVAL will thrill and delight with breathtaking performances from a glittering array of stars.

NIGEL KENNEDY Violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy is to perform the gala opening of the Continental Airlines Tower Festival. Kennedy will join the Philharmonia Orchestra for an evening of Bach concertos and the music of Duke Ellington.

For over twenty-five years, Nigel Kennedy has been acknowledged as one of the world's leading violin virtuosos and is, without doubt, one of the most important violinists Britain has ever produced. With his virtuosic technique, mass appeal, unique talent and natural ability to communicate with his audience, he has brought fresh perspectives to both classical and jazz repertoire, winning critical acclaim and huge popularity among a broad-based audience and, by far, remains the best selling international classical violinist of all time.

Following a hugely successful 2008 world tour and the most talked-about BBC Prom concert of the year, Kennedy opens The Continental Airlines Tower Festival with the Philharmonia Orchestra. Kennedy and the Orchestra will perform a diverse mix of compositions which roam through Bach concertos to his own arrangements of the expressive blues and jazz music of Duke Ellington for violin, orchestra and his own ensemble. A fantastic start to the Festival, not to be missed!

SADLER'S WELLS IS DANCE Already confirmed for the festival is "SADLER'S WELLS IS DANCE". SADLER'S WELLS has been located in Islington, near Angel, since 1683. Sadler's Wells is a theatre with a strong, dynamic contemporary programme, uniquely dedicated to bringing the very best international and UK dance to London audiences. From cutting-edge performance to mainstream contemporary dance, tango to tap and flamenco to family shows, the joy of movement and celebration of dance are always at the heart of Sadler's Wells.

To celebrate their diverse programme, Sadler's Wells have produced an exclusive gala night of dance for the Tower Festival featuring the best of Ballet, Ballroom, Flamenco and contemporary dance. Sadler's Wells is Dance will include amazing performances from TAMARA ROJO (Ballet), PACO PENA & Company (Flamenco) while ANTON DU BEKE and ERIN BOAG, stars of Strictly Come Dancing, will perform a selection of ballroom and Latin Dances.

LESLEY GARRETT AND THE FRON MALE VOICE CHOIR

Also confirmed is LESLEY GARRET AND THE FRON MALE VOICE CHOIR (conductor: Ann Atkinson) with the Fine Arts Brass Ensemble.

LESLEY GARRETT CBE is Britain's most popular soprano, regularly appearing in both opera and in concert, on television and CD; she has won both critical acclaim and the affection of many fans and music lovers. As a recording artist, she has thirteen solo CDs to her credit; Soprano in Red received the Gramophone Award for 'Best-selling Classical Artist of the Year', Diva! A Soprano At The Movies, Prima Donna, Simple Gifts, Soprano in Red, Soprano in Hollywood, and I Will Wait for You all received silver discs and A Soprano Inspired and Lesley Garrett both achieved gold discs. Lesley was awarded a CBE in the 2002 New Year's Honours List for Services to Music and is a Member of the Board of the Royal Academy of Music.

In 2007 The FRON MALE VOICE CHOIR became the fastest selling classical act of all time. The choir, under their musical director, Ann Atikinson are from the tiny village of Froncysyllte in North Wales and achieved the accolade with their platinum selling album "Voices Of The Valley". The amateur choir consists of builders, policemen, farmers and prison wardens as well as many retirees, some of whom worked in the coalmines.

2008 saw the Fron release their third album entitled, "Home" which featured a highly publicised collaboration with Rolf Harris. The choir and Rolf created a moving re-working of Rolf's 1969 huge hit, "2 little boys". The project aim was to raise awareness of the 90th Anniversary of the armistice and the Fron were featured singing the track with Rolf in various TV shows including Rolf's "My Family at War" which was screened on primetime BBC 1.

GILBERT AND SULLIVANS THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD PRESENTED BY CARL ROSA OPERA

CARL ROSA OPERA are proud to present a new production of GILBERT & SULLIVAN'S THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD, featuring a cast of over fifty singers and actors elaborately costumed and accompanied by the full Carl Rosa Opera Orchestra. These special and unique performances are the first time The Yeomen of the Guard has been performed in the Towers moat since 1978. The production, commissioned by the Tower Festival, will be one of the only times you will be able to see The Yeomen of the Guard performed within the space where the action is set.

THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD, set in the Tower of London during the 16th century, is a tale of ill-fated love, intrigue and escape in Tudor England. A framed Colonel is to be executed in the Tower of London on charges of witchcraft. A mock marriage would cheat his betrayer of his estate. The court jester offers his sweetheart a bag of coins.and the plot is set. THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD was written at the request of Queen Victoria in celebration of the opening in 1888 of the Tower of London after its restoration. This production will be the 121st anniversary of the operas' first presentation.

DAME KIRI TE KANAWA AND THE FUTURE STARS OF OPERA WITH THE CITY OF LONDON SINFONIA

World renowned opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa will lead the Future Stars of Opera at the event. Combining rare acting ability with one of the most beautiful soprano voices of her generation, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is among opera's most celebrated contemporary figures. While still a teen she topped several vocal competitions, later winning a four-year scholarship to study at the London Opera Centre. Te Kanawa's studies there brought her to the attention of authorities at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and in 1971 she made her debut as Xenia in Boris Godunov. Later that year she rose to overnight fame as the Countess in Colin Davis' new production of Le Nozze di Figaro at London's Royal Opera House; in the years to follow, she headlined all of the world's major opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the San Francisco Opera, the Paris Opera, the Sydney Opera, the Vienna State Opera, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Te Kanawa's repertoire includes Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, Cos� fan Tutte, Die Zauberfl�te and Tosca, La Rondine and Manon Lescaut, plus Simon Boccanegra, Arabella, Otello, La Traviata, Der Rosenkavalier, Faust, Eugene Onegin, Carmen, Capriccio and La Boh�me, along with selections of arias from French, Italian and German operas.

Dame Kiri is dedicated to working with the next generation of Opera Stars. She has set up her own Foundation to Mentor young Singers from her home Country New Zealand, She regularly works with young singers at the Metropolitan Opera New York and amongst other similar projects teaches each summer at the Solti-Te Kanawa Academia Italy.

KIND OF BLUE AT 50

2009 marks the 50th Anniversary of the original release date of Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue. To celebrate the anniversary the festival has called on the services of Jimmy Cobb's So What Band (the only surviving member from the original recording).The album was released in August 1959, stunning the jazz world by practically creating a new language of music. Its influence goes far beyond jazz. Kind of Blue is universally considered to be one of the best albums of all time, of any genre. Fifty years later, Kind of Blue-the epitome of spontaneous invention-is still the best selling jazz album ever and tops the current jazz chart.

Legendary jazz drummer, Jimmy Cobb leads a contemporary all-star band featuring Wallace Roney (trumpet), Javon Jackson (tenor saxophone), Vincent Herring (alto saxophone), Larry Willis (piano), and Buster Williams (bass.) The group will perform their interpretations of Kind of Blue's five masterpieces: "So What", "Freddie Freeloader", "Blue In Green", "All Blues", and "Flamenco Sketches" plus other classics by Davis, John Coltrane, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, and original compositions inspired by this era.

WOMAD PRESENTS..

Making its debut in London for the very first time will be PETER GABRIEL'S celebrated festival of world music WOMAD. WOMAD PRESENTS is a series of one off performances from artists woven together from all over the world. Saturday 19th will see performances from legendary artist Khaled supported by the Imagined Village (featuring Eliza and Martin Carthy, Chris Wood and Billy Bragg) with other special guests to be announced. Sunday 20th sees an exclusive London performance from the groundbreaking improvising sound clash of The Bays and The Heritage Orchestra supported by the legendary Tony Allen. The ubiquitous Womad flags and workshops will also be a feature of the weekend.

Since the first festival in the UK in 1982, WOMAD has held more than 160 festivals, creating events in twenty-seven countries and islands all over the world but amazingly this will be its first time in London. WOMAD has presented more than one thousand artists at their festivals, bringing the expression of more than 100 different countries to a live audience of over one million people.

The TOWER FESTIVAL was masterminded by impresario Harvey Goldsmith CBE, one of the most respected classical music promoters in the world and the man who invented stadium opera. Goldsmith first delighted the British public in the eighties by promoting and staging such classical music concerts with Luciano Pavarotti at Hyde Park and Wembley Stadium along with the groundbreaking Three Tenor concerts with Pavarotti, Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo.

He was also responsible for bringing opera to the masses with Aida at Earls Court and then touring productions of Carmen and Tosca. A larger than life character, Harvey is also a tireless champion and promoter of charitable events and causes, in 1982 he promoted LIVE AID along with Bob Geldof raising �140 million and has since raised hundreds of millions for the Princes Trust, Teenage Cancer Trust, Net Aid and various other charities.

Commenting on the forthcoming TOWER FESTIVAL Harvey Goldsmith added; "I am absolutely thrilled and delighted to be working with Historic Royal Palaces and the Tower of London to bring what is arguably the finest classical music and arts festival to be staged in one of London's most historic and iconic buildings."

Tickets for the TOWER FESTIVAL 2009 go on sale Friday 27th February at 9:00am

Door times as follows:

Sadler's Wells is Dance - Doors 6.30pm / Show 8pm Lesley Garrett and the Fron Male Voice Choir - Doors 6.30pm / Show 8pm The Yeomen of the Guard - Doors 6pm / Show 7.30pm Dame Kiri Te Kanawa - Doors 6pm / Show 7.30pm Kind of Blue at 50 - Doors 6pm / Show 7.30pm WOMAD - Doors 3.30pm / Show 4.45pm - weekend tickets available

For more information and tickets go to www.towerfestival.com or phone:

Ticketmaster - 0844 847 2519 See tickets - 0871 230 1080 Seatem - 0844 209 0335 Ticketline - 0844 888 9991

For official VIP hospitality package please call 020 8222 8420

-Ends-

Margaret Murray Tel: 0121 224 7453 Email: margaret@fmguk.com