The box office for Tenby Arts Festival opens on Monday, September 17, at the De Valence Pavilion, Upper Frog Street, Tenby. It will be open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 3 pm each day until the end of the festival which runs from Saturday, September 22, to September 29. The box office 'phone number during opening hours is 07968 694544. This year's festival offers a wide range of sparkling performances in a variety of fields including music, drama, art, comedy, workshops and fringe family fun. The major events are bookable so if you want tickets for Evelyn Glennie, Morriston Orpheus Choir, Wild Wales, Wits' End, the London Piano Trio, Gems from the Romantic Era, Sound Affairs, Tenby Male Choir, Tudor Tales and Music for a While visit the box office as soon as possible. Booking is also essential for the Art Workshop in St. Lawrence Church, Gumfreston on September 22 and for the Applique Workshop being held in Penally Village Hall on September 27. Tickets for an Evening with Evelyn Glennie and Morriston Orpheus Choir can also be obtained from Folly Farm, Begelly, as these two events will take place at the Follies Theatre there. The festival also features two items for jazz aficionados which are also bookable. Another famous jazz brunch can be enjoyed on September 23 at the Fourcroft Hotel, Tenby, where tickets can be booked (tel. 01834 842886), to the sound of Claudia's Jazz Masters while, as the very last item on the festival programme, Wyn Lodwick plays late night at the Royal Lion Hotel, Tenby. Entry to the remaining events will be by payment at the door and these include an African Dance Workshop, a Young bands Night, Llesisau Penfro- Voices of Pembroke, a quilting exhibition and lecture, Tenby Players, Tenby Male Choir and Laurie and Pauline. In addition, there are two fascinating talks of great local, interest which should not be missed; one gives Mark Thomas the opportunity to present hitherto unseen photographs of old Tenby, while the other enables the novelist Brian John to reveal the background to his Angel Mountain Saga. There will also be a host of free entertainment over the opening weekend starting on Saturday, September 22, with a grand street parade, led by the Mayor of Tenby, followed by an afternoon of free family fun presented by a host of talented musicians, dancers and street entertainers. The fringe events continue the next day on South Beach with a sand sculpture competition and other beach activities. The festival programme contains full details of the above events and is now available from tourist information centres, libraries and other outlets throughout Pembrokeshire. Further details can be obtained by ringing (01834) 845341 or by visiting the website at http://www.tenbyartsfest.co.uk">www.tenbyartsfest.co.uk

SOUND AFFAIRS - 'LUDWIG'

'Ludwig' is a tribute to Beethoven in music and film performed by a chamber orchestra of twelve talented musicians against a backlit projection of a surreal fantasy film made by the Argentinian composer Mauricio Kagel and video art from Cardiff-based group 'Wideload'. This imaginative concert features several works inspired by Beethoven's 'apotheosis of the dance' (Symphony No7) created by Graham Fitkin, Robert Moran and Orlando Gough, some of the most exciting and creative composers working today. In addition, John Corigliano composition 'Fantasia on an Ostinato', based on the 2nd movement of the same symphony, will be heard. A novel highlight of the concert is Beethoven's little-known work for glass harmonica (tuned glass bowls) written in 1815 which is performed by specialist percussionist Alasdir Malloy alongside a new set of variations composed by Charlie Barber. The programme also includes Andre Boucourchliev's 'homage' to Beethoven 'Ombres' a transcendental and sustained piece for strings with a unique character. This performance is a first for the festival and come after receiving critical acclaim throughout the UK. It takes place at the De Valence Pavilion at 8 pm on Friday, September 28.

Wild Wales

Fluellen Theatre Company are no strangers to Tenby and have earned a well-deserved reputation for producing first class theatre. So expectations are high when the company appears at this year's festival and audiences will not be disappointed with their latest offering. In a brilliant presentation of George Borrow's remarkable walking tour of Wales, we can embark on an exciting journey, encountering colourful characters and unlikely incidents along the way. Wild Wales is sure to offer total delight. The wide range of entertaining characters are played by George Andrews, John Norton and Claire Novelli and their performance skills will ensure that each individual met on the tour will appear absolutely idiosyncratic. The production emphasises Borrow's deep love of Wales, providing a snapshot of former times and a chance to meet the eccentric and endearing folk who once peopled the land. The presentation is directed by Peter Richards and enhanced by some excellent original harp music composed and played by Delyth Jenkins. A show not to be missed will be presented at the De Valence Pavilion at 8 pm on Sunday, September 23.

Gems from the Romantic Era

A very special performance entitled 'Gems from the Romanic Era' will take place on Wednesday, September 26, at St. Mary Church at 8 pm. Performed by a duo brought together for the first time by the Festival organisers, the pianist Luminita Berariu, well-known to Pembrokeshire audiences and Karin Leitner a flautist, also of international renown.

Having first performed for the Tenby Arts Festival in 1999, Luminita Berariu has returned to the town every year since then to hold a series of masterclasses for voice and piano, made possible by the Arts Council for Wales. She has performed in many other UK venues including Powderham Castle in Devon, the London Sketch Club in Chelsea, the Dulwich Art gallery the Warwick Trust in Pimlico, and in 2002, she was invited by the Edinburgh Festival to prepare the opera 'Oedipe' by George Enescu which was presented in an extremely successful concert version and broadcast with an international cast. In 2006, she toured with Mariana Nicholescu, one of Romanias most revered divas, playing in Paris and New York. Last December, she again toured with the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra in Luxembourg, Brussels and Amsterdam. Karin Leitner was born in Vienna and at an early age was contracted to the Viennese Stage Orchestra. She is regularly invited to play principle flute with the Royal Phiharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Mozart Players and in the West End, musical productions of the Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserable. She plays regularly in the castles of Ireland and her performance at Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire was compared as equal to that of James Galway. Karin, like Luminita, has performed all over the world reaching far flung places in China, Iran and South Africa. She too has appeared at the Tenby Arts Festival when three years ago she and Duccio from Italy gave a spell-binding performance on harp and flute in St. Mary's Church. The evenings recital should be one to remember featuring works of Bach, Faure, Enescu, Debussy and Granados .There will also be an encore of a new work by the Welsh composer, Dr. Robert Atkins, who hopes to be present for the performance. Robert and his wife form the nucleus of the folk group 'Frost at Midnight' and now live in Raglan. After the performance, there will be some refreshment in Church House so members of the audience will be able to meet and talk to the performers.