February isn’t just the month for romance – it’s also the month for entertainment, according to Cayman Arts Festival.
Running from 2-26 Feb., this year’s schedule of events covers jazz, cabaret, classical and even a dramatic stage production. As ever, Cayman Arts Festival will combine local talent with international artists, creating unique performances that appeal to all ages.
Full entertainment schedule
It all kicks off with a jazz concert on 2 Feb. at the Harquail Theatre, featuring pianist Jon Weber from New York and Cayman’s own award-winning musician, Beneil Miller. Weber has performed on stages all over the world, and is a highly sought-after music director. Miller began his formal music training when he was 8 years old, and is a graduate of Berklee College of Music. He is a gifted songwriter and pianist, with a versatility well beyond his years.
Two days after the jazz evening, it’s cabaret night in the Westin hotel ballroom on 4 Feb., which has become a CAF favourite over the years. Natalie Douglas, Gabrielle Stravelli and Pat O’Leary join Weber for an unforgettable night of familiar songs from throughout the decades, with entertaining banter in between. Then, on 7 Feb., Douglas has her own recital at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. Called “a true force of nature” and “in a league of her own” by Clive Davis of The Times (London), Douglas is being welcomed back to Cayman with open arms by her many fans here.
On 9 Feb., music lovers are in for a rare treat at the George Town Public Library, when none other than the legendary Swanky Kitchen Band will be performing. Hear cultural Caymanian quadrille music the way it was meant to be played by the musicians who are keeping history alive, one note at a time.
In the mood for more jazz? Then head to the Westin hotel ballroom for the ‘Juilliard Jazz: Duke Ellington Ensemble recital’ on 11 Feb. The group consists of the most experienced performance students in this particular Juilliard programme, and they will be led by jazz double bassist and composer, Ben Wolfe.
Next on the schedule is classical guitarist Alexandra Whittingham, performing at Camana Bay Cinema on 16 Feb. In May 2021, Whittingham released her debut studio album ‘My European Journey’, which explores the guitar’s great coming of age in 19th Century Europe. The album reached No.1 on the iTunes Classical Chart, as well as taking first place on The Presto Chart – solely through pre-orders – before its release.
Of course, no CAF month would be complete without an appearance from the Cayman National Choir and Orchestra. Ticketholders will have the chance to enjoy this event in the new performance hall at John Gray High School on 18 Feb. Directed by Sue Horrocks, who was recently awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the arts, the evening will almost certainly sell out in advance.
The last two nights of the CAF will feature a piano concert with Peter Donohoe on 23 Feb. at St. George’s Anglican Church, and the drama ‘Sold’, the story of Mary Prince, at the Harquail Theatre on 26 Feb.
Donohoe is acclaimed as one of the foremost pianists of our time, for his musicianship, stylistic versatility and commanding technique. He has undertaken a UK tour with the Russian State Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as given concerts in many South American and European countries, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Russia, and the US.
‘Sold’ won the Best Ensemble Award at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and can be seen in the Cayman Islands for the first time at the Harquail Theatre.
The story of ‘Sold’
When one woman tells of her extraordinary journey to overcome the brutality of slavery, she becomes a beacon for the British anti-slavery movement. Born into slavery in the British colony of Bermuda, Mary Prince went on to become an autobiographer and champion of freedom. Her book had an electrifying effect on the abolitionist movement, helping to free many Africans in bondage. Through theatre, song, music, drumming and dance, this masterpiece of Black British theatre is inspired by the storytelling traditions of the West African griot.
| Tickets for Cayman Arts Festival events are available through its website, www.caymanartsfestival.com. For each performance, adult tickets are $30 and children are $10.
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