The core of the classical programme at this year’s Aardklop National Arts Festival is built around an extensive Baroque programme, presented by the Puk Campus of the NWU.

Apart from a range of master classes and lectures spanning across a number of days, commencing before the festival starts, there are a couple of Baroque concerts that festival-goers can attend. The Baroque programme concludes with a big recital on Saturday, 2 October, in the Sanlam Auditorium – Il Caro Sassone, with Kobie van Rensburg (tenor), Lawrence Zazzo (countertenor) and Wolfgang Katschner (conductor). Il Caro Sassone (the Beloved Saxon) was the nickname of Handel and for the first time in South Africa Handel’s fantastic opera arias will be presented with period instruments. The Fons Partita Baroque Ensemble and students of the International Singing Symposium will be part of this concert, under the direction of Van Rensburg.

Other concerts forming part of the Baroque programme, are Discorsi in musica with an international ensemble of Baroque specialists – Antoinette Lohmann (violin), Annette Wehnert (violin and viola), Carin van Heerden (oboe), Hans Huyssen (cello), Gerhard Benade (bassoon) and John Reid Coulter (harpsichord); Lasciatemi morire with ensemble singers of the International Singing Symposium under the auspices of conductors Wolfgang Katschner and Hans Huyssen in a programme focusing on madrigals of Monteverdi; and Madrigale guerrieri et amorosi, created and directed by Van Rensburg, which also consists of works by Monteverdi.

Aardklop runs from 29 September to 3 October in Potchefstroom. Nationwide bookings open on 23 July at Computicket. For information on accommodation, contact 018 294 7508 or visit the web site at www.aardklop.co.za for general information or more detailed information about the programme.

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Media queries: Eddie Alberts, tel: 018 294 7509 or e-mail: bemarking@aardklop.co.za