Victor Hugo Music Festival

Victor Hugo lived for over 15 years in Guernsey where he wrote many of his great works. The bicentenary of his birth was marked in 2002 with a memorable week-long international music festival, which was rated a success. Calls for another have resulted in a second festival to be held from 25 September to 3 October 2004. We feel justified in
retaining the Hugo name, since the festival will again contain the Hugo Recital. It will be given by the outstanding French Canadian soprano Karina Gauvin, accompanied by Roger Vignoles, and new songs have been specially commissioned.

The year 2004 marks another anniversary, that of the separation of Guernsey from its Norman homeland when Philippe Auguste took Normandy from King John in 1204. Guernsey remained loyal to John and gained several privileges in the process. Thus it is that Islanders regard this as the 800th anniversary of its special allegiance to the English Crown.

The anniversary theme is commemorated in this year’s festival by the production of Miracles of Notre Dame, medieval poems and songs, performed by The Harp Consort, directed by Guernsey’s own Andrew Lawrence-King, and incorporating L’Ensemble de Caelis, the French medieval specialist singers.

The festival will also feature some of the high points of musical development in the ensuing 800 years with music from the renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic, modern and contemporary eras and performed by some of Europe’s most accomplished musicians including, The Lindsays in their final year and Musica Antiqua of Cologne.

Folk musicians from Normandy and the UK will appear at several local pubs and the promoters are pleased to be working with the organizer of the Guernsey Jazz Festival to provide music lovers with a glorious choice of good music.

Sarnia Festival Arts LBG acknowledge with thanks the receipt of grant-aid from the States Arts Committee and sponsorship from Bank Julius Baer & Co Limited.

Andrew Lawrence-King
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Bank Julius Baer is delighted to be associated with the second Victor Hugo International Music Festival through its role as sole commercial sponsor. The Julius Baer Group worldwide actively support the arts in all its forms and there can be no better way to celebrate its own humble 10 year anniversary in Guernsey than by taking this opportunity to sponsor what will almost certainly be a hugely successful festival and a marvellous event for the Island of Guernsey.

Paul Mathews

Official Sponsor of the
Victor Hugo Music Festival