Talks & discussions

The award-winning Buxton International Festival is an annual celebration of world-class opera, music, books and jazz with over 160 events to choose from every summer.

Here are five reasons to make Buxton your ‘go-to’ summer festival for 2025 (10-27 July).

1. Buxton – the beautiful spa town sits in heart of Derbyshire’s Peak District, worth a visit in itself. All the festival’s events are within easy walking distance of each other.

2. Operas Galore – In 2024, Buxton staged five new operas in four days and was nominated for an International Opera Award.  2025 sees a yet more impressive plans:

• Ambroise Thomas’ Hamlet, conducted by Adrian Kelly with the Orchestra of Opera North
• A double bill of Leonard Bernstein’s Trouble in Taihiti and Francis Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine, a Buxton International Festival and Norwich Theatre production
• Opera Zuid production of Mozart’s The Impresario
• La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers, a Vache Baroque production
• Shorts – four brand new 20-minute operas by composers 

Jasper Dommett, Martin Green and Carmel Smickersgill

3. Jazz Weekender Tickets – Jazz Weekender tickets for just £175 offering 12 world-class gigs varying from jazz, blues, funk and Latin, plus an Oscar Peterson extravaganza. Stand-out artists include Ineza, Graham Clark Quartet, Emily Masser Quartet, Trio JDM, Baiana, Alan Barnes with an all-star band, Dean Stockdale Quartet, Emma Rawicz Quartet and Xhosa Cole Quartet.

4. Books – 33 book talks including Diane Abbott MP, Baroness Lola Young, Petroc Trelawny, Ben Macintyre and Jonathan Sumption.

5. Classical Music – World-class concerts every day from artists including Steven Hough, Imogen Cooper, Benjamin Grosvenor, Tallis Scholars, English Concert, Simon Keenlyside and Sarah Connolly.

Box Office – Tel 01298 2072190 

Booking office opens at 10am on Tuesday 15 April 2025

Become a BIF Friend for Priority Booking, from just £36 per year.

Website – http://buxtonfestival.co.uk