THE 66th St Endellion Summer Festival, from Thursday, July 31 to Friday, August 8, will feature captivating performances by world-class musicians in a celebration of music, art, and community.

This year’s event, which offers an enchanting blend of music and culture in the Church of St Endellion near Port Issac, features powerful symphonic, choral and chamber music, comedic and dramatic opera, thought-provoking talks and visual arts.

The St Endellion Summer Festival was founded in 1958, when a musical priest, Roger Gaunt, was inspired to invite a group of college friends down to help him renovate St Endellion’s derelict rectory.

The 2025 festival has a Shakespearean theme. The opera is Verdi’s comic masterpiece Falstaff which will be conducted by Paul Daniel and features a stellar cast. Cornish resident and comic genius Bill Bankes Jones will direct a glittering production as the centrepiece of the festival programme.

Falstaff is centred around the lazy knight, Sir John Falstaff, who devises a wild plan to court two wealthy, married women. The women catch on to Falstaff’s plan and decide to teach the portly knight a lesson.

The festival will open with the beautiful Chaminade Flute Concertino played by Daniel Pailthorpe, followed by the huge splash of Vaughan Williams’s Sea Symphony. This is conducted by Olivia Clarke and features baritone Roderick Williams and joint artistic director soprano Rachel Nicholls alongside the choir and orchestra.

Every year a tight-knit community forms out of the shared desire to experience music for the sheer joy of it. At the heart of what makes the festival special is the immense spirit of generosity. The festival allows every performer to rediscover why music is so important, it forms bonds and connects people.

For more information and to book tickets to any of the scheduled events, visit: endellionfestivals.org.uk