OPERA stars are descending on Salisbury to begin rehearsals for the Celebrate Voice production of Don Giovanni, as part of this year’s multi-genre voice festival, with ticket sales promising sell-out performances.

The festival, which runs from October 25 to November 3 is seeing bumper take up on all events including jazz, opera, folk, a cappella and singalong performances, as well as the festival’s popular community programme.

Jazz royalty Liane Carroll and Ian Shaw open the festivities on October 25 at Salisbury Arts Centre. The arts centre also hosts folk trio Lady Maisery, and raucous vocal antics are guaranteed at the Grease Singalong where audience members are encouraged to attend in fancy dress and raise the roof.

The festival’s centrepiece opera, Don Giovanni, is reaching capacity sales on its opening and closing nights (Oct 26, 28, 30, Nov 2) and features an international cast from Latvia, Slovakia, Texas, New Zealand alongside celebrated British singers at the Medieval Hall.

Other events fast approaching sell-out status include ‘The King of Cabaret’ Stefan Bednarcyzk, whose Evening of Flanders and Swann is seeing record sales, also at the Medieval Hall (Nov 3), and a cappella supergroup Apollo5 make their first appearance in Salisbury at St Thomas’s Church (Oct 27).

The festival programme would not be complete without further opportunities to take part, with a singing day for children, Ultimate Vocal Workout (Oct 30) at Salisbury Playhouse, led by Dominic Harlan and Robert Gildon, and the Sing It Out workshops for all ages, at the Medieval Hall featuring director and leader of the London Vocal Project, Pete Churchill (Nov 3).

Musical acts are also encouraged to apply to fill the city with music on October 27, for The Big Busk, with folk duo, Antoine and Owena, the festival’s Instachoir and local choirs and acts coming together to perform. Details at celebratevoice.co.uk.

The festival’s pop-up Instachoir event has already received more applications than any other year.

The festival has been supported by local businesses, principal sponsors, Wilsons Solicitors and The Mark Allen Group and event sponsors, Southern Independent Medical Practice, NFU Mutual Salisbury, John Rose Photography, Gore Browne Investment Management, Smith & Williamson, LKL Agriculture and funding from Salisbury City Council, Salisbury BID and Salisbury Rotary.

Festival director and founder Lynsey Docherty said: “It is exciting to welcome inspirational singers as they make their home in Salisbury for two-and-a-half weeks.

“All of our artists are thrilled to take part in our celebrated festival and to spend time in our historic and enchanting city. That we have seen record sales on all events is testament not only to the established reputation of the festival, but celebrates the hard work of the volunteers behind the scenes, in the build up to the celebrations.

“This year is a key turning point for Celebrate Voice as we look to the future and an even bigger and bolder event for 2019. We hope to raise funds for a Spiegeltent in the centre of the city for 2019, and hope that our loyal audience, supporters and sponsors will get behind us this year to make an incredible event for the future, and cement Salisbury as an epicenter of music and culture in the South West.”

Tickets: celebratevoice.co.uk or Salisbury Playhouse 01722 320333.