King’s Lynn Festival organisers expect the famous names featuring in this summer’s event will ensure ticket sales get off to a flying start when the box office opens for the 65th festival.

“The exciting and varied programme marking the 65th Festival has been greeted with much enthusiasm already been reflected in a busy period of priority booking. Now we anticipate the start of general booking will see a rush to buy tickets for the packed programme being staged on July 12-25,” said Festival chairman, Alison Croose.

The BBC Concert Orchestra, Flanders Symphony Orchestra, sensational young pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, the Academy of Ancient Music, veteran comedian Barry Cryer, Swinging at the Cotton Club with the Jiving Lindy Hoppers, Celtic folk group Capercaillie and speakers Andrew Graham-Dixon and Dan Cruickshank are already proving major attractions.

The European Union Chamber Orchestra will open the 65th Festival with a programme entitled Viva Vivaldi! featuring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and celebratory works performed by the 80-strong King’s Lynn Festival Chorus. Two days later EUCO will perform with Crispian Steele-Perkins, one of the world’s best known trumpet soloists.

A special event will be a Royal Shakespeare Company production being seen outside Stratford for the first time. It will feature songs written for Shakespeare’s plays staged, appropriately, in St George’s Guildhall, where Shakespeare is reputed to have appeared. Baritone Benedict Nelson, a big hit at last year’s Festival, will be among the performers.

The BBC Concert Orchestra will put Lynn Festival on the national stage when they record an edition of Radio 2’s ever-popular Friday Night is Music Night on July 20. Ken Bruce will present The Magic of the Musicals.

The Festival will mark the 10th anniversary of Lynn joining the new Hanseatic League and as part of the theme Flanders Symphony Orchestra from Bruges will present the final concert with pianist Freddy Kempf.

Others performers from Hanseatic countries include the Notos Quartet from Berlin and pianist Maksim Stsura from Estonia. Duo Dorado will perform a late-night programme, Telemann in Hamburg.

There will be the usual series of five morning coffee concerts which will be launched by the award-winning Solem Quartet who will also give a Sunday afternoon concert at West Acre Theatre.

Adding to the variety will be a programme of contemporary music featuring works by Howard Skempton who will also talk about his music, swing band King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys, films shown in partnership with King’s Lynn Community Cinema Club, a Hanseatic-themed walk and a Royal Geographical Society lecture by Professor Callum Roberts talking about man’s relationship with the oceans.

Visit www.kingslynnfestival.org.uk to see the full programme. Call the box office on 01553-764864 or the Festival office on 01553-767557.