As a part of the centenary commemorations of WW1 the small Shropshire market town of Oswestry is to honour its most famous son and all those who have fallen in conflicts across the world.
The Wilfred Owen Festival is a festival of commemoration and remembrance taking place in the town from September 15th to November 17th, 2018.
The festival is designed to coincide with and focus on the centenary of Wilfred Owen’s death and the centenary of Armistice Day which fall just one week apart. Owen who was born at Plas Wilmot in Oswestry in March 1893 is widely regarded as one of the greatest English poets of the 20th century and certainly the most memorable and vibrant voice on the horrors of WW1. Owen will be honoured with the unveiling of a new life-size bronze statue in the town’s Cae Glas Park on Saturday 20th October.
The statue which has been commissioned by Oswestry Town Council is the only life-size statue to the War Poet in the country and is the work of local artist and sculptor Tim Turner and is to be cast at the Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant based Castle Fine Arts Foundry who’s astonishing portfolio of work can be seen all over the world.
Both the unveiling ceremony on the 20th October and the festival official launch night, the evening before on the 19th October will see performances from actor and fiddle player Thoren Ferguson who will be playing the Wilfred Owen Violin. The violin is the creation of renowned Edinburgh based fiddle maker Steve Burnett who crafted the violin from a branch of an old sycamore tree found in the grounds of Craiglockhart Hospital where Owen was treated for shell shock in 1917 before returning to the frontline. Steve will be accompanying Thoren along with award winning soprano Natasha Day and concert pianist David Malusa.
A wide range of events and performances will be taking place throughout the festival period starting with an artist’s trail showcasing work from professional and amateur artists on the theme of War & Conflict – Poetry & Peace at a range of accessible venues throughout the town. Other events in the festivals comprehensive and exiting programme will feature Poetry, Drama, Music, Lectures, Re-enactment, Films, Exhibitions and more!
A series of lectures will see local and nationally acclaimed authors and military historians exploring subjects linked to WW1 and Wilfred Owen. Dramatic productions will include performances of The Foresters House and The Accrington Pals by the local theatre group The LADS and a performance of the Edinburgh Fringe 2016 sell out production, “The Unknown Soldier” by the Grist to the Mill Theatre Co will take place on the evening of Monday 5th November. Another not to be missed evening’s entertainment will feature TV and Radio broadcaster and poet Ian McMillan who along with award winning photographer Ian Beesley will use a 100 year old magic lantern to tell the tales of men and women who survived the war and grew up in an ever changing society.
A WW1 exhibition will be held at the town’s Memorial Hall from November 3rd to November 10th where memorabilia will be on show along with guides, films and re-enactments. Participants on varying days during the exhibition will include the Imperial War Museums Lives of WW1 project and the Western Front Association.
The festival will also host a range of musical events which encompass different genres including award winning band Harp &a Monkey whose performance of “War Stories” features both music, song and storytelling.
Two of the festivals biggest and boldest events will see the Holy Trinity Church where Wilfred Owen was baptised host choral pieces. The first on Saturday 3rd November is a performance of well-known composer Laura Rossi’s Voices of Remembrance a choral and orchestral work inspired by 10 famous WW1 poems. Actor Tom Scott will read the poems and the Cantiones Chamber Choir and the Border Chamber orchestra (a group of 31 professional musicians brought together especially for the occasion) will perform Laura’s work as well as a performance of the Faure Requiem in an evening that promises to be a musical and emotional delight.
The world famous Fron Choir will take centre stage accompanied by the Porthywaen Silver Band at Holy Trinity on Saturday 10th November in a WW1 Remembrance Concert.
For all the details on the events, including dates, times, venues and tickets sales for the Wilfred Owen Festival visit www.wilfredowenoswestry2018.org.uk