Jenkins and Watson Headline at Serenata Festival

Katherine Jenkins and Russell Watson are to headline at this year’s Serenata Festival in Dorset. They will be joined by other big names from the classical music world at the event, billed as Britain’s first open-air Classical Music Festival.

The three day festival, which begins 26 August, will comprise a number of stages, overlooking the breathtaking Kimmeridge Bay, and set in 30 acres of the Smedmore Estate, on the beautiful Jurassic Coast.

The line-up also includes Faryl Smith, Geoff Sewell, Emma Johnson, Ruth Palmer, Benjamin Grosvenor and students from The Royal Academy of Music; and a resident 48-piece orchestra, conducted by Timothy Redmond.

Serenata will also provide a platform for emerging classical music talent, with the opportunity for the best instrumentalist and vocal artist to share a £10,000 prize, judged and mentored by an expert panel. This X-Factor style forum will allow audiences a first chance to enjoy the classical music stars of the future.

The organisers hope to create a good family atmosphere, and as well as offering the traditional camping arrangements for such events, have a number of more comfortable options to appeal to those not used to ‘roughing it’. As well as providing volunteers to help pitch your own tent, Hotel Bell Tent can provide partly furnished tents for hire, complete with linen and room service! For the higher end of the market, the Serenata Boutique Camp, boasts 7 metre ‘Emporer tents’, with double bed, butler and bath!

With top regional foods, and fine wines available, together with more traditional festival fare, and world class music throughout, this promises to be a fantastic event, and sure to become a firm fixture in the arts calendar for years to come.

Fingers crossed that the summer sun will continue to shine into late August – although a light covering of rain never did Glastonbury any harm!

Serenata Festival, 26 – 28 August at Smedmore Estate, Kimmeridge, Dorset