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Taken from inews (Apr 13, 2021)
WOMAD 2021 goes ahead with Anoushka Shankar leading UK-based world music line-up
WOMAD 2021 will go ahead in July with Anoushka Shankar leading a 'global party' of UK-based world music stars
by Adam Sherwin
Anoushka Shankar performing a socially-distanced BBC Proms concert in 2020 (Photo by Mark Allan/BBC) |
Anoushka Shankar has been announced in the first wave of artists to perform at WOMAD 2021 , alongside Gambia's first female Griot and China's leading pipa lutist.
The WOMAD festival will beat a pandemic travel ban when it returns this summer, by showcasing the cream of World Music based in Britain.
The global arts festival is set to go ahead in July with a "glorious melting pot" of UK-based artists, reflecting music traditions from all over the world.
Founded by Peter Gabriel in 1980, WOMAD has given musicians from Africa, Asia and South America the opportunity to perform in front of a UK audience.
International travel to and from the UK is currently restricted. So WOMAD, held at Charlton Park in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, will tap into the nation's culturally-diverse artistic community.
Headliners include Anoushka Shankar, a British-Indian sitar player and composer based in London, who will perform songs from her new album Love Letters which documents the emotional journey stemming from her divorce from film director Joe Wright.
Sona Jobarteh, from Gambia, renowned as the first female professional kora player from any of the West Africa griot family dynasties will play, as will Cheng Yu, the Chinese classical musician who plays the zither-like gugin and the pipa, a four-string lute.
London-based group Malphino will bring the sound of Colombian cumbia whilst the Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra promise to get festival-goers moving with their brand of Nigerian funk and jazz.
The organisers hope to build on the UK-based line-up by adding international artists if travel restrictions are eased from May 17, in line with the Government's roadmap.
Festival Director Chris Smith said: "While artists around the world are still subject to travel restrictions we are delighted - following the 'WOMAD Roadmap' - to announce a line-up that fully illuminates the rich cultural diversity of the UK's artistic community."
He added: "Inevitably there will be some changes to the festival this year and we will implement the measures required for the festival to take place safely and for the wider community to feel totally comfortable so that we can all come together to celebrate the world and enjoy all the things that enrich our lives and are essential to the human spirit."
Prince Harry was a regular reveller at WOMAD during his army training in Wiltshire. He was once accidentally splashed with red wine by the band Gogol Bordello when dancing near the stage.
WOMAD takes place from July 22-25 at Charlton Park
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