Six events have been officially announced, with tickets available from Thursday, December 6. 

Next year Ten Days on the Island will run across three weekends in March, one each in the North, North-West, and South. The full line-up for each weekend will be released on January 31.

However, the festival team couldn't wait until then without letting everybody know, at least a little, what they’ve been cooking up. 

“We want to give people an idea of the scope and scale and ambition of the festival,” said Ms Hume. 

“And how it’s going to be an expression of our communities in a very different way.

“Rather than saying, what we really need is international artists to come in and show us what’s good, what we’re interested in is looking at how a festival can be a celebration and a reflection of the communities themselves.” 

One element of the children’s program for Launceston has been announced: Peter and the Wolf, the classic children’s tale composed by Sergei Prokofiev. The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra will perform the musical story along with one half of the Kransky Sisters, Madame Lark. 

Also in the north will be an opera at Clover Hill Vineyard, with a “stellar line-up” of opera singers accompanied by chamber orchestra, Van Dieman’s Band. The Enchanted Island is the name of the performance, featuring the works of Handel and Henry Purcell.

Meanwhile, the Burnie Arts and Function Centre will host acrobatics team Gravity and Other Myths, in the word premiere of their new show, Out of Chaos. 

Down south, the voice of Lior and the mastery of award-winning composer Nigel Westlake will combine for Compassion, at Hobart’s Federation Concert Hall. In the raw industrial setting of Spring Bay Mill, Triabunna, will be Breathtaking, two global baroque virtuosi capturing the music of 17th century Europe. And Božo Vrećo, a Bosnian-born world music star, will perform in an intimate, one-off event in MONA’s Nolan Gallery.

“We want our audiences to have more opportunities to explore extraordinary Tasmania while dipping into the brilliant global, national and local art on offer,” Ms Hume said.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Northern Tasmania 2018 Christmas lights map

Register for The Examiner’s 2018 Christmas lights map

Tasmanians warned of dangers with ticket resale websites

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