Liverpool celebrates 50 years Sgt. Pepper
Liverpool is celebrating the 50th anniversary of ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ this summer by bringing the album ‘home’ for 13 stunning new world premieres.
Each of the events – running between May 25 and June 16 – is inspired by a track on the seminal Beatles album.
Culture Liverpool team is working with a host of local, national and international artists and with the people of the city to create what they are calling a unique festival at locations in and around the city.
Claire McColgan, the head of Culture Liverpool, says: “We didn’t just want to do a big concert at the Pier Head. We wanted to take these songs to a completely different place.
“Audiences in this city love arts and culture and really respond well to excellence, and this project sums that up.”
Sgt Pepper at 50: Heading for Home starts on May 25 with Pepperland, a new dance piece created by world renowned New York-based choreographer Mark Morris, and inspired by Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The production, backed by Merseyside Dance Initiative, will be staged at Liverpool’s Royal Court for three nights.
Meanwhile Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller is taking the Ringo-sung With a Little Help From My Friends as the start of creating two public art commissions in the city which are being kept under wraps until the day.
Other must-see events include:
- A magical light festival and evening of storytelling at Camp Hill, created by French pyrotechnic genius Christophe Berthonneau and inspired by Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.
- Liverpool theatre company 20 Stories High is staging a new play, based on She’s Leaving Home, in people’s houses in Toxteth.
- Mr Kite’s MUSICIRCUS at Aintree Racecourse, marrying For the Benefit of Mr Kite with music pioneer John Cage’s Musicircus (also 50 this year) in a merry-go-round of performers, musicians, colour and entertainment.
- Good Morning, Good Morning – city organisations throwing open their doors for an early morning ‘lightnight’ to start the day on a cultural high.
- Hurricane Films and writer Frank Cottrell Boyce recording A Day in the Life of Liverpool with the resulting film being premiered at Woolton Picture House.
The entire event forms part of Liverpool’s wider 50 Summers of Love festival.
Sgt Pepper at 50: Heading For Home runs from May 25 to June 16. For full details of all the events visit www.SgtPepperat50.com
Photos courtesy of Liverpool City Council
