Summers in Newport are widely known for world-class musical events. Historic festivals like Newport Jazz and Newport Folk certainly attract massive crowds over a pair of mid-summer weekends. However, the festival with the largest number of concerts is the Newport Classical Music Festival, which this year runs from July 4th to July 21.
The annual festival welcomes dozens of performers, from soloists to string quartets to brass ensembles. This year’s lineup is especially strong, with new and returning artists performing 27 concerts over a three-week period. Serious and casual fans of classical music flock to the city by the sea annually for the festival, which is celebrating its 55th anniversary this summer.
We spoke to Executive Director Gillian Friedman Fox to learn more about the upcoming season, which is expected to be one of their best ever. “When you count in the free community concerts, this year is the most robust in the new era of Newport Classical,” she explained. “We’re excited that we are celebrating our 55th anniversary. I think the staying power and the legacy of Newport Classical is particularly noteworthy. When you think about all the iterations, all of the generations of listeners that we’ve welcomed, it’s really exciting to continue to be thriving in such a great way.”
