Walled City Music Festival: Raphael Wallfisch opens classical event

Cathal Breslin and Raphael Wallfisch will open this year's festival later

One of modern classical music's most celebrated cellists will take centre stage in Londonderry later for the opening night of the Walled City Music Festival.

Raphael Wallfisch returns to the festival for the first time since 2009.

He plays this year's opening concert at the city's Christ Church on Thursday evening.

Pianist Barry Douglas and mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty will also perform in the city over the next four days.

The festival's co-artistic director Cathal Breslin, himself an accomplished pianist who will accompany the master cellist at Thursday's opening concert, said this year's festival would "be one of the most memorable".

"We have a really exciting line-up of world-class artists," he said.

Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle, Mr Breslin said the festival has themes of "returning home" and "musical generations" running through its programme.

"I have been talking a lot recently about the influence of Barry Douglas on most young pianists growing up, so it's a generational thing where you look up to an artist and they catapult you to a new level. It is the same with Raphael.

"We try and pass that on to the next generation".

The festival closes on Sunday with a concert by a host of young artists at Magee college's Great Hall.