Manchester International Festival Reveals First Three Shows of 2015

Manchester International Festival announces the first three shows for the 2015 Festival, the fifth edition of the world's only biennial of new commissions and special events.

Running 2 - 19 July 2015, the MIF15 programme will include:

TREE OF CODES - a new contemporary ballet directed and choreographed by Wayne McGregor with music composed by Jamie xx and visual concept by Olafur Eliasson

THE AGE OF STARLIGHT - Professor Brian Cox writes and presents, Kevin MacDonald directs a new kind of show about the history of the universe. Technology by Rony Abovitz and Magic Leap, CGI by Tim Webber and Framestore

THE TALE OF MR TUMBLE - a new theatre show for young children and families; Justin Fletcher invites audiences to step inside the colourful world of one of our most cherished TV characters

More details below, including press performances and prices.
Tickets go on sale at 10am on 20 November via www.mif.co.uk or 0844 871 7654

The Festival launched in 2007 as an artist-led, commissioning festival presenting new works from across the spectrum of performing arts, visual arts and popular culture.
Some highlights of previous festivals include premieres of Steve McQueen's commemoration of fallen British soldiers, Queen and Country; Damon Albarn, Jamie Hewlett and Chen Shi-Zheng's Chinese opera Monkey: Journey to the West; Björk's three week Biophilia residency; director Robert Wilson's The Life and Death of Marina Abramovi?, starring Abramovi?, Willem Dafoe and Antony, and Kenneth Branagh's Macbeth.

The Festival works with co-commissioning partners around the world to create and present new productions; 28 MIF shows have gone on to have a life outside the Festival, visiting Park Avenue Armory, New York, Ruhrtriennale in Germany, Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Festival d'Automne in Paris, Spoleto Festival Italy and many more.

In addition to income from co-commissioners and ticket sales, MIF receives support from private sponsorship, individuals and trusts and foundations. This money is raised by building on the solid support MIF enjoys from Manchester City Council and Arts Council England, our principal public funders. The top tier sponsors for the 2015 Festival are Bruntwood, Doubletree by Hilton, Manchester Airports Group, NCP and PZ Cussons.

Manchester International Festival has a low cost ticket scheme for local audiences: a number of tickets for every performance of every show will be on sale exclusively for Greater Manchester residents at just £12. These tickets are for residents who earn less than £14k.

The aim is to make more of the Festival more accessible to local people on a lower wage. Some of these tickets will be available from the box office online and by phone on a first come first served, honesty basis. The Festival will also be working with existing networks in Greater Manchester to identify audiences who qualify for this scheme.