City festival in composer Glass boast

One of the world's leading contemporary composers will open this year's Lichfield Festival, it has been revealed.

Philip Glass will launch the music and arts extravaganza with a rare UK performance of his solo piano music.

This is a real coup for organisers behind the annual 10-day festival, running from July 5 to 15, which is now in its 26th year.

The full festival programme will be announced next month, with public booking opening on April 30 - although selected events, including the Glass concert, will go on sale on April 2.Bafta-winning Mr Glass is renowned for his work on The Hours, and Oscar-nominated for Notes on a Scandal, which has recently hit cinema screens.

He will be performing at Lichfield Cathedral on July 5, his only solo piano concert in the UK in this, his 70th birthday year.

He has been described as 'the most powerful composer of our time' and hailed as one of the world's most influential and innovative composers.

His concert at Lichfield Cathedral will feature his Etudes for piano, along with other works for solo piano.

Festival Director, Richard Hawley, said: "This is a real coup for the festival."

Tickets for the opening night concert cost between £9 and £27. For more details on the festival log onto www.lichfieldfestival.org