THE third Shaftesbury Festival of Baroque takes place at the arts centre, St Peter’s Church, St James’s Church and other venues from 20th to 26th January. The programme ranges from film to dance to a “battle” of 17th century playwrights.

Professional musicians from the region and beyond (even Cumbria) will be taking part in this celebration of music over the period 1600 to 1750. From the first musical treat of “Composers behaving badly” from Salisbury Baroque to Joyful Mysteries with Wessex Baroque Collective and Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir, the events include concerts and recitals featuring solos, duets and trios, with singers and players of harpsichords, flutes, viola da gamba and much more.

The first event is Barry Lyndon, screened at the arts centre on Tuesday 20th, at 2pm. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, and starring Ryan O’Neal, this 1975 film is the story of an ambitious Irishman of humble origins, who sets out to rise through the ranks of society in 18th-century Europe – by any means necessary. Through deceit, duels and a fortuitous marriage to a wealthy widow, he achieves wealth and status, but his reckless actions and personal flaws precipitate his eventual downfall.

The literary giants of the baroque period will be represented by a contest between playwrights Aphra Behn, Ben Jonson, Thomas Otway and Suzanne Centlivre, championed by Diana Banham, Liz Foster, Sebastian Hayes and Catherine Simmonds. The event is on Thursday 22nd at 4pm, in the Phoenix Room at the arts centre.

Another daytime event at the Phoenix Room is Troubled Times – Shaftesbury in the Civil War, by Peter Woods, a re-enactor, at 4pm on Friday 23rd.

The fascinating music programme includes Devils and Angels, at the Phoenix Room at 11am on Thursday 22nd – a musical conversation between ‘Guardian Angel’ (von Biber) and ‘The Devil’s Trill’ (Tartini), with violinist Emma-Marie Kabanova.

The Assembly Rooms at the Grosvenor Arms is the elegant setting for Music from the Courts of Europe, with Salisbury Chamber Ensemble, at 11am on Saturday 24th. At 2pm that afternoon, Early Bird ensemble will take the audience into The Pleasure Garden, with baroque and early folk music, also in the Assembly Rooms.

St Peter’s Church is the venue for the final concert, Joyful Mysteries, with Wessex Baroque Collective and Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir, at 3pm on Sunday 25th. The repertoire for this event includes Von Biber’s Joyful Mysteries and Isabella Leonarda’s Vespers.

For more information, pick up a programme (pictured) or visit www.shaftesburyartscentre.org.uk