Manchester People - Issue 37, New Year 2009

The world's first festival of original new work returns to the city this year with a brandnew programme that promises to be more innovative than ever.

Its debut in 2007 is possibly best remembered for the premiere of Monkey: Journey to the West, an opera composed by Blur and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn. This took Manchester and the rest of the world by storm, recently being featured in the BBC's advertising campaign for the Beijing Olympic Games 2008.

A diverse range of musical performances from the likes of Lou Reed, Happy Mondays, Gossip, PJ Harvey and Kanye West was served up alongside a series of bizarre and delicious ice cream flavours, including mushy pea and leather purée, courtesy of Michelin starred chef Heston Bulmenthal. Other highlights included II Tempo del Postino, a group show of the world's leading contemporary artists, and new theatre productions such as Interiors, by Stewart Lee, and Johnny Vegas.

Soon back for its second visit, from Thursday 2 - Sunday 19 July, the Manchester International Festival promises even more for 2009. Already confirmed for this year's event is Rufus Wainwright's debut opera, Prima Donna - the portrait of a fading opera singer set in Paris and sung in French. Having established himself as one of the great male vocalists and songwriters of his generation, Wainwright's first venture into this genre is widely anticipated by critics, fans and newcomers alike.

Meanwhile, the festival will see the Royal Exchange Theatre transformed into a bingo hall, with added dancing, music and quite possibly the chance to win some cash in a new theatrical experience, Everybody Loves a Winner, while the Manchester Art Gallery will become a sublime space for sublime music with Zaha Hadid Architects creating a unique environment for JS Bach's solo works for piano, violin and cello.

The full programme will be announced in March, so look out for updates. Manchester International Festival is certain to be more groundbreaking and ambitious than ever, and with the worldwide recognition and acclaim it attracts, it is something Manchester and its people can be proud to be part of.

For updates and ticket sales visit www.mif.co.uk