Taking a now well-calculated chance on an opening evening of Opera and final night of local young talent, the new AllStars Festival in Barbados hopes to become a staple but fresh item in the entertainment event calendar.
I hope to build on these collaborative experiences by bringing more diverse acts
Festival and Artistic Director Melinda Hughes spoke with LoopEntertainment on the final night and said, although it was not without its logistical challenges, putting on the three-day festival was “worth it”.
She shared:
“The reaction to this festival is more than we could have hoped for. The opening Opera Gala was sold out and our visiting comedian Rich Hall brought the house down with his irreverent humour. I am thrilled a cross-section of Barbadian society was able to come together and experienced unique entertainment.”
Hughes, who is no stranger to the stage nor breaking the mold, a musical comic with innovative ways of using sound and expression to transport audirnces melodically and strategically, also enjoyed playing the mentor role on this project.
She added, “I also enjoyed coaching students of the music department at Barbados Community College [BCC] in my singing masterclass. Although extremely talented, they were eager to learn and push themselves to achieve a higher range.”
The Festival Director, who now has to conduct her post-mortem of the event, expressed hope that future showcases can be hosted to continue bringing acts with diversity to the island.
With a “sold-out” first-night featuring Hall’s satire and song to its AllStars name now, Hughes wants to see the Festival only grow from here. “I hope to build on these collaborative experiences by bringing more diverse acts into Barbados and I am really looking forward to seeing what 2025 will bring,” she stated.
