Richard BatsonA week-long summer festival at Holt checked in with classic Chekov last night, and will sing out with a day of blues next weekend.In between the Holt Summer Festival serves up a mix of music, arts and drama that ranges from classical music to stand-up comedy, and jazz to street theatre, as well as cinema and art.Richard Batson

A week-long summer festival at Holt checked in with classic Chekhov last night, and will sing out with a day of blues next weekend.

In between the Holt Summer Festival serves up a mix of music, arts and drama that ranges from classical music to stand-up comedy, and jazz to street theatre, as well as cinema and art.

Chairman Rhu Bruce Lockhart said the second year of the event hoped to build on last year's inaugural success and would stick to its aims of bringing national and international arts to North Norfolk to 'challenge people's boundaries', provide fun, and make a quarter of the events free.

Good examples this year were visit of three up-and-coming classical music stars to perform lieder songs by Schumann and Wolf; a sideways look at historical figures from Boudicca to the Brontes by the Boileroom theatre group, and some stunning art on show in local galleries.

He also hoped the outdoor blues finale featuring local young guitarist Oli Brown, ex Rolling Stone Mick Taylor and Paul Jones' Blues band would be a success.

The festival opened last night with celebrated actor Michael Pennington performing his one-man show Anton Chekhov, which sees the aging writer reminiscing about his life and has toured around the world to acclaim.

Tonight it continues with Out of the Darkness, a new composition by Julian Marshall stemming from a poem penned by a German Jew killed in the Auschwitz concentration camp and turned into a cantata for chamber choir, mezzo-soprano and two solo cellos. It is in the St Andrew's parish church at 7.30.

?Other events during the week include:

Tuesday - Spirit of Django jazz guitar with Martin Taylor; Poetry evening with Martin Figura, Helen ivory, Jehanne Markham and George Szirtes;

Wednesday - Cabaret Electrique and History Girls theatre by Boileroom; Masters of the Lute Matthew Wadsworth and Robert Howarth

Thursday - a sell-out concert by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields chamber orchestra; stand-up comedy.

Friday - London Brass quintet; Big Bag of Boom modern dance meets comedy

Saturday - Leider recital; Blues in the Woods

Throughout the week there are cinema events and art collections on show in the town, along with appearances by street artists and entertainers.

More programme details and tickets at www.holtsummerfestival.org or 01263 712635