"This is our summer-long house party where the public is invited to come up to the Centre and see what we do creatively. The Banff Summer Arts Festival is the four-week final banquet of that summer-long house party, in which we pack in as many wonderful, surprising and gratifying experiences as we can," says John Murrell, artistic director, executive producer, Theatre Arts, and coordinating producer of the 2003 Banff Summer Arts Festival.

Highlights this summer include the Festival Kick-Off performance and outdoor party (July 11), the grand Music Masters Concert featuring Edgar Meyer, Shauna Rolston, Jens Lindemann, Alain Trudel, and friends (July 12), the award-winning installation The Paradise Institute (May 3- July 20) and the new Canadian opera, Filumena, by John Estacio and John Murrell, OC, AOE (August 6, 8, 10).

Filumena, a new opera co-commissioned by The Banff Centre and Calgary Opera, is based on the tragic true story of Italian immigrant Florence Lassandro, who married into the bootlegging business of Alberta’s Crowsnest Pass during the early 20^th century. The show took Calgary by storm at its premiere performance in February of this year.

The award-winning Canadian installation, The Paradise Institute is featured in the Walter Phillips Gallery (May 3 – July 20). Created by Canadian artists Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller, The Paradise Institute was a smash hit when it represented Canada at the prestigious 2001 Venice Biennale. The installation creates an innovative, sensory experience like none other.

The Banff Centre is continuing the successful Arts Lover program for audiences. Arts Lover Passes are now on sale at a price of $60 for one pass, or $100 for two passes. Passholders have free entry into The Banff Centre summer arts events (touring Playbill events are exempt). Purchase passes by calling the Box Office at 1-800-413-8368 or (403) 762-6301.

Summer arts events start on May 2 and run through to August 11.

For a full listing of summer events and Banff Summer Arts Festival Events, visit: http://www.banffcentre.ca/events/upcoming.asp