Here are 10 other highlights picked (with great difficulty) from the packed programme:
The Birmingham Repertory Theatre with productions of Shakespeare's Hamlet and Twelfth Night (Grand Opera House, Monday, October 23rd to Saturday, October 28th, 7.30 p.m., with some matinees)
The Royal Ballet of Flanders, accompanied by the Ulster Orchestra, dancing Tchaikovsky's ballet The Sleeping Beauty (Grand Opera House, Wednesday, November 1st to Saturday, November 4th, 7.45 p.m., with matinees on Thursday at 2 p.m. and Saturday at 2.30 p.m.)
Ben Elton's Gasping, starring Ian Reddington (Grand Opera House, Monday, November 6th to Saturday, November 11th; Monday to Thursday, 7.45 p.m., Friday, 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. and Saturday 5 p.m. and 7.45 p.m.)
The darkly comic Northern company, Ridiculusmus with Yes, Yes, Yes, (The Summit at the Old Museum Arts Centre, Monday, October 30th to Saturday, November 4th; Monday to Tuesday, 8 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday, 10 p.m.)
A focus on French song, which will include the Indian soprano Patrica Rozario with Emma Johnson on clarinet and Mark Troop on piano in a concert of Faure, Debussy and Schubert (Elmwood Hall, Saturday, October 28th, 11 a.m.)
Mark Padmore (tenor), Michael Chance (counter tenor) and Julius Drake (piano) in a programme of Ravel, Hahn, Poulenc and Britten (Elmwood Hall, Saturday, November 11th, 11 a.m.)
Perrier Best Newcomer award-winners, the brilliant British comedy duo, Auto Boosh, with their madly surrealist comedy (The Summit at the Old Museum, Wednesday, November 8th to Saturday, November 11th, 8 p.m.)
Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal and his group playing his heady mix of jazz and world music (Miles Davis considered him a genius), (Guinness Spot, Friday, October 27th, 9 p.m.)
Jack L, the gloriously smooth baritone (Auntie Annie's, Monday, November 6th to Wednesday, November 8th, 9 p.m.)
Altan, the inimitable traditional band with the Northern sound (Whitla Hall, Friday, October 27th, 8 p.m.)
How To Book
In person at the box office: Festival House, 25 College Gardens, Belfast, Monday to Friday, 9.45 a.m. to 5 p.m. By phone: 048-90665577
By email: festival@qub.ac.uk
On-line at www.belfastfestival.com
