© Apple Corps Ltd.With the 50th anniversary of the release of The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album taking place June 1, the Fab Four’s hometown of Liverpool, U.K., has announced plans for a series of special events commemorating the milestone. The celebration, dubbed “Liverpool Presents Sgt. Pepper at 50,” will run from May 25 to June 16 and will feature 13 themed events, each one inspired by a different song from the groundbreaking album.
The events will showcase various artistic genres, including dance, theater, film and, of course, music. The festivities kick off May 25 with the premiere of a dance piece called “Pepperland” by Mark Morris Dance Group that was inspired by Sgt. Pepper‘s title track. Four performances of the piece are scheduled through May 27 at Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre.
Also on May 25, a pair of art installations titled “With a Little Help from My Friends” and created by award-winning artist Jeremy Deller will be unveiled. The pieces, which will focus of the themes of friendship, loneliness and love, will remain on display until June 16.
Another event called “Mr. Kite’s Musicircus,” described as “an audacious fairground ride of sights and sounds,” will be held June 4 at Aintree Racecourse. The event is inspired by the song “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite” and by late avant-garde composer John Cage‘s experimental piece “Musicircus.”
Closing out the celebration will be the premiere screening of a movie titled A Day in the Life (24 Zero Hours) on June 16 at the Woolton Picture House. Inspired by the song “A Day in the Life,” the flick will feature acclaimed U.K. author Frank Cottrell-Boyce taking a daylong bus trip through Liverpool.
For full details of the celebration, visit SgtPepperat50.com.
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