Manchester International Festival presents Sacred Sites, bringing together five of the foremost international performers of sacred song and recital for a series of extraordinary events in local Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish and Sikh sites of worship across the city.

Commissioned by MIF Creative and developed by MIF and the Faith Network for Manchester, in close collaboration with local faith communities, performances by Candi Staton, Mor Karbasi, Dya Singh, Anuradha Paudwal and Qari Syed Sadaqat Ali will each celebrate the sound and transformational effect of the voice when raised in worship.

'The Faith Network for Manchester is enormously excited about the Sacred Sites project we are thrilled that something of the rich diversity of Manchester's faith communities will be celebrated in this year's MIF,' says Rev Daniel Burton. 'Knowing that much great music has spiritual roots we feel certain that Festival-goers are guaranteed something very special this July.'

'This commission was conceived to support a greater familiarity and compassion between those with and without faith. I am hugely grateful to all the groups involved for coming together and opening their doors to neighbours and visitors alike who will be able listen to these beautiful and different forms of worship in their sacred sites,' adds Festival Director Alex Poots.

As part of the programme for these evenings there will be an element of engagement unique to each site, with the communities welcoming guests to the venue. These will include a havadalah service at the Jackson's Row Synagogue; a free shared meal at the Gurdwara, and a performance by the youth choir at the New Testament Church of God.

Sacred Sites invites those of any faith or none to experience the sublime power of the human voice when used in religious song and chant. All events are free; more details on access and ticket reservations will be available from 12 April.

Sacred Sites will be accompanied by a series on BBC Radio 3, Mon 11-Fri 15 July at 23:00, presented by Lopa Kothari. Featuring interviews with the singers and musicians, and conversations with audiences and congregations, this series will uncover more about the power of the human voice in each of these religious communities.

MOR KARBASI (SPAIN) - WED 6 / THU 7 / SAT 9 JULY at 19:30
Sephardic Jewish Hymns at Manchester Reform Synagogue, Jackson's Row, M2 5NH
DYA SINGH (AUSTRALIA) - THU 7 / FRI 8 / SAT 9 JULY at 19:30
Shabads of Sikhism at Gurdwara Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji, 12 Sherbourne Street, M3 1FE
CANDI STATON (USA) - THU 7 / FRI 8 / SAT 9 JULY at 19:30
Gospel at New Testament Church Of God, 20 Upper Chorlton Road, M16 7RN
ANURADHA PAUDWAL (INDIA) - THU 7 / FRI 8 / SAT 9 JULY at 19.30
Bhajans of Hinduism at Shree Radha Krishna Mandir, Gandhi Hall, Brunswick Road, M20 4QB
QARI SYED SADAQAT ALI (PAKISTAN) - SAT 9 / SUN 10 JULY at 16:00
Recital of the Koran at Manchester Central Mosque, 20 Upper Park Road, M14 5RU

These are free, ticketed events; reserve tickets at www.mif.co.uk or Quaytickets
+44 161 876 2198 from 12 April.

Commissioned by MIF Creative.
Produced by Manchester International Festival, Faith Network for Manchester and Asian Music Circuit.
Sacred Sites is supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

- End

Notes to Editors

Candi Staton is America's first lady of Southern Soul. Her career has encompassed gospel, RnB, disco and blues, producing over 30 albums and three grammy nominations. As a teenager in the Jewel Gospel Trio she toured the traditional gospel circuit, before amassing a string of pop hits in the 1970's, including the disco classic Young Hearts Run Free. She returned to gospel music in the early 1980s, devoting herself entirely to gospel audiences until a remixed, re-released version of You Got The Love became a hit in 1991. She now records and performs both secular and gospel music all over the world.

Dya Singh is considered a master interpreter of Sikh hymns, with a contemporary twist but an ear on the traditions. Since the inception of his world music group in 1992 in Australia, he has over 20 albums to his name, including the main daily Sikh prayers. Uplifting and without a dull moment, his music touches the spirit not only for one steeped in the traditions and philosophy of Sikhism but also for one who just listens to music for the pure joy of listening. This is song and music which you will not only hear, but feel.

Qari Syed Sadaqat Ali is a pupil of the internationally famous Qari Abd al-Basit 'Abd as-Samad , of Egypt, and has represented Pakistan in various world Qirat recitals throughout Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Persia, Egypt, Jordan and Yemen as well as in the UK and the USA. As an official Qari for Pakistan Television and Radio Pakistan, Qari Syed Sadaqat Ali has recorded the full Koran in his voice on various different occasions for radio, television and CD.

Anuradha Paudwal is a playback singer in Bollywood in India whose music topped charts for months on end in the 80's and 90's and received much adoration from followers all over the world. Her singing won many awards including four Filmfare Awards and, most recently, the Lata Mangeshkar Award from the Madhya Pradesh Government. Paudwal has worked with all the famous Bollywood composers and singers, performed with and helped make famous many of the household names in playback singing and performed generous acts of philanthropy. Her talent has taken her more recently into the field of devotional music in which she has made a huge success and gained wide recognition for her releases on bhakti or devotional music.

Sacred Sites is supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation to pioneer new ways of engaging people in high quality arts activities as part of its cultural understanding theme 'to help improve people's perception of each other by providing opportunities for interaction through culture and between cultures'. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is an international charitable foundation with cultural, educational and social interests. Based in Lisbon with branches in London and Paris, the Foundation is in a privileged position to support transnational work tackling contemporary issues in Europe. The purpose of the UK Branch in London is to connect and enrich the experiences of individuals, families and communities, and one of its core aims is to promote intercultural understanding.

For more information about the work of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in the UK please visit www.gulbenkian.org.uk

MIF Creative is Manchester International Festival's creative learning programme and is all about collaborative projects that give exciting opportunities for local communities to get involved in the development of artistic productions and be inspired by artists who are at the top of their game. Its activities range from large-scale artistic commissions developed with everyone from local schoolchildren to shop assistants, from refugees to pensioners; to programmes to help emerging Manchester-based producers get ahead on the professional ladder.

Manchester International Festival is the world's first festival of original, new work and special events and takes place biennially, in Manchester, UK. The Festival launched in 2007 as an artist-led, commissioning festival presenting new works from across the spectrum of performing arts, visual arts and popular culture.

Manchester International Festival 2011 will run from Thursday 30 June - Sunday 17 July 2011. Register for updates at www.mif.co.uk