Festival starts with burst of colour

The skies lit up over Bath at the festival opening night

A 17-day celebration of musical diversity has begun in Bath with a huge free party.

The city's annual International Music Festival will bring a wide range of music to some of Bath's best-loved venues.

This year, festival highlights will include a European jazz weekend, a world music weekend and a recital by the pianist Alfred Brendel.

On Friday, thousands of people gathered for the opening night event and braved the rain to enjoy a spectacular firework display over Royal Crescent.

For the first time there was also a laser show.

Bath has held the event in most years since 1955, when jazz and classical music topped the bill.

World music is an important festival element

More recent festivals have a more eclectic feel with experimental artists and groups from around the world taking centre stage.

2003's festival features artists from all over the world including Cuba, India, Iraq, Afghanistan and north-west China.

Festival artistic director Tim Joss said the event aimed to offer something out of the ordinary.

"If you're a classical fan we have classical, but what I think is amazing is that people go along to something different, something special.

"It embraces instead the experimental, the fantastical, the humorous, the sorrowful, the extreme.

"It hopes to cater for all tastes, but is admittedly a more sophisticated event than others.

"The festival is all about adventures."