Bermuda's annual culture binge gets underway next week when the 23rd annual Bermuda Festival opens for a seven-week run.

This year, the wider mix of offerings include two major dance companies, two drama groups, one of the world's best loved operas, a one-man clown show -- and Bermudian Kenneth Amis who returns as the tuba-playing member of the popular Empire Brass quintet.

"We try to keep a balance between the various branches of the performing arts,'' says Festival Chairman Peter Lloyd, "and we try to include new things whenever possible. This year, there is perhaps, a slight shift towards light-hearted entertainment. For instance, we have a busker duo playing an amazing range of instruments -- one of their programmes is for children. Also, Avner the Eccentric was chosen for `family' entertainment value.'' The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Canada's oldest classical dance company, opens the festivities with a programme that will include the famous Pas De Deux from `Giselle'.

Beginning as a semi-professional group in 1939, the company was granted full professional status in 1949 and became the first ballet company to receive a Royal Charter some four years later.

The American Boychoir, which has performed at such venues as the Vatican, Westminster Abbey and the White House, should also have a wide appeal.

"They have a more varied and lighter repertoire than, say, the Vienna Boys' Choir who came to Bermuda last year,'' says Mr. Lloyd.

Famed American actress Ruby Dee leads the National Black Touring Circuit's production of `Checkmates'. Described as a modern comedy that explores the effect of the generation gap on two couples, this play by Ron Milner received `thumbs up' reviews on Broadway. Bermuda audiences will recall that this company scored a huge success with their production of `Williams and Walker' for the 1992 Bermuda Festival.

The Classic Buskers provide a new focus for the performing arts in Bermuda. As their brochure describes it, this is `Classical music without the boring bits'. The British-based duo of Michael Copley (who plays over 30 woodwind instruments) and Ian Moore (accordion) are also staging a special children's show for the Festival. Humour forms an intrinsic part of this "strange and wonderful'' show with the musicians performing on ocarinas, car horns and, apparently, musical rubber chickens.

Another classic, in that his art is timeless, will appear in the form of `Avner the Eccentric', a clowning mime whose one-man show has toppled cultural and language barriers around the world. Avner Eisenberg, probably best known for his role (with co-stars Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner) as The Jewel in `The Jewel of the Nile', caused a New York Times critic to write that "he reduces his audience to laughter and giggles and applause''.

Orchestral music is represented in this Festival by the string ensemble from I Fiamminghi, from Belgium. "They were on their way to America,'' says Mr.

Lloyd, "and we thought it would be an exciting choice as we have never had musicians from that country before -- and we do like to ring the changes as much as possible!'' The name `I Fiamminghi' derives from the Italian title given to Flemish musicians who travelled around Europe in Renaissance times. The three separate programmes will include music by Shostakovitch, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Britten and Bartok.

Long a favourite with Bermuda's dance fans, the Philadelphia Dance Company (better known as `Philadanco') makes a welcome, four-night return this year.

Acknowledged as one of America's most dynamic companies, Philadanco, under the inspired direction of Joan Myers Brown, was instrumental in placing African-American dance firmly on the map. With dancers trained in classical and contemporary ballet, jazz and modern dance, their repertoire embraces works that range from the strains of Bach to the soul sounds of Otis Redding.

Wayne Marshall needs no introduction to Bermuda audiences; this year, the brilliantly versatile musician returns in yet another guise -- as accompanist to the equally brilliant young violinist Tasmin Little. Marshall, internationally acclaimed as an organist and pianist (he was Organ Scholar at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle and at the Vienna Hochschule), has also directed opera (including `Carmen Jones' in the West End) and conducted such orchestras as the Royal Scottish National and the Bournemouth Symphony. He is a popular figure at the Royal Albert Hall Promenade Concerts.

Miss Little, already regarded as one of the world's leading violinists, has been tipped for super-stardom by leading music critics. A pupil of the Menuhin and Guildhall Schools of Music, she has appeared at the Proms every year since 1990, including the famous Last Night of the Proms, televised to an estimated 100 million viewers. The combined talents of this exciting duo will be heard in music by Bach, Greig and Ravel.

The Reduced Shakespeare Company turns its attention from the immortal Bard to the vicissitudes of American history for its eagerly-awaited Bermuda Festival debut. Their comic condensations, which have also embraced the Bible and even `Gone With the Wind II- Scarlet Fever' for BBC Radio, have earned rave reviews in London's West End, the Edinburgh (Fringe) Festival, the Kennedy and Lincoln Centers, as well as at the White House. Their Festival programme, entitled `The Complete History of America (Abridged)' was described by the Washington City Paper as "A slapstick tour that's as hysterical as it is historical''.

This year's local contribution to the Bermuda Festival will be the Gilbert & Sullivan Society's Choral Programme, directed and conducted by Marjorie Pettit. The main works will be Beethoven's Mass in C Major and Bach's Cantata No. 172.

Opera fans will also be delighted to know that Bermuda's own Gary Burgess is returning from the US and along with soloists Mary Kay Barrington, Jane Farge, Brian Zunner and Peter Nash, will perform highlights from Verdi's `Aida', Saint-Saens' `Samson and Delilah', and Donizetti's `Lucia di Lammermuir'. A very special repeat performance will be given by Burgess and Zunner in the haunting duet for two tenors from Bizet's `The Pearl Fishers'.

The Empire Brass makes its third appearance with the Festival this year and the three separate programmes will include an evening of popular music, one classical and the final programme devoted to both. Mr. Lloyd says that when the ensemble came here about four years ago, tuba player Kenneth Amis (who then played with a group called Century Brass) was invited to share `guest' appearances along with the Empire ensemble: "Shortly afterwards, he was invited to become a permanent member.'' Gospel, jazz and blues singer Sandra Reaves also makes a welcome return visit with a programme that swings from such hits as `Unchained Melody', `Amazing Grace', Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey' to her tribute to Louis Armstrong in `Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow'. Equally at home in Broadway musicals, she scored her first hit in the Tony award-winning `Raisin' and then in the movie `Round Midnight'.

Having achieved great success with their presentations of Mozart's `Cosi fan Tutti' and `The Marriage of Figaro' at previous Festivals, Midsummer Opera returns this year to sing one of the great operas of the 19th century. Verdi's `Rigoletto' (to be sung in English) is based on Hugo's tragedy `Le Roi s'Amuse'. The company, formed in 1985 by an Australian couple, has since earned glowing reviews from major critics and has toured extensively in Europe. David Skewes, the founder-chairman is also a consultant anaesthetist, reveals Mr. Lloyd.

"He is a tenor, and was so passionate about singing that he and his wife decided to stage an opera in their back garden on Ealing Common. As they gradually attracted some fine singers and musicians they have reached the point where they are regularly reviewed by major newspapers in the UK. I saw them in 1996 at the Marlborough Festival and I was very impressed.'' Finally, William Bennett, principal flautist with the English Chamber Orchestra -- and a great favourite with Festival audiences -- presents his "evening of great moments from opera as they should have been'' with fellow flautists Adrian Brett and Trevor Wye, accompanied by Clifford Benson. This promises to be fun-filled spoof on the great themes of opera.

The Bermuda Festival opens on Monday, January 12. Enquiries and reservations should be made at the Festival Box Office, telephone 295-1727.

THE ORCHESTRA OF FLANDERS -- The string ensemble from the renowned Belgian orchestra, I Fiamminghi, makes its Bermuda debut at this year's Festival.

A ROYAL PREMIERE -- Kaori Nakamura, a principal dancer of The Royal Winnipeg Ballet which opens this year's Bermuda Festival.