Three legendary female singers are to get a tribute with special performances at the Bermuda Festival next year.

Nina Simone, Janis Joplin and Maria Callas will be the focus of three separate shows during the festival.

Harriett D. Foy, a Broadway veteran, will star in a production of Nina Simone — Four Women, a play with music by award-winning playwright Christina Ham and directed by Marcus Gardley.

Nina Simone, sometimes called the “High Priestess of Soul”, was a celebrated singer, songwriter and civil rights activist who recorded hits including I Loves You Porgy and A Single Woman.

Mary Bridget Davies, nominated for best actress in the Tony Awards for her portrayal of Janis Joplin in the Broadway production of A Night With Janis Joplin, will perform a tribute concert featuring the singer's most famous songs.

Janis Joplin was one of the most popular rock stars of the 1960s with hits including Me and Bobby McGee and Down on Me.

The festival will also celebrate the career of Maria Callas with a production of Terence McNally's Tony Award winning play Master Class, based on a fictional workshop led by the famous soprano.

Ms Callas is considered one of the most influential opera stars of the 20th century.

Executive director T.J. Armand said the performances were a perfect fit for the festival's Empowerment of Women theme.

The festival will also feature performances by celebrated artists Chaka Khan and The Manhattan Transfer, along with a range of yet-to-be announced shows featuring island-based and international talent.

The Bermuda Festival will run from January 19 to March 9, 2019.