* Getting down to the bhangra beat ... the Prince of Wales with the Sheerer Punjab Bhangra dance group in 2015.
The Prince of Wales has hailed an international festival where he once did some impromptu bhangra dancing as a “shining example of peace and harmony”.
The
royal tribute was in the foreword he wrote for the programme of the Llangollen
International Musical Eisteddfod that’s celebrating its 75th
anniversary this year.
The
event was established in1947 in the aftermath of the Second World War as a way
of bringing the nations of the world closer together in a colourful,
multi-cultural melting pot.
Ever
since the picturesque town of Llangollen in the Dee Valley has been known as
the place where Wales meets the world.
The popular festival which helped
launch the careers of opera superstars Luciano Pavarotti and Sir Bryn Terfel
had to be cancelled in 2020 for the first time due to the impact of the
Coronavirus pandemic.
In 2021 it took on a virtual format
with performances streamed online but this year Wales will once again welcome
the world to the little town in the Dee Valley.
The festival starts on Thursday,
July 7, and culminates with Llanfest on Sunday, July 10, when the Eisteddfod
joins forces with the Llangollen Fringe Festival.
The
Prince is the long-standing Patron of the Eisteddfod which he has visited three
times.
On the last occasion in 2015, when he was accompanied by the
Duchess of Cornwall, he was captured on camera dancing to a bhangra beat with
the Sheerer Punjab Bhangra Dance group from Nottingham.
The Eisteddfod’s royal connection stretches all the way back
to 1953 when it was one of the first of the then
newly-crowned Queen Elizabeth’s official engagements after she succeeded her
father, George VI.
In the foreword, the Prince of
Wales wrote: “When
the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod was founded in 1947 in a world
weary of war, no-one could have foreseen that it would still be a beacon of
inspiration three quarters of a century later.
“Over the years since then, the vision of those early
founders has been triumphantly realised, and this little town in the Dee Valley has
witnessed, time and again, the kind of concord between the nations that gives
us all hope for the future.
“It
is a source of great pride to me, as Patron of the Eisteddfod, that Wales
should have given the world this shining example of peace and harmony.
“The
success of the Festival has proved the truth of the Eisteddfod motto – Byd
gwyn fydd byd a gano. Gwaraidd fydd ei gerddi fo. A world that sings is
truly blessed.
“In
my visits over the years, it has always been a joy to see how people from so
many different backgrounds and cultures can find a common language in music,
and can create new and lasting friendships.
“At
a time when we once again find our world overshadowed by conflict, we need the
vision of Llangollen more than ever. As you celebrate the magnificent achievement
of reaching this significant anniversary, I send everyone connected with the
Festival my warmest good wishes.
“Dymuniadau gorau
i chi i gyd (Best wishes to you all).
The Eisteddfod’s
Executive Producer, Camilla King, said: “We are extremely grateful to the
Prince of Wales for the wonderful words in the foreword he has written for the
programme.
“I know that his
steadfast support over many years has always been gratefully appreciated.
“It is fitting
that our 75th anniversary coincides with the Queen’s Platinum
Jubilee so there will be even more reason to celebrate.”
Over the four days of the
Eisteddfod there will be a host of new attractions and activities on the
revamped outdoor site, including music, dance, talks, comedy, food, drink,
shopping, workshops and pop-up entertainment.
In the evenings there will be
concerts featuring the singing duo of Aled Jones and Russell Watson and
Anoushka Shankar, the British-Indian-American sitar player, producer, film
composer and activist who is the daughter of renowned musician Ravi Shankar, and
half-sister of singer Norah Jones.
The competitions climax on Saturday
night with Choir of the World and the contest for the Pendine International
Voice of the Future featuring the finest young singers from around the world on
the stage where Placido Domingo, Kiri Te Kanawa, Elaine Paige, Michael Ball,
Sir Bryn Terfel and Luciano Pavarotti have performed.
This year’s Eisteddfod is a
shortened version of previous years but will still pack plenty in with a full
programme of competitions in the Pavilion and starting on Thursday with Schools
Day and the Young Peacemaker Awards.
Sunday sees the Eisteddfod let
its hair down for Llanfest before the climactic final concert featuring indie
rock stars
Amber Run, blues powerhouse Elles Bailey and Bajan-Welsh singer songwriter
Kizzy Crawford
* For more on Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and its competitions and concerts as well as how to get to it and where to stay go to http://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/ or check out https://www.facebook.com/llangollen
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