Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Railway used to film scenes for ground-breaking Welsh opera

* One of the railway's loco crew, Matthew Davies, took this picture on Tuesday night of filming taking place on the station.     

Llangollen Railway is being used to film scenes for the first ever Welsh-speaking opera to be screened on British TV.

Over the past couple of days S4C and Channel 4 have been filming for the period-themed Un Nos Ola Leuad (One Moonlit Night) which is based on a novel by Caradog Prichard.

Set at the end of World War One, it touches on the themes of poverty and mental health. 

It is based on the author’s childhood experiences of taking his mother to the local asylum from where she was never to return and continues to be powerfully relevant today.

The score will be composed by Gareth Glyn and performed by the Welsh National Opera Orchestra and the cast is a combination of established Welsh opera stars and new, up-and-coming talent.

A spokesman for the heritage railway said: "We are delighted that the Llangollen Railway has been chosen for such a significant milestone in Welsh literature, art and music. 

"Filming has taken place at several locations around the railway, including the iconic Llangollen station, and involved our visiting steam locomotive No 68067, which will be staying with us until the end of the year and working public trains over the next two weekends."

It is understood that a production base has been set up at the nearby Eisteddfod field where, yesterday, actors could be seen near the pavilion in period costume and a large number of vehicles, including a large trailer, were parked.

* More information about the opera can be found at: https://nation.cymru/culture/s4c-and-channel-4-commission-first-ever-welsh-language-opera-to-be-broadcast-on-uk-tv/

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