A dream came true for a talented young music student when he was called up on stage by superstar Alfie Boe to duet on the first night of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.
What made it extra special for Shea Ferron, 20,
from Ruabon, was that his mum and dad, Sharon and Damian, along with sister
Niamh, were also in the audience to celebrate their 26th wedding
anniversary.
The number they performed together was also special
because it was Alfie’s signature song, Bring Him Home, from the musical, Les
Miserables.
Shea, a tenor and a student of the Performing Arts
at Manchester’s Institute for Contemporary Theatre, is a regular at
Llangollen’s iconic Eisteddfod where he has been one of its army of volunteers
since he was 14.
He is also a member of the John’s Boys choir which
reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent and he said: “I had a line
translated into Welsh for Camilla King, the Director of the Eisteddfod, and I
cheekily texted asking if she could get me on stage with Alfie Boe and she laughed
and said , ‘No’.
“Then earlier yesterday I met him on the Maes and
we were chatting and I just wanted to get a selfie with him and my friend said,
‘This lad does a mean Bring Him Home ’ and Alfie replied, ‘No pressure then’.
“Last night I was sitting in Block H right at the
front and right in Alfie Boe’s eyeline and he looked at me and remembered me
and got me up and we duetted on Bring Him Home – it’s my greatest achievement.
“Afterwards I gave him one of my cards and told hm
that if he gets fed up with singing with Michael Ball he knows who to call.
“It was pretty special My phone has been going
non-stop since.”
Camilla said: “It was a really great night and
Alfie Boe just kept singing and when Shea was called up it was just one of
those magical Eisteddfod moments.
“We had joked about him singing with Alfie but for
it to actually happen was incredible.
“It was a brilliant experience for him and he
harmonised with Alfie which was really nice.
“The volunteers here are involved in everything and
Alfie has been here before and he loves the relationship with the audience who
were all up and dancing by then.
“It was a wonderful night and Welsh of the West End
were amazing.”
Shea, who also works on the Llangollen Canal with
the horse-drawn barges, added: “I first came to the Eisteddfod when I was eight
or nine and I just think the whole ethos about it is special.
“It’s a festival of music but the way it promotes
peace is the biggest and best thing.
“The first
Eisteddfod in 1947 had a German choir and everyone can communicate through
music and I really love that.”
According to
Camilla, it was the perfect way to start the Llangollen Eisteddfod where around
3,000 competitors from 19 countries on five continents will be taking part.
Each
day features a full programme of competitions in the famous pavilion and a
line-up of stalls and exhibitions on the field along with the competitors from
around the world, many in colourful dress while three open-air stages run a
stream of live performances.
Entertainment
on the outside site includes workshops, talks, international showcases, outdoor
theatre performances, circus skills, sound bath
sessions, yoga, belly dancing, beginner’s Welsh and salsa.
The
Globe Stage will feature music acts spanning folk, jazz, world and indie.
There will also be an international flavour to the cuisine available in
the new Globe Food Court.
Visitors will be able to “go around the world in 80 minutes” with stalls
serving food from different countries including India, Greece, Jamaica, Mexico,
Germany and Italy.
At 4.30 pm on Thursday (July 6) the Parade of Nations will be
making a joyous comeback when a cavalcade of colourful competitors will march
through the town.
A famous radio
broadcast by poet Dylan Thomas about Llangollen International Musical
Eisteddfod is being recreated to mark its 70th anniversary between 2-3pm
on Friday. The reading from actor, writer and director Celyn Jones will form
the centrepiece of a mini programme of events to celebrate the literary
magician’s 15-minute masterpiece on the BBC’s Home Service when he visited in
1953.
Camilla added: ““Sunday is going to be a very special day because we’ve got outdoor performances and entertainment all day. And we’ve changed the evening concert entry so it’s now free to attend with a Field ticket, from £10. We wanted to give audiences a thank you treat.
“That final
concert includes the final round of Voice of Musical Theatre (Welsh of the West
End have had former winners), performances from our best international dance
groups, and lots more.
“Also just announced today is that on Sunday we have former BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin coming to talk about her new book and do a signing session from 12.15pm.”
* For tickets or 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 www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk or
check out www.facebook.com/llangollen
No comments:
Post a Comment