Wednesday, July 5, 2023

Dream comes true for Shea as he shares stage with Alfie Boe


* Shea sings along with Alfie Boe on the Pavilion stage.

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

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