Ambassadors for Manchester back on Eisteddfod stage

* Lee Woods, John O'Grady, Adam Kelly, Jonny Helm, Mark Brandreth and David Hennigan on stage at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in July 2025.

* Some of the Manchester lads on Llangollen Bridge in 1985.

This year, the world-renowned Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod celebrated the seventieth anniversary of iconic tenor, Luciano Pavarotti making his international debut at the festival. It was a debut that defined his career. 

So much so, last week, the festival working with Decca Classics, commissioned a giant 120-foot chalk mural in the hills of Llangollen to mark the occasion. It was also 30 years since 'The Maestro' made his triumphant return to the festival. 

They welcomed Pavarotti's widow Nicoletta Mantovani to the festival this year to present its Pavarotti Trophy to their Choir of the World.

This week, Decca has announced its intention to launch a year-long celebration of the career of Luciano Pavarotti. In honour of the legendary tenor, the organisation will release “The Lost Concert,” an album that features Pavarotti’s 1995 performance at Llangollen.

* The Pavarotti Mural commissioned by Decca Classics and the Llangollen Eisteddfod to commemorate the 70 anniversary of Luciano Pavarotti iconic international debut in 1955. Just one of the Llangollen Eisteddfod's anniversaries.

In a festival of anniversaries, the festival also marked the fortieth anniversary of the Manchester Boys' Choir, winning the Eisteddfod's Children's Choir competition. 

It was a win that propelled them around the world - in some of the world's biggest concert halls in places like Australia, Finland, Russia, Canada, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and Canada. 

They were described as 'Ambassadors for Manchester' by the Manchester Evening News, performed in the Royal Variety Performance, had a record in the charts and performed in front of the late Queen Elizabeth on multiple occasions.

Now, members of the choir have made a return to Llangollen, after receiving a special invite from the festival to mark the fortieth anniversary of their historic win. 

Last week, Manchester 'Boys', Lee Woods, John O'Grady, Adam Kelly, Jonny Helm, Mark Brandreth and David Hennigan presented the Eisteddfod Open Children's Choir Trophy to The Musical Originals Singers from Jersey, the very same trophy they won in 1985.

One member of the Choir, David Hennigan, formerly of Levenshulme loved the town that much that he now lives there and is a Director of the Festival. 

Last week, BBC Wales news reporter and Eisteddfod stage presenter Iwan Griffiths told the 4,000 strong audience: "In July 1985, forty years ago today, the then little-known Manchester Boys' Choir made their first visit to our Eisteddfod. It was the year they first won the Children's Choir competition, repeating the success in 1989. 

"The Manchester Boys Choir travelled the world, winning competition after competition and performed in the some of the World's biggest concert halls. It all started for this celebrated choir in Llangollen - they became one of the foremost Children's Choirs in the World and a favourite of Llangollen audiences. So today, we are bringing some of their members back on stage."

Lee Woods, sang all over the World with the choir and even starred in a feature film alongside Michael Williams (late husband of Judi Dench) Lee presented the award on behalf of the choir. 

He said: "We have all got such fond memories of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. To be invited to hand over the trophy we won in 1985 was a great accolade and a tribute to the hundreds of lads who enjoyed such amazing opportunities through the Manchester City Council-funded choir. Like Luciano Pavarotti, it all started for us in Llangollen. This win opened the world to hundreds of young lads from Manchester and dozens of them now have work as musical professionals across the world. We'd like to thank the festival for welcoming us back with open arms."

With over 4000 competitors coming from across the world for this year's Llangollen Eisteddfod, the festival is synonymous with musical excellence. The Manchester Boys' Choir are still fondly remembered in Llangollen and the lads received a huge reception on its iconic stage. The lads even joined together for a performance on its field before taking to the festival's huge stage.

David Hennigan, a Board Director at the Llangollen Eisteddfod and a former Manchester City councillor said: "We are so proud of our time in the choir. Lads from Manchester and the surrounding towns took the world by storm. In 1985, I fell in love with Llangollen and the Eisteddfod. 

"I always said I wanted to live here and joined the festival's Board in 2023. As a festival, we wanted to recognise the amazing achievements of the Manchester Boys Choir. I was so pleased to bring the boys back on stage to recognise not only what they achieved in 1985 but also pay tribute to our Ambassadors for Manchester."