Pavarotti's 1995 Llangollen concert to be released on disc

Three decades after it was recorded one of the most iconic voices in music history returns to captivate audiences with the release by Mercury Studios of "Pavarotti: The Lost Concert – Live at Llangollen 1995" on November 21.

This remarkable and previously unreleased performance by the legendary Luciano Pavarotti, recorded at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in 1995, will finally be available to fans on Blu-ray disc. 

Keeping a long-held promise, Luciano Pavarotti returned to Llangollen in 1995 to give a special gala concert at the International Musical Eisteddfod 40 years after winning a singing competition as part of a choir from his hometown of Modena that changed the course of his life in 1955.

This historic concert captures Pavarotti, at the height of his powers, performing with the BBC Philharmonic, soprano Atzuko Kawahara and Corale Rossini, offering a rare glimpse into an unforgettable evening of music, passion, and artistry.

This year marks what would have been the maestro's 90th birthday on October 12 and to honour this milestone, Decca Records is spearheading PAVAROTTI 90, a worldwide tribute celebrating the tenor's unmatched contribution to classical music, his international appeal, and his legacy of bringing opera to the masses.

They will release this concert in full, alongside two never-before heard tracks from 1955 – the earliest known recordings of his voice aged just 19.

Decca will release, on the same day, the audio component of The Lost Concert: Live from Llangollen 1995. The recording has been mastered with the latest technology and comes with a 100-page collector's book filled with essays, photographs, and archive material. 

It also includes two original 1955 recordings of the Corale Rossini, Bonjour mon coeur and In Nomine Jesu, believed to be the earliest surviving audio featuring Pavarotti's voice, as well as a rare interview where he recalls his first visit to Wales.

Speaking about the significance of the event, Nicoletta Mantovani, Pavarotti's widow, who visited this year's Eisteddfod, said: "It was the beginning of everything. Luciano often said that without Llangollen, there would have been no career."

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Local MP welcomes major clean-energy project for region

Clwyd East MP Becky Gittins (pictured) has welcomed a major clean-energy investment which will create hundreds of skilled jobs and help cut carbon emissions in North Wales.  

Two world-leading carbon capture projects – including the UK’s first carbon-capture-enabled cement plant at Padeswood in Flintshire – have signed final contracts with government, unlocking construction and securing 500 clean-energy jobs across North Wales and the North West.  

Backed by £9.4 billion of UK Government investment in carbon capture, the Padeswood project will remove around 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ every year, protecting skilled manufacturing jobs and helping to keep British cement competitive as the UK moves to net zero. 

Becky Gittins said: “This is a huge boost for Flintshire and the wider Clwyd East economy. Padeswood will not only cut emissions on an unprecedented scale but will secure and create the kind of high-quality, long-term jobs our communities deserve. 

“North Wales has the expertise and ambition to lead the clean energy revolution – and today’s announcement proves it.” 

The Padeswood plant, developed by Heidelberg Materials UK, will be one of the first anchor projects within the HyNet carbon capture network, which will safely transport and store captured CO₂ under Liverpool Bay. Together with a sister project at Protos in Ellesmere Port, the two sites will remove 1.2 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, supporting 2,800 jobs across the wider HyNet cluster. 

Ms Gittins added: “This is a clear sign that the UK’s transition to net zero can go hand-in-hand with the creation of good quality jobs and industrial growth right here in North Wales.” 

 

Community transport social outings October to December.

Here are the South Denbighshire Community Partnership community transport social outings for Llangollen between October and December.  

Bookings open three weeks before each trip so bookings cannot be taken earlier. 

You will also need to be a registered member with SDCP and have paid a £10 membership fee to use its Community Transport for the year. 

Llangollen seller puts rare 50p coin up for sale online

The Rhyl Journal has a story about a rare 50p coin expected to fetch more than £4,000 after being listed for sale online by a Llangollen seller.

* For the full story, go to: Denbighshire seller lists rare coin on eBay for over £4,000 | Rhyl Journal 

Latest local roadworks alerts from Denbighshire County Council

Latest local roadworks alerts from Denbighshire County Council are:

Cyffordd / Jct Grange Road BACHE MILL ROAD 06/10/2025 26/10/2025 Gwaith Nwy / Gas Works

OPP 10 Regent Street JNC QUEEN STREET AND CHURCH STREET Llangollen LL2 BROOK STREET 15/09/2025 02/10/2025 Gwaith BT/ BT Works SUNBELT RENTALS (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure 

Junction of Chapel Street and Regent Street CHAPEL STREET 06/10/2025 25/10/2025 Gwaith Nwy / Gas Works GTC LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure 

MS highlights devastating impact of migraine

In Migraine Awareness Week, North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has highlighted the devastating impact of this neurological condition on those affected and referred to research which highlights the disadvantages faced by people with migraine in the workplace.

Mr Isherwood raised the matter in yesterday afternoon’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament when calling for a Welsh Government Statement on support for people with migraine in the workplace.   

He said: “This week is Migraine Awareness Week. Migraine is widely misunderstood as ‘just a headache’, yet it is a serious neurological condition causing debilitating pain, visual disturbances and nausea, affecting one in seven people in Wales - nearly half a million individuals.

“Research released this week by the Migraine Trust, 'Challenging Stigma: the urgent need to improve workplace support for people with migraine', highlights the shocking disadvantages faced by people with migraine in the workplace.

“Findings show that 60 per cent of employers would hesitate to hire a qualified candidate with migraine. Additionally, 15 per cent of sufferers have had to move from full-time to part-time work, and 19 per cent have been forced to leave employment entirely, at significant cost to the economy, a situation, I'm sure you'll agree, that is both sad and unnecessary.

“Straightforward, low-cost adaptations and a change in workplace culture can be transformative for many people with migraine and their ability to work. 

“I urge all Members of the Senedd to support the Migraine Trust in raising awareness and improving understanding of this important issue, and I call for a Statement from the Welsh Government accordingly.

Responding, the Trefnydd, Jane Hutt MS, thanked Mr Isherwood for raising “a very important topic” and said the Welsh Government “recognise the debilitating effects of migraines”.

She added:  “We continue to work with the NHS to improve care services and access to services. It's Migraine Awareness Week, and it's important, and we've all heard how we should address this in the workplace as well. It's a chronic condition. We do have the all-Wales headache toolkit, which supports front-line clinical teams in diagnosing and planning care for people experiencing different types of headaches, including migraine. But also, as you drew attention to the workplace particularly, I will refer your question and your point to the Minister for Social Partnership in terms of our engagement with social partners.”