Fringe boasts stellar list of acts

* The Easy Star All-Stars.

Llangollen Fringe Festival will return for its 19th edition this year, from July 14-24.

It will see over 5,000 people visit the town over 11 days of music, theatre, dance, literature and more.

The Fringe has become renowned for the famous names it is able to attract to the small corner of North East Wales in the Dee Valley and this year is no exception as the festival boasts a stellar list of main attractions.

* Duke Special.

This includes Ska Legends The Selecter, Supergrass drummer Danny Goffey’s new band Vangoffey - also featuring members of Babyshambles and other well-known bands - World/Reggae fusion pioneer Jah Wobble and TS Eliot poetry prize winner Sarah Howe who open the first weekend.

The party carries on through the week with US reggae heavyweights The Easy Star All-Stars, famous for their inspired reggae tribute albums such as Dub Side of the Moon and Radiodread which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Welsh music prize winner Gwenno and Belfast’s Duke Special round off the week.

The closing weekend packs just as much of a punch, with headline slots from post punk legends Gang of Four, dance floor fillers Dreadzone and a finale outdoor concert with the Spain’s Ultra High Flamenco, in the breathtaking surroundings of Valle Crucis Abbey.

There are also numerous workshops, themed concerts on the Steam Railway and Canal Boats and family activities throughout the festival.

* Gwenno.

This year’s edition has a sad note, in that it marks the passing of one of the founders of the event, Dave Lee, who sadly died this year.

A spokesperson for the festival said: “We’re really sad to hear that Dave has passed, he was one of the founders of the festival back in 1997 and brought many great bands, performers and public figures to Llangollen. We’d like to dedicate this year’s event to his memory.”

Tickets for the whole festival are on sale now. Priced at £85, the festival ticket allows access to all of the main events across the 11 days.

* Festival tickets and full listings are available from www.llangollenfringe.co.uk, or by calling the Fringe box office on 0800 1455 779.

Eisteddfod discovers long lost Pavarotti recording

* The Chorus Rossini from Modena who won

the choral competition at Llangollen in 1995 –

the 19-year-old Luciano Pavarotti is circled.

A long lost recording of the choir which launched the career of legendary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti has been discovered in the archives of an iconic music festival.

The priceless recording was on a CD hidden among the archives in the Eisteddfod offices and it was found by the festival’s Operations Manager Sian Eagar.

Pavarotti was just 19 and a trainee teacher when he came to the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in 1955 with his father, Fernando, as part of Chorus Rossini, from Modena.

They left as the overall winning choir and Pavarotti went home determined to make music his career and afterwards said that winning at Llangollen was the spark that ignited that determination.

In 1995 on his triumphant return to Llangollen he said: “I always say that to the journalists when they ask me what is a day more memorable in my life, and I always say that it is when I won this competition because it was with all my friends.”

* Superstar tenor Luciano

Pavarotti on his return to Llangollen in 1995.

Sian Eagar, a schoolgirl volunteer at the Eisteddfod when Pavarotti returned to Llangollen in 1995, said: “It was among a pile of things in a tray and written on it was Pavarotti 1955.

“I didn’t know what to think and didn’t want to get too excited but it seems to be the real thing.

“It had been produced by the Welsh Development Agency in 1991 with material from the BBC and from 1955.

“Back then all the performances were recorded and put on vinyl so it could have been re-recorded from that as part of the build-up to Pavarotti’s 1995 return to Llangollen.

“There are three tracks on it, one a recording of a Pavarotti press conference from 1991 when he’s asked by a BBC Wales reporter about Llangollen and two songs by the Chorus Rossini from 1955 – they’re not very long and they’re a bit crackly but these must be incredibly rare recordings and quite historic.

“We have already made copies of them but it would be interesting to hear from anyone who has the original vinyl from 1955.”

Pavarotti, who died in 2007, had joined his local choir because his father, Fernando, a baker, was a stalwart member and the moment the Modena choir won the competition and the visit to Llangollen left an indelible impression on him and he often spoke of it. 

The experience also helped shape his destiny and he once famously said that if he could win the first prize with a small choir from Modena, he could do anything.

He and his father stayed at the home of Alice and William Griffiths, at Beech House, Froncysyllte, for the week of the Eisteddfod and he once said of his time boarding with the Griffiths family in Fron: “I remember well the house I stayed in. All the way from Italy, I was exercising my English. But when we are brought to the house in Llangollen and meet the family, I understand not a word.

“I did not know there was such a language as Welsh. Even now I think how lucky they don’t write operas in such a language for me to sing. I would be out of work. It is impossible for us Italians to learn.”

Pavarotti said many times that he wanted to go back to Llangollen one day and that desire was fulfilled in 1995 when he made his triumphant return to headline at that year’s festival, marking the 40^th anniversary of his first visit to north Wales.

He accepted an invitation to be President of the Day, on condition that his father could share the Day Presidency with him, so for the first and only time, the Eisteddfod had two joint Presidents of the Day.

Former Eisteddfod Chairman Gethin Davies was an usher back in 1955 and admits he doesn’t recall the young Pavarotti. He said: “I kept a diary in those days and was looking through it recently and it just said, ‘Male Voice Choir today and a choir from Italy won’. I think I was more interested in my current girlfriend.

“I’ve got the video recording of the 1995 concert and still watch it – it still pops up on the Sky Arts Channel quite regularly too.”

Tickets sales for the concerts at this year’s Eisteddfod, which begins on Tuesday, July 5, are already going well, especially for the opening night when superstar Katherine Jenkins gets the programme off to a sensational start as she sings Bizet’s Carmen.

Wednesday will be International Children’s Day and will include choral and dance competitions and also a new Under 16s solo competition while the evening will feature the Voices of Musical Theatre.

The great Bryn Terfel will headline the 70^th Classical Gala Concert on Thursday evening while the day will see the crowning of the Children’s Choir of the World.

Friday will celebrate Rhythms of the World and will be a feast of music and dance from the best of the Eisteddfod’s international competitors with the Dance Champions of the World competition climax at the evening concert.

It will open with a Caribbean Carnival Extravaganza, followed by the International Peace message delivered by Theatr yr Ifanc, Rhosllannerchrugog.

In a change of the scheduling Friday will also see the Parade of Nations, led by Eisteddfod President Terry Waite, switched from Tuesday in anticipation of bigger crowds and more competitors being present.

Saturday is dedicated to the top choirs and concludes with the Choir of the World competition for the Pavarotti Trophy while Sunday sees the Eisteddfod let its hair down for Llanfest before the climactic final concert.

To book tickets and for more details on the 2016 festival go to the website at www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

Hollywood actor to narrate Eisteddfod's Carmen

* Actor Julian Lloyd Lewis with Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood and Adjoa Andoh who plays Nelson Mandela's Chief of Staff Brenda Mazibuko in Invictus.

A Hollywood actor who has worked with movie greats Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman is heading for a blockbuster performance in North Wales.

The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod have pulled off a major coup in signing up Julian Lewis Jones to narrate the concert adaptation of Georges Bizet's opera Carmen starring internationally acclaimed opera stars Kate Aldrich and Noah Stewart at the opening concert this evening (Tuesday, July 5).

One of Julian's next projects will be what's likely to be the most expensive film in cinema history, Justice League, which is based on the DC Comics superhero characters.

He rose to international prominence after his leading role in the 2009 film, Invictus, in which he played Etienne Feyder, the head of Nelson Mandela’s bodyguard team.

According to Julian, 48, working on the Oscar-nominated movie which was directed by Eastwood and co-starred Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon was a "wonderful experience".

This will not be the first time the Anglesey-born actor will have been on the Llangollen stage as he introduced an evening concert at the festival more than five years ago.

Julian, a married father-of-three, said: “This will be a very different experience for me and narrating an opera isn’t something I have ever done before. This will be something new and I’m chuffed to have been asked to do it.

“My role as narrator is to set the scene for the audience so they know what is happening and what each scene is all about. It will be new for me too as I have never worked with opera as an art form before.

“I’m looking forward to seeing Kate Aldrich and Noah Stewart. I have only been able to check out Kate’s profile on the internet but it’s clear she is a top, top star on the world stage. And I believe Noah Stewart is already a firm favourite with the Llangollen audience.

“I don’t often get back to North Wales as much as I’d like but always enjoy Llangollen. It’s been too long since I was there and I’m delighted to be going back.

“I’m really busy at the moment and have just finished filming a new film for Warner Brothers, Justice League, which is a new superhero film based on the DC Comics superhero characters.

“I’m not allowed to say yet what part I play but let’s just say I’ve a role in what will likely be the most expensive film ever made. It was filmed at Warner Brother’s studio at Leavesden as well as at various locations around the UK and Iceland.

“Directed by Zak Snyder it stars Ben Affleck, Jeremy Irons and host of A-list actors. I’m just happy to have been involved and I’m looking forward to the movie’s release which will be next year.”

Julian admits his big break came when he landed the role in Invictus which told the story of events in South Africa before and during the 1995 Rugby World Cup which was hosted in the country just after apartheid ended.

He added: “Invictus certainly brought recognition and opened previously locked doors for me. Working with people like Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon and Adjoa Andoh is amazing.

“There are no huge egos, no airs and graces. These are just ordinary people doing an extraordinary job. They work incredibly hard and Clint Eastwood in particular I found to be a really decent and talented man.”

“I’m busy with a few projects of my own at the moment. I’m the executive producer for a British film, Rugby Girls, which will tell the story of the first women’s rugby world cup which was held in Wales in 1991.

“It’s an amazing story and we are hoping to begin filming later this year.  I’ve also being doing plenty of television stuff and am working on a project for a new TV fishing series.”

Llangollen's music director Eilir Owen Griffiths was thrilled Julian Lewis Jones had agreed to be the narrator.

He said: “The Llangollen audience will be treated to a world-class opera stars in Kate Aldrich and Noah Stewart.

“No one performs the role of Carmen like Kate can; she is truly world class and has performed at the world’s very best opera venues. It is her signature role and she is rightly known as the Carmen of her generation.

“And who could forget the reception tenor Noah Stewart received when he performed at Llangollen a few years ago and sang the Welsh hymn, Calon Lan.

“This will be Noah’s third appearance at Llangollen and he is already a huge favourite with the knowledgeable Llangollen audience.

“It might be the first concert of this year’s festival but it’s an event that going to set the bar very high and will be, undoubtedly, a concert that will live long in the memory of every one privileged to witness it.”

For more information about the festival and the box office please visit www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

Dahl centenary to be celebrated at Eisteddfod

* Actor Sean Jones during a story-telling workshop at Ysgol Y Gwernant.

The colourful cast of "scrumdiddlyumptious" will come to life at an iconic music and dance festival.

The centenary of the birth of a Welsh-born literary genius, Roald Dahl, will be celebrated at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

The annual children’s concert entitled Roald Dahl's Phizz-whizzing Big Friendly Concert will see the return of talented percussonist Owen Gunnell and the Llangollen Chamber Orchestra.

The programme will include Three Little Pigs by Paul Patterson, dancing by Kajal Sharma, the International Peace Message by Rhosllannerchrugog's Theatr yr Ifanc and a few extra surprises also.

Characters such as Fantastic Mr Fox, Willy Wonka, Matilda and her nemesis Miss Trunchball will all play a part thanks to the Denbighshire Schools Takeovers 2016 project.
The project will see 24 of the county’s primary, special and secondary schools take part in Roald Dahl workshops and will culminate with a promenade performance involving a company of young Ysgol Dinas Bran pupils.

Denbighshire Education and Children Service’s curriculum enrichment officer Sarah Dixon says the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod will be the finale of what has been an amazing project.

Speaking at workshops being held at Llangollen’s Ysgol y Gwernant, she said: “This is our 20^th school so far and by the time we finish we will have reached more than 3,000 pupils.

“We are looking at different Roald Dahl books and characters with each school. We arrive at participating schools early so we are ahead of Breakfast Clubs.

“We decorate the school with balloons and Roald Dahl-themed art work and we all wear project tee-shirts.

“The workshops include storytelling and drama, musical theatre and puppetry and mask making. Each of the 23 participating schools will make a large puppet based on a Roald Dahl character which will be worn by a pupil from the school.

“The 23 puppets will be paraded through the Eisteddfod field ahead of the promenade performance.

“Literacy is the golden thread that runs through every school subject and we want to encourage children to not just read but enjoy what they read.

“I’m really looking forward to the International Eisteddfod’s Children’s Day and what will be something new and exciting.” 

Theatre director Bethan Mascarenhas, who also runs the project’s musical theatre workshops, said: “Children’s Day at this year’s International Eisteddfod is going to be a spectacular celebration of Roald Dahl.

He said: “The promenade performance, which I am directing, involves a company of young actors from my old school, Ysgol Dinas Bran. The performance will start on the main stage and will then move around the Eisteddfod site.

“It’s going to be spectacular and something really special and of course we will have the parade of Roald Dahl character-themed puppets that each school participating in the project have made.

“I have really enjoyed going into schools and working with pupils during musical theatre workshops. We include children of all ages from nursery all the way up to year 10.

“It’s been amazing as schools, both pupils and teachers, have really engaged with the project and shown so much enthusiasm.

“I think it helps that we have moved away from that high-pressured learning environment and instead have encouraged learning through the arts such as dance and acting.”

Professional actor Sean Jones, of Denbigh, who has toured with the stage production of Blood Brothers and who regularly plays the comic in Rhyl’s annual pantomime, said: “It’s been amazing and really good fun. It’s clear the children have loved every minute of it. I hope it encourages children to read and enjoy books as well as giving drama and acting a try.”

Manon Roberts, a teaching assistant at Ysgol y Gwernant, sat in on workshops and says pupils have thoroughly enjoyed the project.

She said: “It’s been amazing and the children have really engaged with the whole Roald Dahl experience. Of course many of the children are already aware of the characters and can relate to the stories.”

Molly Jones and Llyr Jones, Ysgol y Gwernant Year 4 pupils, had the chance to act in a scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory a storytelling and drama workshop run by actor Sean Jones.

Molly said: “Willy Wonka is a really funny book and I enjoyed hearing the story and playing a part. It was a bit silly but good fun.

“I like Roald Dahl books; there are always funny and silly characters that make you laugh.”
Llyr added: “I like Roald Dahl books and Willy Wonka is my favourite. It wasn’t like a normal lesson and we could be a bit silly which was good fun.

“The actor who read the story was very good and made us all laugh a lot. It’s been really, really good fun.”

Eilir Owen Griffiths, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod’s musical director says Children’s day is always a special event at the festival.

He said: “It’s what the Eisteddfod is all about and it’s certainly a day I always look forward to every year. This year Children’s day, which will be held on Wednesday July 6^th will be a day of celebration in what is Roald Dahl’s centenary year.

“There is so much going on including a promenade performance which promises to be something completely different. There will also be international dance groups, choirs and workshops as well as giant bubbles, stilt walkers, Bollywood dancers and African drumming.

“Children’s Day is special and uniquely Llangollen. The festival quite simply wouldn’t be the same without it."

To find out more about the Llangollen International Eisteddfod and what is going on visit www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

County seeks your views on public services

Denbighshire County Council says there's a lot of change ahead for public services and it is keen to hear people's ideas on what's important to them, and to discuss with them what needs to change in their local area.

This summer public services will be arranging a number of events in local communities to hear what you think.

This will cover:

* What is working well for you now in your local community;

* Your hopes and aspirations for the future;

* How we can build on what is working well now and make this future a reality;

* What might get in the way of these things happening

The nearest session to Llangollen will be taking place on Tuesday July 12 at Carrog Village Hall.

Refreshments will be provided at 6pm before the start of the meeting at 6.15pm.

If you’d like to attend, please register your interest by emailing strategicplanningteam@denbighshire.gov.uk, or calling on 01824 706291.

Alternatively, you can share your thoughts on the above questions by visiting the council’s website: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/consultations;  by calling the Strategic Planning Team on 01824 706291, or emailing strategicplanningteam@denbighshire.gov.uk.

You can also fill in a form at your local library.

County raises concerns over superfast broadband

Denbighshire County Council has expressed concern about what it claims is a lack of information from Welsh Government about the Superfast Cymru broadband roll-out in the county.

During a meeting of Denbighshire’s Performance Scrutiny Committee in April, the council was assured by BT that the Welsh Government had a ‘not-spot’ map in place that the council could access.  

This map would identify the areas and residents that will not be able to access superfast broadband after the roll-out.

Despite requests to Welsh Government, the council has yet to receive the information requested.  

It had invited Welsh Government to attend the Scrutiny Committee in April, to provide a full picture, but they declined. If they had attended, the council believes it would be in possession of better information by now.

Superfast Cymru is a project between Welsh Government and BT to deliver fibre broadband to parts of the country not covered by a commercial roll-out of broadband.

The project aims to ensure 96% of premises have access to broadband with speeds upwards of 30 mbps. The most recent figures for Denbighshire from Welsh Government show that the roll-out in the county is 69% complete, with take up at 25.4%.

Leader of Denbighshire, Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, who is also Cabinet Lead Member for the Economy, said: "Improving broadband connectivity is an important strand of our corporate priority to developing the local economy.

“It’s an issue that’s raised by businesses and residents on a regular basis, particularly in rural areas. Broadband access is critical to the success of local businesses, providing them with an opportunity to be competitive in the customer market.  It is also vital for residents from a social and wellbeing aspect.

“Despite the requests to Welsh Government, the information on the ‘not-spots’ is not forth-coming. We feel that we are being repeatedly ignored.

“All we want is information that we can share with residents and businesses who may need to think about alternative means of getting reliable broadband.  The fact that the information is not being provided makes it difficult for residents to make those alternative arrangements.

“There are also mixed messages coming from Welsh Government and BT around the timing of the roll out, with press comment over the weekend contradicting the timings we have been told by BT.

“I am now urging the Minister to work with us to make sure we are not left behind in the digital backwaters."

MP calls for tougher laws on bank closures

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones MP has repeated her call for tougher laws and regulation to make it illegal for communities to be left without banks and access to financial services.

She was one of a cross-party group of MPs who petitioned for yesterday's debate (June 30) in the House of Commons on bank branch closures.

She said: "Between April 2015 and April 2016, more than 600 bank branches have closed across our country, with 333 having closed since January.

"We've had eight branch banks close in the Clwyd South constituency in the last six years, leaving us now with only one. As well as the recent closures in Chirk and Ruabon, we've also had bank branch closures in Rhos, Cefn Mawr, Llangollen and Corwen.

"We need to have some sort of legal minimum standard, an universal banking obligation, that prevents this from happening. There are different ways this can happen.

"These include developing what Post Offices can do, especially relating to business banking, community banking hubs and even possibly making it compulsory for a full mobile service to be available wherever a bank has closed in the last 10 years."

The MP and other campaigners will follow up the debate by making formal representation to Professor Russell Griggs  who has been appointed as the independent reviewer of the British Bankers' Association.