Wales still has international outlook despite Brexit says Economy Secretary

* Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, at the Eisteddfod. 

DESPITE Britain’s exit from Europe, Wales is a still a welcoming and internationalist country.

That was the message from the Welsh Government’s new Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, Ken Skates AM, when he visited the 70^th Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod yesterday (Thursday).

Mr Skates, who represents the Clwyd South constituency in which the Eisteddfod is based, is a long-time visitor to the festival and serves as one of its Vice Presidents.

After around two years as Wales’s Deputy Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, he took on his new much wider ministerial responsibilities following the recent Welsh Assembly elections.

After touring the Eisteddfod site, he said: “As someone who is from the area, I’ve been a regular visitor to the Eisteddfod at Llangollen for so many years I can hardly remember how long but it’s got to be at least 20.

“In terms of my new portfolio the Eisteddfod has clear economic benefits for the region and especially the Dee Valley as well as significant cultural benefits.

“This year’s festival is particularly important given the need for us to convey the clear message that, in spite of Brexit, Wales is still a welcoming and truly internationalist country.”

Talking about his latest Eisteddfod visit, he added: “After walking around the field I’ve been impressed with the subtle changes which have been made and considerably improved the visitor experience.

“For example, I have noted the repositioning of certain marquees and better branding, which all contribute to the overall vibrancy of the Eisteddfod field.

“It’s a pleasure to be here again.”

Mr Skates then praised the quality of this years’ festival programme, which has included hugely successful evening concert appearances by opera stars Bryn Terfel, Noah Stewart and Kate Aldrich, along with popular music headliners Jules Holland and Collabro plus a host of world-class music and cultural competitions. 

He said: “This year’s line-up of performers and competitors is second to none.”

Eisteddfod Chairman Rhys Davies said: “It’s always a pleasure to have Ken Skates here at Llangollen.

“He has always been a staunch supporter of the festival and of our aims to be  a truly international event where Wales welcomes the world.”

Bryn harmonises with kids at music workshop

* Bryn Terfel and Pendine Park owner Mario Kreft

with children from Mario’s old primary school in Trefnant.

Opera superstar Bryn Terfel harmonised with youngsters having fun with music at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

Taking a break from rehearsals for the 70^th Gala Classical Concert, Bryn paid a whistle-stop visit to the tent where the award-winning Pendine Park care organisation was hosting a morning of musical workshops as part of the festival’s Children’s Day activities.

Youngsters from a host of visiting schools joined 15 residents from the Pendine Park care home in Wrexham in warm-up movement exercises and a sing-along, clapping and swaying in time to the music and beating out the rhythm using maracas and tambourines.

Leading the sessions were Jenny Pearson, a freelance singer and tutor, and pianist Annette Bryn Parri, who have both worked with the Welsh National Opera. 

The workshops were of Pendine’s pioneering enrichment programme, which enhances the experience of residents and also plays a key role in personal training and staff development.

Around 20 Pendine staff were on hand to make sure that the morning ran smoothly.

Midway through one of the sessions Bryn and his girlfriend, former Royal harpist Hannah Stone, slipped quietly into the back of the tent.

But, along with Pendine proprietor Mario Kreft, Bryn quickly entered into the spirit of things by joining in the exercises and at one stage added his rich bass-baritone to the singing of the Banana Song.

Mario was also thrilled to see pupils from his old school, Ysgol Trefnant in Denbigh, being ushered into the tent to join the session.

Later, Bryn said: “Usually when I come to the Eisteddfod I don’t have much time to see what’s happening around the field but as my concert rehearsal doesn’t start until a little later I thought I’d pop into the tent and see what was going on.

“I’m glad that I did because workshops like this are such an important corner of musical therapy.

“My mother worked at a special school in Caernarfon, so this sort of environment has always been part of my life.”

Among those enjoying the session was one of the Pendine Park residents, 72-year-old Christine Jones, who clapped and sang along enthusiastically with the music.

She said: “I’ve been to these workshops in previous years and I really look forward to them.

“They’re so much fun and I love being here with the children as I have a grandson and a grand-daughter of my own.”

Also loving every minute of the session was fellow Pendine Park resident, 91-year-old Bill Evans, a veteran of the World War Two Normandy campaign.

He said: “I love watching the kids having fun and singing along with them.

“I used to live just up the road in Trevor so I came to the Eisteddfod quite often, including the time when Prince Charles and Princess Diana came.”

At the other end of the age range, eight-year-old Megan Grace from Ysgol Trefnant, was also lapping up every minute of it.

Megan, from Denbigh, said: “I’ve been joining in with the singing and the movements and having lots of fun.

“I’ve never been to the Eisteddfod before so I’m looking forward to going around the field to see the other things happening later.”

Visiting from Meadows Primary School in Oswestry was nine-year-old Lewis Jennings who said: “I came here last year and it was really good, so I wanted to come back again.

“It’s great to join in the singing and exercises with the other children and I’m really enjoying it.”

Sarah Edwards, Pendine Park’s artist in residence who helped organise the workshops, said: “There’s always a huge amount of interest both from the schools and the residents who tell me how much they enjoy them.

“There’s a full programme of activities going on in the Pendine tent throughout the week as part of our enrichment programme, including our pop-up health and beauty salon and pop-up pub serving Pendine Punch and mocktails.

“We’ll also have a recital by harpist Nia Davies Williams.

“It’s lovely to see the way the children and older people interact.”

Mario Kreft said: “A key element in what we do at Pendine Park is bringing together older people with dementia and children.

“The workshops are about raising awareness that old age is nothing to be frightened of and understanding how the arts and music can help change people’s lives for the better.

“We love to be involved with the Eisteddfod because of its ethos of peace and understanding and these sessions are an extension of that.”

Eisteddfod loves saying it with flowers

* Flower Power – Floral Committee volunteers.

IT started with just a few blooms in jam jars to hide the tent poles but over the past 70 years the tradition of beautifying Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod with flowers has become as well rooted as the iconic festival itself.

Marjorie Pierce, a keen gardener, and also something of a folk dancer, began the tradition at the first Eisteddfod and over her 35 years as chairwoman she led her “ladies” from being a minor off-shoot of the Grounds Committee to a 50-strong independent Floral Committee. 

Since her time there have only been two other chairwomen – Jean Walker, who reigned over her floral empire for about 15 years, and the current incumbent Sandy Attenburrow who has so far done a similar stint.

She said: “The Eisteddfod main stage has grown in size dramatically over the years and so has the challenge to create new and exciting floral decorations each year.

“The work starts with the cutting and collecting of lorry loads of greenery, known as thuja. The superstructures of the displays then have to be erected.

“Filling the containers with water takes days as does the wiring in of the thuja. 

“At the last possible moment the flower arrangers feverishly set to work on their designated patches.”

The majority of the flowers are brought in fresh from the growing fields of Holland a few days before the festival begins, while others come from the gardens of committee members.

As the weather dictates the colours and varieties that are available, pre-planning is limited, the skill is in their creative improvisation. 

Sandy added: “We look at the weather and then work out a colour scheme. We then freshen things up every day as extra flowers come in.

“All this is pretty labour intensive, so our team of 30 volunteers – mostly ladies but with just one man – are kept busy throughout the week.

“The main display we do is the one in front of the main stage, which consists of literally thousands of individual flowers.

“This year that includes roses, lilies, gladioli, delphiniums and foxgloves, although this time around we’ve had a bit of a problem getting everything we need because the weather in the Netherlands has been so bad.

“That has also had an effect on the price. Last year, for instance, we spent a total of about £2,000 but this time it’s around £2,500.

“However, we break even on our costings every year and that will still be the case.”

As well as the consistently breath-taking floral display in front of the main stage, Sandy and her dedicated team also provide the arrangements placed right across the festival site.

They also lovingly create the posies and baskets traditionally presented to star acts at the evening concerts.

Floral Committee volunteers come from Llangollen and places further afield such as Leicester, Chester and Shrewsbury as well as Denbigh and Ruthin.

Some have been volunteering for many years and a couple of the ladies are playing the generation game, following in the flower strewn footsteps of their mothers who were also part of the committee.

Sandy said: “The flowers are an Eisteddfod tradition, following on from the flowers in jam jars of the very earliest days and becoming more ambitious every year.

“I think our displays are important because they bring in the smell of summer, brighten things up and take away the gloom.

“I think they’re very special for all our competitors and performers and also, of course, our visitors.

“On the last day of the festival, the Sunday, another tradition is to let whoever wants them take away all the flowers in exchange for a donation.

“This helps to pay for the displays and also brightens up the whole town when they take them home.”

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