The latest 'On Song' column from the Llanelli Star
The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in and around Llanelli) from the Llanelli Star -
It’s always a pleasure to the shine the spotlight on a ‘local lad’ making it big in the world of opera.
This week, the spotlight shines on Pembrey baritone Gary Griffiths, who is currently making his mark with Opera di Firenze in Florence, Italy.
The 32-year-old is playing the part of Maximilian in Candide, the operetta with music composed by Leonard Bernstein, based on the novella of the same name by Voltaire.
It’s going to be a busy year for Gary; in July, he will be back in the UK playing the role of Malatesta in Don Pasquale with Longborough festival Opera at Moreton-in-Marsh.
The winner of the Welsh Singers Competition in 2012, Gary was a finalist representing Wales in the 2013 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where in 2009 he won the prestigious Gold Medal Competition.
At the Welsh National Opera, where he began as an Associate Artist, he made a critically acclaimed debut in 2011 as Guglielmo (Così fan tutte). His other roles with the company include Cecil (Maria Stuarda), Masetto (Don Giovanni), Claudio (Béatrice et Bénédict), and Schaunard in a new production of La Bohème (for which he was awarded the Welsh Theatre Critics’ Award).
His recent concert appearances include Berlioz ‘Les Troyens’ with Valery Gergiev and the London Symphony Orchestra, Grieg’s Peer Gynt with the Hallé Orchestra conducted by Nikolaj Znaider, Fauré Requiem with John Wilson and the RTE Concert Orchestra, Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius with the Berliner Kantorei, Mozart’s Requiem with the orchestra of the Welsh National Opera conducted by Christoph Poppen, a gala performance at the National Eisteddfod of Wales with the Welsh Chamber Orchestra, and Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast at the Barbican with the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins.
A committed recitalist, he has appeared at the Oxford Lieder Festival with Sholto Kynoch, the Cowbridge Music Festival with Joseph Middleton, King’s Place with Iain Burnside, the Ludlow English Song Weekend with Simon Lepper, Chipping Campden Music, in Harrogate, Dore Abbey and St. David’s Hall, Cardiff.
Truly, Gary is flying the flag for Pembrey and Llanelli on the international circuit. In September, he will be performing in Maesteg. But let’s hope he can fit in a date closer to ‘home’ during 2015!
Côr Meibion Llanelli (Llanelli Male Voice Choir) will be holding a special concert with The Three Welsh Tenors at the Selwyn Samuel Centre on Sunday, July 12.
And they will also be joined by some extra special guests – Llangennech Junior School Choir - Ysgol Iau Llangennech.
The school choir performed admirably in the BBC Songs of Praises to deliver a "faultless" performance to come top in the junior school choir category.
The Three Welsh Tenors will have their work cut out at the big concert on July 12 as the Llangennech pupils will be doing their best to outshine them.
The Three Welsh Tenors, Rhys Meirion, Aled Hall and Aled Wyn Davies since December 2014 (Alun Rhys-Jenkins original member), first came together to sing as a trio for the Celtfest extravaganza in Cardiff as part of a spectacular line up of stars to entertain rugby fans prior to a Wales vs New Zealand match.
Tickets are £15 and available from the Selwyn Samuel centre 07798 870598, the Halfway Hotel 01554 773571 and any Côr Meibion Llanelli chorister.
Meanwhile, lovers of fine music will be delighted to learn that Wales’s leading chamber orchestra Sinfonia Cymru will be teaming up with one of the UK’s foremost specialists in Baroque music for a tour a visit to Llanelli this weekend.
Guest Director and violinist Rachel Podger will join the orchestra for a performance of music by Bach, Purcell, Vivaldi and Telemann at The Ffwrnes, Llanelli (Friday 29 May).
The all-baroque programme is a new venture for the orchestra and as General Manager Sophie Lewis says, “we could not have asked for a better person to direct us through the music of the period than Rachel. The breadth and depth of her understanding is unrivalled and that is why working with her will be such an inspiration for our players.”
As well as establishing the hugely popular annual Brecon Baroque Festival, Rachel Podger has also garnered critical acclaim for her recordings of baroque masterpieces with particular praise for her interpretation of Bach’s Violin Concerto in A Minor and Suite No 3 in D Major. Rachel performs both pieces in May’s concerts alongside Concerto No 10 from Vivaldi’s L’Estro Armonico, subject and title of her recently released CD recording with Brecon Baroque.
Also included in the programme are works by Purcell, Fux and Telemann.
“Whilst Bach and Vivaldi need little introduction to audiences today,” says Rachel, “it is actually the names of Purcell, Fux and Telemann who were probably better known during their lifetimes. Telemann and Purcell definitely enjoyed significant celebrity status back then!”
The full concert programme for the tour is Bach Suite No 3 in D Major, Purcell Suite from The Fairy Queen, Bach Violin Concerto in A Minor, Vivaldi Concerto No 10 from L’Estro Armonico, JJ Fux Ouverture in G Minor and Telemann Concerto in D major.
Robert Lloyd works as a media consultant – www.rlloydpr.co.uk
If you have any news about the choral scene in Llanelli, the please contact him on 07777 683637 or email rlloydpr@btinternet.com
It’s always a pleasure to the shine the spotlight on a ‘local lad’ making it big in the world of opera.
This week, the spotlight shines on Pembrey baritone Gary Griffiths, who is currently making his mark with Opera di Firenze in Florence, Italy.
The 32-year-old is playing the part of Maximilian in Candide, the operetta with music composed by Leonard Bernstein, based on the novella of the same name by Voltaire.
It’s going to be a busy year for Gary; in July, he will be back in the UK playing the role of Malatesta in Don Pasquale with Longborough festival Opera at Moreton-in-Marsh.
The winner of the Welsh Singers Competition in 2012, Gary was a finalist representing Wales in the 2013 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where in 2009 he won the prestigious Gold Medal Competition.
At the Welsh National Opera, where he began as an Associate Artist, he made a critically acclaimed debut in 2011 as Guglielmo (Così fan tutte). His other roles with the company include Cecil (Maria Stuarda), Masetto (Don Giovanni), Claudio (Béatrice et Bénédict), and Schaunard in a new production of La Bohème (for which he was awarded the Welsh Theatre Critics’ Award).
His recent concert appearances include Berlioz ‘Les Troyens’ with Valery Gergiev and the London Symphony Orchestra, Grieg’s Peer Gynt with the Hallé Orchestra conducted by Nikolaj Znaider, Fauré Requiem with John Wilson and the RTE Concert Orchestra, Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius with the Berliner Kantorei, Mozart’s Requiem with the orchestra of the Welsh National Opera conducted by Christoph Poppen, a gala performance at the National Eisteddfod of Wales with the Welsh Chamber Orchestra, and Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast at the Barbican with the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins.
A committed recitalist, he has appeared at the Oxford Lieder Festival with Sholto Kynoch, the Cowbridge Music Festival with Joseph Middleton, King’s Place with Iain Burnside, the Ludlow English Song Weekend with Simon Lepper, Chipping Campden Music, in Harrogate, Dore Abbey and St. David’s Hall, Cardiff.
Truly, Gary is flying the flag for Pembrey and Llanelli on the international circuit. In September, he will be performing in Maesteg. But let’s hope he can fit in a date closer to ‘home’ during 2015!
Côr Meibion Llanelli (Llanelli Male Voice Choir) will be holding a special concert with The Three Welsh Tenors at the Selwyn Samuel Centre on Sunday, July 12.
And they will also be joined by some extra special guests – Llangennech Junior School Choir - Ysgol Iau Llangennech.
The school choir performed admirably in the BBC Songs of Praises to deliver a "faultless" performance to come top in the junior school choir category.
The Three Welsh Tenors will have their work cut out at the big concert on July 12 as the Llangennech pupils will be doing their best to outshine them.
The Three Welsh Tenors, Rhys Meirion, Aled Hall and Aled Wyn Davies since December 2014 (Alun Rhys-Jenkins original member), first came together to sing as a trio for the Celtfest extravaganza in Cardiff as part of a spectacular line up of stars to entertain rugby fans prior to a Wales vs New Zealand match.
Tickets are £15 and available from the Selwyn Samuel centre 07798 870598, the Halfway Hotel 01554 773571 and any Côr Meibion Llanelli chorister.
Meanwhile, lovers of fine music will be delighted to learn that Wales’s leading chamber orchestra Sinfonia Cymru will be teaming up with one of the UK’s foremost specialists in Baroque music for a tour a visit to Llanelli this weekend.
Guest Director and violinist Rachel Podger will join the orchestra for a performance of music by Bach, Purcell, Vivaldi and Telemann at The Ffwrnes, Llanelli (Friday 29 May).
The all-baroque programme is a new venture for the orchestra and as General Manager Sophie Lewis says, “we could not have asked for a better person to direct us through the music of the period than Rachel. The breadth and depth of her understanding is unrivalled and that is why working with her will be such an inspiration for our players.”
As well as establishing the hugely popular annual Brecon Baroque Festival, Rachel Podger has also garnered critical acclaim for her recordings of baroque masterpieces with particular praise for her interpretation of Bach’s Violin Concerto in A Minor and Suite No 3 in D Major. Rachel performs both pieces in May’s concerts alongside Concerto No 10 from Vivaldi’s L’Estro Armonico, subject and title of her recently released CD recording with Brecon Baroque.
Also included in the programme are works by Purcell, Fux and Telemann.
“Whilst Bach and Vivaldi need little introduction to audiences today,” says Rachel, “it is actually the names of Purcell, Fux and Telemann who were probably better known during their lifetimes. Telemann and Purcell definitely enjoyed significant celebrity status back then!”
The full concert programme for the tour is Bach Suite No 3 in D Major, Purcell Suite from The Fairy Queen, Bach Violin Concerto in A Minor, Vivaldi Concerto No 10 from L’Estro Armonico, JJ Fux Ouverture in G Minor and Telemann Concerto in D major.
Robert Lloyd works as a media consultant – www.rlloydpr.co.uk
If you have any news about the choral scene in Llanelli, the please contact him on 07777 683637 or email rlloydpr@btinternet.com
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