Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

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 A...

Excitement is building as Llanelli prepares to welcome international singing star Lesley Garrett in concert this Saturday (October 12) Lesley Garrett will join forces with the Llanelli Choral Society for their prestigious annual concert “From Bach to Broadway and Beyond” which will feature Lesley Garrett, the Llanelli Choral Society and the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers – all under the direction of founder John Hywel Williams MBE. Sponsored by Jenkins Bakery, the grand performance at Ffwrnes theatre will feature an exciting and diverse programme with great choral works from the Llanelli Choral Society from the world of Baroque, highlights from world opera, and momentous moments from Hollywood, Broadway and the Americas. The Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers will perform a beautiful balanced programme spanning sacred moments including Pie Jesu and Panis Angelicus, Strauss’ Tritsch-Tratsch Polka and movie magic from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Sound of Music. The...

Burry Port Opera's production this year will be Bellini's Norma. Performances are Wednesday 31st October, Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd November. All performances start at 7pm at Burry Port Memorial Hall. Norma was first performed in 1831; it is an opera in two acts. The production at Burry Port will be the second time the society has performed Norma; the previous production was in 1979. Story: A secret love unites Norma, a Druid priestess with Pollione the Roman Proconsul, father of her two children. Pollione has grown tired of the aging Druid and has fallen in love with Adalgisa a young temple virgin. Despite Adalgisa 's piety and virtue she agrees to flee to Rome with Pollione. Adalgisa in her innocence tells Norma of her love. Norma curses Pollione for his deceit and treachery. In her trauma Norma contemplates killing her two children in preference to abandoning them to Adalgisa, but in her love for them she finally consigns them to the...

King and I