Posts Categorized: Featured

AROUND 4,000 schoolchildren will join in a day of music and fun to raise the curtain on this summer’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

They will be heading for the International Pavilion to take part in a concert entitled Bongos, Brass and Plenty of Dance which is the centrepiece of Children’s Day, the traditional prelude to the annual cultural festival being staged from July 6-12. The 40-minute musical extravaganza will be staged twice, at 10.30am and again at 12 noon, on the opening day, Tuesday July 7.

The crowds of young visitors will later head out on to the Eisteddfod field to enjoy a packed programme of street theatre complete with clown, stilt walkers and Bollywood dancing. (more…)

Singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright who collaborated with Robbie Williams on his latest album is bringing his unique talent to North Wales.

Wainwright has written an opera in French, partied with George W Bush’s daughter and appeared alongside Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley in Absolutely Fabulous and now he’s set to appear at this summer’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. The son of folk music giants Loudoun Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle will headline the Friday night concert at this year’s 69th Eisteddfod which opens on Tuesday, July 7, and runs until Sunday, July 12.

The American-Canadian is promising the audience an eclectic mix of genres from pop to opera on his North Wales debut and he says he’s very excited about the prospect as Welsh audiences are, in his opinion, uniquely ‘different’. (more…)

The music legend who formed one of the world’s top reggae bands will provide a high energy climax to a top festival, it’s been revealed.

Ali Campbell, the voice of UB40 who sold 70 million records, has been snapped up by Llangollen International Musical Festival for their closing concert on Sunday, July 12.

He’ll  be reunited on the eisteddfod stage with two other founding members of UB40 – percussionist, trumpet player and vocalist Astro and keyboard player Mickey.

The concert is being sponsored by the award-winning Village Bakery, the fastest growing manufacturer in Wales. (more…)

Organisers of a top festival are celebrating after signing up Oscar-winning music legend Burt Bacharach to perform at this year’s event.

Bacharach, described by many as the greatest songwriter of the 20^th century, will open the Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod, with an extra concert on Monday, July 6. The festival was originally due to start the following day but the Monday night was the only time he was available during Eisteddfod week.

Bacharach has 73 top 40 US and 52 UK hits to his name in a career spanning more than 60 years and shows no signs of slowing down – he is looking forward to his first ever visit to North Wales. (more…)

Music from stage and screen at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod

Superstar tenor Alife Boe is heading back to North Wales.

The classical heart-throb, has sold one and a half million records, been at number one in the classical charts many times and performed on Broadway, will be taking centre stage at this year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. Boe, dubbed Britain’s Favourite Tenor, will be performing songs from musical theatre and movies at the glitzy evening concert on Thursday, July 9.

Joining him will be Welsh singer Sophie Evans, who went onto star as Dorothy in the West End production of The Wizard of Oz having finished runner-up in the TV talent show Over the Rainbow, classical saxophonist Amy Dickson along with Jonathan Antoine, the classically trained tenor who rose to fame on Britain’s Got Talent. (more…)