He’s been shaking up the conducting world, and now British conductor James Hendry brings his imitable style to Llangollen 2019 in what will be his Welsh debut on Tuesday 7th July.
Hendry, who grew up in Kingston upon Hull, was one of the first students to be accepted onto the Yorkshire Young Musicians and went on to study at the Royal Northern College of Music. In 2016 he joined the world-leading Royal Opera House in London where he worked with some of the industry greats including leading soprano Anna Netrebko. His raw, emotive conducting style is inspired by his mentor and key inspiration, Antonio Pappano, one of today’s most well-known figures in opera, acclaimed for his charismatic and inspirational performances in both symphonic and operatic repertoire.
Hendry says: “I wear my heart on my sleeve and the audience in Llangollen will experience first-hand my own ‘verissimo’ style of conducting, which follows the truth of the music, using my whole body, not just my stick, to connect with the meaning of the piece, the orchestra and the singers. Many conductors train for years using the stick to lead their performance, for me the passion is in the drama as well as the music, the stick is secondary.”
This year at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod he will be performing with Rolando Villazón, one of the world’s leading tenors for the first time.
“I can’t wait to work with Rolando. He is planning to bring a few surprises to his performance, including an unexpected Verde song. Verde is known more as a composer than a songwriter, this will be really special. Rolando is famous for his versatility and passion, so together we will ignite the stage with our pure passion and energy.
“I’m also really excited to work with local Welsh lyric soprano Rhian Lois for the first time.”
Hendry promises his Tuesday night concert to be an ‘opera pick and mix’, offering guests an exclusive repertoire through opera, classical and even musical theatre. He adds, “It will be a passionate performance that offers an inspiring tour for opera fans and newcomers alike.”
In addition to the operatic repertoires, he also plans to shine a spotlight on the orchestra, exploring several orchestral only items.
Tickets are now on sale for all evening concerts and can be purchased online at www.llangollen.net or via the box office on 01978 862001.
