Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod
llangollen international musical eisteddfod music festival take place every year second week july llangollen north wale one several large annual eisteddfod wale singer dancer around world invited take part competition followed evening concert main stage five thousand singer dancer instrumentalist around country perform audience day event famous performer llangollen included luciano pavarotti first competed llangollen father choir home town modena eisteddfod principal trophy – choir world pavarotti trophy – named red army ensemble julian lloyd webber ladysmith black mambazo final sunday evening gala concert featured katherine jenkins bryn terfel kiri te kanawa james galway montserrat caballe origin international eisteddfod go back harold tudor officer british council arranged visit member governmentsinexile welsh national eisteddfod bangor excursion well received especially noted writer poet juraj slavik minister interior czechoslovakia government exile following visit wrote tudor praising value music way healing effect war following year international concert held part llandybie national eisteddfod towards end tudor proposed international choral festival added welsh national eisteddfod however council national eisteddfod felt effort involved rebuilding organisation could take scheme tudor modified proposal independent music festival found support idea w gwynn williams welsh composer music publisher george northing teacher ysgol dinas brân chairman llangollen town council gwynn williams northing pressed eisteddfod home town llangollen public gave support idea two public meeting may concern also raised would come event would held event would financed british council offered help find choir europe give financial support however town decided raise money public subscription quickly gathered £ george northing made director executive board gwynn williams became music director harold tudor director publicity w clayton russon local businessman high sheriff merionethshire became president plan hold event school field dinas bran county school progressed throughout accommodation overseas competitor would house town surrounding area domestic participant would given bed church school hall rationing still place ration coupon found visitor minister food eventually persuaded supply june time competitor travel llangollen railway strike started france serious doubt whether overseas competitor would able arrive considerable relief felt organiser first coach competitor arrived bringing lady choir grupo musical feminino porto eventual winner lady competition whilst men competition hungarian worker choir completed journey wale hitchhiking train cancelled basel french strike esperanto society played significant part first year felt could shortage participant reto rossetti wellknown figure author esperanto movement asked help publicity esperanto magazine surprise organiser several group contacted eisteddfod committee two troupe spanish dancer tour britain sponsored british council esperanto society arrived despite dance competition first year performed delighted audience folk dance competition featured every subsequent llangollen eisteddfodthe eisteddfod brought close become traditional sunday concert featuring sir john barbirolli hallé orchestra international eisteddfod hailed unqualified success praise organiser founder competitor even surplus £ used next year event major test mission promote reconciliation occurred four year end war choir lübeck came compete eisteddfod austrian italian choir hardly counted neither spaniard choir tell letter clwyd archive ruthin tearful welcome tea sandwich choir arrived llangollen station eisteddfod helper townspeople later festival compère mr hywel robert introduced choir word lady gentleman please welcome friend germany town organised concert help choir raise fund member choir still correspond llangollen friend welsh motto international eisteddfod byd gwyn fydd byd gano gwaraidd fydd ei gerddi fo composed poet gwynn jones appears eisteddfod trophy usually translated blessed world sings gentle song eisteddfod included performance josé carreras joan baez hayley westenra performance elaine paige angel alfie boe performance barbara dickson sir willard white blake natasha marsh james bond spectacular featuring orchestra welsh national opera sunday finale saw performance katherine jenkins nigel kennedy concert featuring lulu russell watson faryl smith ruthie henshaw mcfly eisteddfod played host lesley garrett alison balsom nicola benedettii sian edward celebration concert queen diamond jubilee also appearance alfie boe steffan morris valentina nafornta performance karl jenkinss new work peacemaker specially formed massed choir accompanied llangollen international eisteddfod orchestra week rounded grand finale concert featuring fflur wyn wynne evans mark llewelyn evans john owenjones richard balcombe recent year sunday evening concert given popular music starting mcfly subsequent concert included ub status quo band manic street preacher parade usually held tuesday eisteddfod week local visitor take part dancing singing playing musical instrument whilst marching street llangollen however parade moved friday enable competitor take part list music festival united kingdom international eisteddfod official site