St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire will host two concerts by the acclaimed Welsh National Opera Orchestra (WNO) this Friday (27 August). The concerts mark a welcome return by the Orchestra to form part of the programme of the annual Fishguard and West Wales Music Festival. An afternoon concert at 3pm will feature JS Bach’s Orchestral Suite No 3, Serenade by Richard Strauss and Haydn’s 102nd Symphony. An evening concert at 7.30pm will start with Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No 3 followed by Richard Strauss ‘Morgen’ with soprano soloist Isabelle Peters and finish with Beethoven’s Symphony No 4. Both concerts have tickets still available for seats in all areas of the Cathedral starting at £15 with concessions for under 18s.
In addition to a substantial operatic remit, the WNO Orchestra has a stature and reputation as a world-class ensemble in its own right. It takes part in the St David’s Hall International Concert Series and Welsh Proms in Cardiff each year and has a well-established concert touring programme to regional venues throughout Wales, including an annual Viennese New Year tour as well a regular summer series of popular operatic concerts across all four corners of the country.
Peter Harrap, Orchestra Director at WNO, said:
“WNO Orchestra is thrilled to return to St Davids Cathedral in what will be its first live concert appearance outside of Cardiff since January 2020. It seems a fitting return to the concert stage given the strong and ever growing relationship between WNO and Fishguard and West Wales International Music Festival, a highlight of the Orchestra’s annual concert activity over the last number of years. Across a day of programmed performance activity based at the Cathedral, WNO is privileged to showcase a selection of its young talent. WNO Associate Artist, soprano Isabelle Peters, joins the Orchestra in Strauss’ Morgen! for the evening concert. Additionally, we are delighted to announce that WNO-RWCMD Composition Competition 2021 winner, Tomos Owen Jones, will receive the premier performance of his commissioned quartet with the WNO trombone section, complimenting the two concert orchestral programmes at 3pm and 7.30pm.
Gillian Green MBE, Artistic Director Fishguard Music Festival, said:
“We are delighted to be welcoming back the WNO Orchestra which is now an integral part of the Fishguard and West Wales Music Festival. With this orchestra we can be sure of having a world class performance and their concerts delight audiences annually.”
Following the concerts in St Davids, the Fishguard Festival takes a week long break before the next concert by The London Tango Quintet at Neuadd y Dderwen, Rhosygilwen on Friday 3 September.
