Tuesday 18th May, 2004

News Menu Button Bryn Terfel's Faenol Festival in Wales Safe From Threatened Cancellation

By Hannah Jones
Western Mail [Cardiff] - 18 May 2004


Fears over the possible cancellation of this year's Faenol Festival have been allayed by festival organisers. The annual three-day event brought to Gwynedd by opera giant Bryn Terfel was in crisis last week because a pop festival had been booked on the same site just a few weeks before.

Terfel's festival promoter, IMG Arts Entertainment, were worried that the number of people walking through the Faenol Estate for the Summer Pops extravaganza could be a potential problem.

Last week it told Gwynedd Council the festival would not go ahead unless it was reimbursed if it made a loss. Now the council has agreed to cover any shortfall.

With the funding problems solved, the line-up with a decidedly jazzy theme has been finalised.

Jools Holland and Jamie Cullum headline on August 28, appearing together for the first time, and there will be a number of young international performers also singing.

Twenty-six-year-old tenor Joseph Calleja stars with Bryn Terfel in the Gala Opera Night on Bank Holiday Sunday. He won the prestigious Caruso Award in 1998 and stood in for José Cura in a production of Il trovatore at the Royal Opera House two years ago.

Last year's Gala Opera Night was widely recognised as being the launch pad for Hayley Westenra's incredible success story and Bryn maintains that commitment to younger talent this year, performing with some of the world's top young stars in classical music.

On Bank Holiday Monday the original cast of 1974 Welsh rock opera Nia Ben Aur will re-form just for the Dragon's Fire concert, which will also feature Dafydd Iwan and seventies favourites Hergest from Aberystwyth.

Said Bryn, 'I'm delighted that the festival is able to go ahead again this year. It's our fifth year, it's a tremendous weekend for music-lovers and I'm very grateful for all the local support we received in making it happen.'


Tickets are on sale from North Wales Theatre, Llandudno, on [+44] 01492 872000, Theatr Gwynedd, Bangor, [+44] 01248 351708 and Silver Star Holidays, Caernarfon, [+44] 01286 671771. The prices are: Saturday, seats £35, promenade £25; Sunday, seats £38.50, promenade £21.50; Monday, promenade £17.50, Under 16s, £10.50.

(C) 2004 Western Mail. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved



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