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ST
DAVID’S HALL, CARDIFF
13th November, 2004
WINTER
TOUR 2004 - Part 2
REVIEW
Apart from
being a wonderful concert, this was to be the biggest gathering
yet of the HWI team and its associates. There were fifteen of
us including a wonderful young soprano from Newport, our friend
Holly Holyoake and her parents Trixie and Craig. Keith and Simon
and his wife, Shirley, were there of course as were Gerrit from
Holland, Gary from America, Chris who had just got back on leave
from his duties in Iraq, Dave and his daughter Emma, Lewis and
Doreen who had travelled down from Edinburgh, Kirsty and me.
Most of us sat together in the third and fourth rows. And so
we resume the concert with Hayley’s third song (after a brief
recap)…..
Tonight,
“Amazing Grace” was wonderful and, when the piano came in at
the beginning of the second verse, it was apparent that Hayley’s
pitch had been spot on.
I was still
feeling very emotional having just heard “River Of Dreams” which
for some reason literally brought tears to my eyes on this occasion.
So much so that I ended up holding Kirsty’s hand for a few minutes.
“Who Painted
the Moon Black” is another of my favourites. When a song is
as familiar as this one is to me, you might think that there
is nothing more to be derived from hearing it again. You’d be
wrong. Just sit there and listen to Hayley sing it live – it
is utterly captivating.
Hayley then
introduced her guest, the Greek tenor, Mario Frangoulis. Now
I admit I had never previously heard his voice and I knew very
little about him. What can I say? He totally and immediately
won the hearts of everyone in the Cardiff audience, as he had
the previous night in Birmingham. During his first set, he performed
three songs commencing with the ever-popular “Granada”. One
of the huge bonuses of going to every concert of this tour is
the thought that I will have the pleasure of seeing Mario on
five further occasions. From time to time, he made ad lib comments
which were often quite amusing. I am sure that many people in
the audiences throughout this tour will be seeking his CDs in
the coming weeks. I will be one of them.
I will write
further details of the concert when I continue the tour in Edinburgh.
Before tonight’s
concert began, it had been announced that Hayley would be signing
CDs and programmes afterwards. Consequently the queue this time
was massive. However, the time passed quickly for all of us
as we chatted amongst ourselves and with Gerald and Steve (Hayley’s
manager). When everyone else had gone, Hayley was confronted
with us lot! More autographs and photographs were given and
we all spent quite a while with her.
I noticed
some movement amongst our happy throng. Although I was unaware
of what had been suggested, I could see what was about to happen.
I almost ran towards Kirsty who was standing back a little way
talking to Trixie. I knew she wouldn’t want to miss this. “Stand
by” I almost shouted at her!
Kirsty stepped
forward asking eagerly “what is it?”
“I think
we’re about to get a duet”, I explained.
Sure enough,
a few minutes later we were treated to one of those occasions
that are just too beautiful for words. For me, it was not only
a highlight of the tour but of a lifetime – Hayley and Holly
singing the “Ave Maria”. Oh heaven! Those two girls who can
both sing so beautifully can lift the spirit so much for anyone
who is fortunate enough to listen. But bring them together for
a spontaneous recital like this and the result is absolutely
out of this world.
Many of
us were lined up with cameras just a few feet in front of them
as they sang. What a wonderful moment to treasure.
A few minutes
later, I passed my camera to Steve who took a shot of me with
Hayley. I then saw an opportunity too good to miss and signalled
to Steve to take another one…. Only this time I had one arm
around Hayley and the other around Kirsty! As Hayley would say,
oh wow!
I mentioned
to Hayley that she had not given the cue for Kirsty to shout,
“you’ll be fine” because, although she had announced having
completed her exams, she did not mention the bit about waiting
for the results. Of course, this was to be Kirsty’s last concert
and so it was agreed that, in Edinburgh, I will do it! Mmm.
We shall see!
Kirsty was
to spend the night at her brother’s who lives in Cardiff and,
for her, the tour was over. [It won’t be the same without you,
darling.] I will be meeting Keith at some of the remaining concerts
and with Lewis in Edinburgh but, other than that, I will be
continuing the tour alone.
And so the
first leg of the tour is done. I am now briefly back home in
Sussex but will be heading off for Edinburgh first thing tomorrow
morning.
Roger Mansbridge
14th November, 2004
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