Monday 6 July

New for 2009 - Monday Night Opening Gala Concert

For the first time, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod will include an Opening Gala Concert on the Monday evening before the Eisteddfod commences.

Starring Faryl Smith, Mark Evans, Fron Male Voice Choir, Cantorion Colin Jones, Côr Godre'r Aran, and Alexei Kalveks. The Opening Gala, to take place on Monday 6th July, will support Llangollen's Competitor Bursary Appeal Fund which will offer financial support to competitor groups from all over the world. A donation from the Gala's proceeds will also go to Wrexham's Nightingale House Hospice, in association with Côr Godre'r Aran.

Concert starts 7.45pm

Ticket price £20
Buy another Eisteddfod 2009 Pavilion ticket (for Tuesday to Sunday) at the time of booking and qualify for the special price below!*
Special Price for Existing 2009 Eisteddfod Ticket Holders: £12*

Please note online booking tickets will need to be collected and the £3.50 administration fee will not be charged.

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*Number of special-price tickets available not to exceed number of tickets booked for any one other concert or day.
Advance Sales (on or before Saturday 4 July) only.
This offer not to be used in conjunction with other promotions.

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Young singing sensation Faryl Smith is set to star at this year's Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. Thirteen-year-old Faryl, who shot to fame following her success on ITV's Britain's Got Talent, is no stranger to the North Wales festival having first competed there at the age of 10, winning first prize for her vocal solo in the 10-15 age group. Faryl says: 'I'm really looking forward to going back to Llangollen, I have great memories of competing at the Eisteddfod, it was my first taste of performing on an international stage and gave me the confidence to follow my dream'.

Faryl joins an impressive list of ex-Llangollen competitors who have gone on to achieve musical stardom. Placido Domingo acknowledges that his first professional experience in the UK was at the 1968 International Eisteddfod, and in 1955 the late Luciano Pavarotti was a member of the winning male voice choir from his home town of Modena, returning as the world's most famous tenor for a concert performance in 1995. Faryl added: 'I'm so excited, I'm following in the footsteps of my heroes Pavarotti, Domingo and Katherine Jenkins. To be singing at the opening concert at Llangollen is a dream come true!'

Faryl's self-titled debut album 'Faryl' was released on 9th March 2009. Universal Records.

Among the evening's performers will also be Mark Evans, originally of Llanrhaeadr near Denbigh, who recently reached the final three in BBC One's Eurovision talent show 'Your Country Needs You'. Mark, who has many theatre credits to his name said 'To be asked to sing at an international festival that happens to be so close to home is such an honour and music to my ears.'

Having trained at Laine Theatre Arts, London, Mark has many theatre and tv credits to his name including: 'Troy Bolton' in High School Musical (Hammersmith Apollo); Understudy Fiyero and Ensemble in Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre), 'Prince Charming' in Cinderella (Churchill Theatre - Bromley); Ensemble in Chess (Royal Albert Hall) and has also been assistant choreographer and dancer for various tv appearances.

In addition, Mark created and runs West End in Wales, a new venture to promote musical theatre and for children to gain experience in this field.  Mark teaches  jazz, tap, and musical theatre at many leading colleges throughout the UK.

The concert will also showcase rising stars of Llangollen and celebrate local talent with performances from the award-winning Fron Male Voice Choir, who formed specifically to compete in the first International Eisteddfod of 1947 and have since gone from strength to strength reaching album-success with their 'Voices of the Valley'. Also performing will be reigning Llangollen Male Choir champions Côr Godre'r Aran, male-voice choir Cantorion Colin Jones and young tenor, Alexei Kalvecs. 

The Fron Male Voice Choir, based in the village of
Froncysyllte, near Llangollen, were signed by Universal Music Group to release the album Voices of the Valley. This album was released on 20 November 2006, and peaked at number 9 on the UK album chart. It became the fastest selling classical record of all time, achieving Gold status in three days and has since sold over half a million copies. A second album was released in December 2007 called Voices of the Valley - Encore which reached number 11 in the UK chart.

Cantorion Colin Jones is one of Wales' most prestigious male voice concert choirs. Colin Jones, the founder and architect of the choir, has been able to match his unparalleled skill in voice production and choral management with the enthusiasm and commitment of some of North Wales' finest male choral singers and soloists.

Since its inception in 1949, Côr Godre'r Aran have entertained audiences all over Wales, at principal venues throughout the UK, and concert tours worldwide. Reigning male voice choir champions of Llangollen Eisteddfod, Côr Godre'r Aran have over the years successfully competed at National and International levels, and won principal awards at the National Eisteddfod of Wales and three male voice championships at the International Eisteddfod at Llangollen. In 2005 the Choir won the BBC Radio Cymru competition for Male Voice Choirs.

Baritone Alexei Kalveks performed with Katherine Jenkins at the 2008 Festival of Remembrance in the Royal Albert Hall.

In association with

Faryl Smith photograph by Tanya Chalkin

• Opening Gala Concert - Monday 6 July
• Barbara Dickson - Tuesday 7 July
• Llangollen Peace Concert - Wednesday 8 July
• Willard White : Robeson Re-explored - Thursday 9 July
• Blake and Natasha Marsh - Friday 10 July
• Choir of The World - The Pavarotti Trophy - Saturday 11 July
• Licensed to Thrill - The Music of James Bond - Sunday 12 July