Gregynog Hall will be the base for another season of music as part of the famous Gregynog Festival.
Festival director, Dr Rhian Davies, has revealed this year’s festival will be themed on Pageantry and will take place between 16 June to the 2 July at the hall, near Tregynon, and other locations.
Musical performances, dance productions, historical exhibitions and talks will form part of it.
Gregynog Hall will be brought to life on 17 and 18 June with performances, exhibitions and talks beginning with Jeanne Dolmetsch’s talk on her grandfather Arnold Dolmetsch, the early music pioneer. Recorder virtuoso Michala Petri along with harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani will then perform repertoire associated with Dolmetsch and The Ricercar Consort, the outstanding Belgian instrumental ensemble directed by Philippe Pierlot, will close the concerts at Gregynog Hall on Sunday afternoon.
Dr Davies, said: “While Gregynog festival is recognised as Wales’s oldest classical music festival, its most significant predecessor was the Harlech Castle Musical Festival. Our programme this year is inspired by those glorious summers, a century ago, when a remarkable creative community gathered in Harlech. These included celebrity artists, photographers, authors and dancers as well as musicians, and thousands of people used to flock to be part of wonderful performances within the Castle walls.
“Although this year’s event will once again travel around to different venues, it is wonderful to see world class artists coming to Gregynog itself, the spiritual home of the festival.”
Among the other highlights of the 2017 season will be pianist Llyr Williams and saxophonist Amy Dickson at Chirk Castle, an especially commissioned dance piece by Light, Ladd and Emberton performed in the twilight on Harlech Beach, and enlightening talks by such luminaries as Peter Lord and Hazel Walford Davies.
Photo: Mahan Esfahani (Deutsche Grammophon)
