A celebration of Britten

Mid Wales Opera is holding a unique centenary celebration of Benjamin Britten's birth at Gregynog Hall from September 4-6, with a host of other activity also planned alongside.

It is hosting a short residential course to give those who know Britten's operatic works the chance to explore them in depth, and offer the opportunity to learn more about one of Britain's greatest composers.

MWO Artistic Director, Nicholas Cleobury will lead the residency with guests, composer and broadcaster Michael Berkeley, Britten biographer Paul Kildea and Artistic Director for Music Theatre Wales Michael McCarthy, as they discuss the operas of this great composer.

Royal Harpist Hannah Stone and brilliant young tenor Nicky Spence will perform a recital including extracts from an historic performance by Peter Pears and Osian Ellis at Gregynog in 1972, along with works written for Pears and Ellis by Michael Berkeley.

Tickets at £195 include all meals, two nights' accommodation and a trip to the premiere performance of Albert Herring at The  Hafren. Day rates are also available.

More details and a full programme are available from gregynog@wales.ac.uk / 01686 650224 or at  www.midwalesopera.co.uk

Opera to perform Britten

Following from last year's stunning production of Mozart's masterpiece Don Giovanni, Mid Wales Opera returns to celebrate the centenary of one of the country's great composers - Benjamin Britten - with a brand new production of his classic, comic depiction of village life Albert Herring.

The story follows the sleepy village of Loxford time to choose its May Queen but none of the local girls quite fit the bill.

School children to perform

School children have been celebrating the life of Britten and will perform on stage at The Hafren on September 6.

In the early 1930's Benjamin Britten wrote a collection of simple songs, with witty piano accompaniment - dedicated to his schoolmaster brother Robert and the boys of Cliver House preparatory School in Prestatyn. Eighty years later, in the year celebrating the centenary of Britten's birth over 100 local school children have been working hard learning the songs.

The children from Berriew, Montgomery, Castle Caereinion, Llanidloes, Ysgol Dafydd Llywd and Hafren Primary  Schools with children from Llanidloes High School take to the Hafren Stage for a Friday afternoon performance.

For further information of the above two Hafren events, visit www.midwalesopera.co.uk or www.thehafren.co.uk / 01686 614555.