Cantorion Menai
Saturday 20 November / Dydd Sadwrn 20 Tachwedd
7.30 p.m.
Canolfan Hamdden Beaumaris / Beaumaris Leisure Centre
Tickets / Tocynnau: £20.00
As of 15th November, proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in the previous 48 hours is required for entry.
Vivaldi, Gloria
Ola Gjeilo, Spotless Rose
Rachmaninoff, Tebe Poyem
Handel, Messiah, Part 1 excerpts
Meinir Wyn Roberts, soprano, Erin Fflur Williams, mezzo-soprano
Menai Strings
Conductor, Steven Evans
Cantorion Menai make a first appearance in the festival with works by four great composers including the gifted Norwegian, Ola Gjello.Sefydlwyd Cantorion Menai ym mis Mai 1978, er mwyn cyflwyno perfformiad i ddathlu canmlwyddiant opera gyntaf Cymru, Blodwen, gan Joseph Parry. Dyna hefyd oedd blwyddyn sefydlu Gŵyl Gerdd Menai a fi oedd y cyfarwyddwr artistig. Creodd un o'm myfyrwyr ymchwil, Dulais Rhys, fersiwn cerddorfa lawn o'r opera a gafodd ei pherfformio ar noson olaf yr ŵyl yn neuadd Ysgol David Hughes. Darlledwyd y perfformiad yn fyw ar BBC Radio Cymru ac yn ddiweddarach gwnaeth Sain ddwy record LP o'r darllediad.
Yn dilyn hynny gwahoddwyd y cor i ganu yn Llydaw ac yna, yn ystod Gŵyl Gerdd Menai 1979, perfformiwyd dau o weithiau William Mathias, a oedd yn byw ym Mhorthaethwy, sef Culhwch ac Olwen a St Teilo. Felly, y mae dewis perfformio St Teilo yn y cyngerdd dathlu heno yn hynod addas.
Bu'r cor hwn yn cynnal o leiaf ddau gyngerdd bob blwyddyn am ddeugain mlynedd, gan amlaf gyda cherddorfa ac unawdwyr proffesiynol. Camp nid bychan yw i Gor barhau i ganu am ddeugain mlynedd, heb son am gryfhau, yn yr oes hon sydd a chymaint o ffurfiau newydd o adloniant. Yn eu tro, cyflwynodd arueinwyr gwych eu gwahanol syniadau a'u hoffterau cerddorol i'r cor tra parhaodd y cor i roi cyngherddau o safon uchel ar hyd y blynyddoedd.
Fel sefydlydd y cor a'i Lywydd balch, dymunaf iddo bob llwyddiant ac iddo barhau i fwynhau ac ymhyfrydu mewn canu corawl.
John Hywel
Cantorion Menai was founded in May 1978, for the purpose of giving a centenary performance of Wales' first opera, Joseph Parry’s Blodwen. That was also the year Gŵyl Gerdd Menai was established and I was the artistic director. One of my research students, Dulais Rhys, created a full orchestral version of the opera and Blodwen was performed on the final night of the Festival in the David Hughes School Hall. The performance was broadcast live on BBC Radio Cymru and later made into two LP records by Sain.
Later in the year, the choir visited Brittany and in the 1979 Festival performed ONO works by Menai Bridge's William Mathias, Culhwch ac Olwen and St Teilo, the latter being a fitting choice for tonight's anniversary concert.
For forty years, this choir has given at least ONO concerts every year, usually with orchestra and professional soloists. It is no small feat to survive and indeed grow stronger in this period of so many new forms of entertainment. A succession of excellent conductors have brought their own ideas and varied musical passions to the choir, a choir which has maintained a consistently high standard of performance throughout the years.
As founder, and now proud President, may I wish Cantorion Menai every success for their continuous enjoyment and love of choral singing.
John Hywel