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Music Theatre Wales and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru present Y Tŵr (The Tower) |
There’s a rare opportunity to hear a new opera in the Welsh language by leading Welsh composer Guto Puw - thanks to a bold collaboration between contemporary opera company Music Theatre Wales and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, the Welsh-language national theatre of Wales. Poet, writer and singer-songwriter Gwyneth Glyn has adapted Gwenlyn Parry’s classic play, Y Tŵr (The Tower - 1978) as an opera, and the new work receives its World Premiere performances at the Vale of Glamorgan Festival at Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre on Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20. The opera’s subsequent tour in Wales takes the opera to Aberystwyth (May 23), Bangor (May 25), Mold (June 5) and Swansea (June 15) culminating in MTW’s return to the Buxton Festival on July 17 (see end of press release for full details). A brand new opera in the Welsh language is a rarity. The first Welsh-language opera was Joseph Parry’s Blodwen (1878) which enjoyed enormous success and had received no less than 500 performances by 1896. Y Tŵr explores the extremes of emotion experienced by a man and a woman over the course of a lifetime together. Based on the work of Gwenlyn Parry, one of Wales’ most important playwrights, this touching and lyrical new opera is an intimate and universal story of love and life set within the tower of its title - a metaphor for any relationship, as its two characters ascend from one level to the next; each one representing a particular moment in their relationship, from the flush of youthful romance to the heartfelt ravages of old age. The production, sung in Welsh with English surtitles, is directed by MTW's Artistic Director, Michael McCarthy and conducted by Richard Baker, working with Music Theatre Wales for the first time. The opera is designed by Samal Blak, who designed MTW and Scottish Opera's successful production of Stuart MacRae’s The Devil Inside for MTW/Scottish Opera. Lighting is by Ace McCarron. The cast is baritone Gwion Thomas (Male) – whom followers of Music Theatre Wales will remember for his many prominent roles – notably in Philip Glass’s The Trial, Turnage’s Greek and Birtwistle’s Punch and Judy - and leading Welsh soprano Caryl Hughes (Female), making her debut with the company. Music Theatre Wales has received generous support for the opera’s creation and tour from the Colwinston Charitable Trust -one of only four special grants made to Welsh organisations to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the birth of Agatha Christie. - World Premiere: Friday, May 19 at 7.30pm – Sherman Theatre, Cardiff (Vale of Glamorgan Festival opening event) Touring : May 23 – July 17, 2017 Music Theatre Wales a Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru yn cyflwyno Y Tŵr – opera Gymraeg newydd wedi’i chyfansoddi gan Guto Puw – libreto sy’n addasiad gan Gwyneth Glyn o ddrama eiconig Gwenlyn Parry – cyfle prin i glywed opera newydd yn yr iaith Gymraeg – Premiere Byd: Dydd Gwener, 19 Mai am 7.30yh – Theatr y Sherman, Caerdydd (digwyddiad agoriadol Gŵyl Bro Morgannwg) Ar Daith: 23 Mai – 17 Gorffennaf, 2017 Ceir cyfle prin i glywed opera newydd yn y Gymraeg gan y cyfansoddwr blaengar Guto Puw, o ganlyniad i gydweithrediad rhwng y cwmni opera cyfoes Music Theatre Wales a Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, y cwmni theatr cenedlaethol Cymraeg. Mae Gwyneth Glyn, y bardd, awdur, cantores a chyfansoddwraig, wedi addasu clasur Gwenlyn Parry, Y Tŵr (1978) i greu libreto ar gyfer opera, a bydd y gwaith newydd hwn yn cael ei berfformio am y tro cyntaf fel rhan o Ŵyl Bro Morgannwg yn Theatr y Sherman, Caerdydd, ddydd Gwener, 19 Mai a dydd Sadwrn, 20 Mai 20 2017. Yna bydd yr opera ar daith yng Nghymru, yn Aberystwyth (23 Mai), Bangor (25 Mai), Yr Wyddgrug (5 Mehefin) ac Abertawe (15 Mehefin) gan ddod i ben yng ngŵyl gerdd glasurol Buxton Festival, 17 Gorffennaf (gweler diwedd y datganiad hwn am fanylion llawn). Mae opera newydd sbon yn yr iaith Gymraeg yn beth prin iawn. Blodwen (1878) gan Joseph Pary oedd yr opera Gymraeg gyntaf a bu’n llwyddiannus iawn – cafodd ei pherfformio dros 500 o weithiau cyn 1896. Yn Y Tŵr cawn stori oesol am fywyd a chariad. Gan archwilio holl rychwant emosiynol y berthynas rhwng dau wrth iddynt ymrafael â chyfnodau allweddol eu byw a’u bod gyda’i gilydd, daw drama enwog Gwenlyn Parry yn fyw unwaith eto, ond, y tro hwn, ar ffurf opera newydd, deimladwy a thelynegol gan y cyfansoddwr Guto Puw a’r gantores, cyfansoddwraig a dramodydd, Gwyneth Glyn. Cyfarwyddir y cynhyrchiad (a genir yn Gymraeg gydag uwchdeitlau Saesneg) gan Michael McCarthy, Cyfarwyddwr Artistig MTW, a’r arweinydd fydd Richard Baker, sy’n gweithio gyda Music Theatre Wales am y tro cyntaf. Cynlluniwyd yr opera gan Samal Blak, a gynlluniodd gynhyrchiad llwyddianus MTW a Scottish Opera o The Devil Inside gan Stuart MacRae. Ace McCarron sy’n gyfrifol am y goleuo. Aelodau’r cast yw’r bariton Gwion Thomas; bydd dilynwyr Music Theatre Wales yn ei gofio am nifer o rannau amlwg – gan gynnwys The Trial gan Philip Glass, Greek gan Turnage a Punch and Judy gan Birtwistle – ynghyd â Caryl Hughes, soprano sy’n perfformio gyda’r cwmni am y tro cyntaf. Mae’r cynhyrchiad wedi derbyn cefnogaeth hael iawn gan Ymddiriedolaeth Elusennol Tregolwyn er mwyn creu’r opera ac ariannu’r daith. |
| Music Theatre Wales web site: musicthearewales.com |
| Penny Janes e-mail: penny.james@btopenworld.com |
Tuesday, March 21, 2017 |
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