Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Llangollen International EisteddfodEisteddfod Ryngwladol Llangollen
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Performers and audience members at the 1954 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod
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| Status | active |
| Location(s) | Llangollen |
| Country | Wales |
| Established | June 1947 |
| Participants | 4,000 |
| Attendance | 50,000 |
The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is a super cool music festival! It happens every year in the second week of July. You can find it in Llangollen, a town in North Wales.
This festival is one of many big annual Eisteddfodau (say: ice-TETH-vod-eye) in Wales. Singers and dancers from all over the world come here. They take part in more than 20 competitions. Each evening, there are amazing concerts on the main stage.
Over 5,000 singers, dancers, and musicians come from about 50 different countries. They perform for huge crowds! More than 50,000 people watch them over the six days of the event.
Lots of famous people have performed at Llangollen. One of them is Luciano Pavarotti, a world-famous singer. He first competed here in 1955 with his dad and choir. The festival's main prize, the Choir of the World Pavarotti Trophy, is named after him!
Other famous performers include the Red Army Ensemble, Julian Lloyd Webber, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The final Sunday concert has featured stars like Katherine Jenkins, Bryn Terfel, Kiri Te Kanawa, James Galway, and Montserrat Caballé.
How the Festival Started
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The idea for the International Eisteddfod began in 1943. A man named Harold Tudor worked for the British Council. He arranged for people from governments that were in exile during World War II to visit the Welsh National Eisteddfod. This was a festival in Bangor, Wales.
Everyone loved the visit. A writer and poet named Juraj Slavik from Czechoslovakia said music could help heal the world after the war. The next year, an international concert was held at another Welsh festival.
In late 1945, Harold Tudor suggested adding an international choir festival to the 1947 Welsh National Eisteddfod. But the organizers of that festival were too busy rebuilding their own event. So, Tudor decided to create a new, independent music festival.
He found support from W. S. Gwynn Williams, a Welsh composer, and George Northing. George was a teacher and chairman of the Llangollen town council. Both of them really wanted the Eisteddfod to be in their hometown of Llangollen.
People in Llangollen supported the idea at two public meetings in May 1946. But they also had questions. Who would come? Where would it be held? How would they pay for it?
The British Council offered to help find choirs from Europe and give money. But the town decided to raise the money themselves. They quickly collected over £1,100!
George Northing became the director of the main committee. Gwynn Williams was the music director. Harold Tudor handled publicity. W. Clayton Russon, a local businessman, became President.
Plans for the event moved forward in 1946-47. It would be held on the school field at Dinas Bran County School. Visitors from other countries would stay in homes in Llangollen. People from Wales would sleep in church and school halls.
It was tough because rationing was still happening after the war. This meant food was limited. They had to get special permission from the government to get food coupons for all the visitors.
In June 1947, a railway strike started in France. This made everyone worry if any overseas performers could even get to Llangollen. But everyone felt a huge relief when the first bus of performers arrived! It brought the Grupo Musical Feminino, a ladies' choir from Oporto.
They won the Ladies Competition. The Men's competition was won by a choir from Hungary. They had to hitchhike to Wales when their train was cancelled in Basle because of the French strike!
The Esperanto Society helped a lot in the first year. They worried there might not be enough performers. So, they asked Reto Rossetti, a famous Esperanto writer, for help. He put ads in Esperanto magazines. To everyone's surprise, several groups contacted the festival!
Two groups of Spanish dancers arrived. They were touring Britain with help from the British Council and the Esperanto Society. Even though there wasn't a dance competition that first year, they performed for delighted audiences. Folk dance competitions have been a part of every Llangollen Eisteddfod since then.
The first Eisteddfod ended with a traditional Sunday concert. Sir John Barbirolli and the Hallé Orchestra performed. The 1947 International Eisteddfod was a huge success! Everyone praised the organizers and performers. They even had £1,432 left over for the next year's event.
A very special moment happened in 1949. Just four years after the war ended, a choir from Lübeck, Germany, came to compete. This was a big step towards peace. When the choir arrived at the Llangollen station, helpers and townspeople welcomed them with tea and sandwiches. There were tears of joy.
Later, the festival's host introduced the choir by saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our friends from Germany." The town even held a concert to help the choir raise money. Even in 2015, members of that choir still wrote to their friends in Llangollen!
Recent Festivals
The Eisteddfod continues to bring amazing performers to Llangollen.
- In 2007, stars like José Carreras, Joan Baez, and Hayley Westenra performed.
- In 2008, you could see Elaine Paige, All Angels, and Alfie Boe.
- In 2009, Barbara Dickson, Sir Willard White, Blake, and Natasha Marsh performed. The Sunday finale was a James Bond 007 show with the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera.
- 2010 featured Katherine Jenkins and Nigel Kennedy.
- In 2011, concerts included Lulu, Russell Watson, Faryl Smith, Ruthie Henshaw, and McFly.
In 2012, the Eisteddfod celebrated the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Lesley Garrett, Alison Balsom, Nicola Benedettii, and Sian Edwards performed. There were also appearances by Alfie Boe, Steffan Morris, and Valentina Nafornta. A special choir performed Karl Jenkins's new work "The Peacemakers." The week ended with a Grand Finale Concert. It featured Fflur Wyn, Wynne Evans, Mark Llewelyn Evans, John Owen-Jones, and Richard Balcombe.
In recent years, the Sunday evening concert has featured more "popular" music. Bands like McFly (in 2011), UB40, Status Quo (band), and Manic Street Preachers have played.
Parade of Nations
A fun parade usually takes place on the Tuesday of Eisteddfod week. Both local people and visitors join in! They march through the streets of Llangollen, dancing, singing, and playing musical instruments. In 2016, the parade was moved to Friday. This allowed even more performers to take part!
