Every year The Village Quire and the Cwmbach Quintet organise a Pink Gig charity fundraising concert.  This year was very special, with all proceeds going to the Wales Air Ambulance service – and what a night it was!

The evening opened with a set by the Cwmbach Quintet playing a fugue by Bach, a traditional Irish tune and finishing with two movements from 'Maid in Lanner', based on West Country tunes.

The remainder of the first half was filled by The Village Quire’s programme: "The Good Old Way".  The Village Quire produced strongly resonant and tightly harmonic unaccompanied renditions of old West Gallery hymns and folk songs that colourfully illustrated readings by talented local actor Robin Scott Wilson.  Young and rakish in stylishly dishevelled evening dress, Robin brought to life the literary creations of Thomas Hardy, Fred Archer and Laurie Lee depicting village life in bygone times.

The magical second half was freely given by professional opera stars Julianne Young, Donal Byrne and accompanist, Mark Nixon.  It started with Panis Angelicus, performed as a duet and moved through other liturgical works to opera favourites.  The audience was treated to enthralling solos by all three performers and an enactment of the Seguidilla from Carmen by Julianne and Donal, as well as Summertime, from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess (Julianne) and Nessun dorma from Puccini's Turandot (Donal).  The trio finished with songs from popular West End shows.

It was all utterly captivating with the large audience in rapt attention, not about to miss a note.  This was an evening for the local history books, when world-class opera came to us.

We would like to say thank-you to everyone who came along and supported this concert, and also to everyone who helped to make this event the success it was.  Just short of 200 people squeezed into Gwernyfed High School Drama Studio.  Together we raised a tremendous sum of money - £1,670.18 for the Wales Air Ambulance.

Pam Bretherton and the Village Quire

www.villagequire.org.uk