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Welsh Musical Life

A special edition of Music Matters exploring Welsh musical life.

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45 minutes

Last on

Mon 8 Feb 2016 22:00

Chapters

  • Female Welsh Composers

    Duration: 08:54

  • Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama

    Duration: 09:50

  • Dai Smith – Arts Council Wales

    Duration: 04:25

  • David Pountney

    Duration: 10:48

  • Who is Figaro?

    Duration: 08:30

Female Welsh Composers

Female Welsh Composers

Wales has produced some great female composers, we discover the music and personal stories of three: Morfydd Llwyn Owen, Grace Williams and Dilys Elwyn-Edwards. Tom speaks to composers Steph Power and Rhian Davies, and Gwyn Williams, director of TÅ· Cerdd, in the Grace Williams studio in Cardiff Bay.

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Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama

Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama

Tom visits The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama who are set to host the 14th World Harp Congress in four years time. He meets teachers and students from the College’s harp course, drops in on rehearsals for an ambitious harp ensemble piece, and speaks to the college Principal, Hilary Boulding.

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Dai Smith – Arts Council Wales

Dai Smith – Arts Council Wales

Chair of Arts Council Wales Dai Smith talks to Tom about recent cuts to Arts Council funding, and how Wales’ identity as a modern democracy is reflected in the country’s new musical institutions.

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David Pountney

David Pountney

Tom Service talks to David Pountney, Artistic Director of Welsh National Opera, about conservatism in opera audiences and how a combative relationship with the government can fuel the creative powers of an opera company.

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Who is Figaro?

Who is Figaro?

As WNO prepares to stage Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, Rossini's Barber of Seville and a third, new opera called Figaro Gets a Divorce, Music Matters explores the enduring fascination of Figaro, from his invention in 1775 by the playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais to this latest 2016 incarnation. Tom speaks to actress and director Fiona Shaw about her experience of directing Figaro for ENO, David Pountney who has written the libretto for Figaro Gets a Divorce and musicologist Professor Suzanne Aspden.

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Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Tom Service
Interviewed Guest Dai Smith
Interviewed Guest David Pountney

Broadcasts

  • Sat 6 Feb 2016 12:15
  • Mon 8 Feb 2016 22:00

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