IT’S an accepted fact that you are guaranteed a splendid evening’s entertainment when the ladies of Côr Curiad stage a concert.
The standing ovation at the close of the choir’s ‘Together In Harmony’ charity concert at St Mary’s Church, Burry Port, on Saturday night was further evidence of the choir’s continued success.
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Under the leadership of musical director Alex Esney, the choir continues to go from strength to strength – the roll call of choristers is now at a record-breaking high.
Quality and innovation are two words high on Alex’s agenda as the ladies produced a dazzling and varied programme of song.
It’s not just in music that the choir succeeds. Choir chairman Bethan Owen reminded the full house at St Mary’s Church that the choristers have raised more than £300,000 for charity down the years.
Saturday’s concert was a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Wales and Heirs Llanelli.
The evening started on a sombre note as co-host Robert Lloyd asked the audience for a minute’s silence to remember Owain Davies, the boss of Burry Port firm Amcanu, who was killed in a plane crash in the Swiss Alps last week.
The mood was lifted with the arrival of Robert’s co-host for the evening, the actress Ffion Gwyther, who kept us all entertained during the dark days of the Covid pandemic with her ‘Ffion from Furnace’ videos.
Côr Curiad opened with Sosban Fach, City of Stars, Reflection and Hail Holy Queen to get the evening off to a dramatic start. Accompaniment was provided by Jane Jewell, with Paul Davies on guitar and Gary Davies on drums.
Next up, it was the turn of the world famous Morriston Orpheus Choir, under musical director Nathan Jones.
Their opening set included Let All Men Sing (by Keith Christopher); To Where You Are (arr. Alwyn Humphreys); Bring Me Sunshine (arr. Nathan Jones); Benedictus by Robat Arwyn and Calon Lan (arr. Nathan Jones).
The last item is something of a showcase for the choir as their rehearsal home is now the Calon Lân Centre in Swansea, the historic chapel where Daniel James, author of the famous tune, once practised.
Côr Curiad’s other guest was the mezzo-soprano Nikkila Thomas, who had dashed over from Carmarthen, where she was part of a Tenovus charity sing-a-thon.
Nikkila wowed the audience with I Could Have Danced All Night before getting ‘local hero Dai Llansaint’ to duet on My Little Welsh Home.
Cor Curiad wrapped up the first-half with Sounds of Silence, Mae Rhod yn Troi and Ain’t no Mountain.
They returned to start the second-half with some belters in Anthem, 1000 years and Come What May.
The Morriston Orpheus may not be the powerhouse force they were in Welsh singing years ago, but they still have plenty of oomph.
Their second-half set featured Cwm Rhondda; I Dreamed A Dream (arr. Alwyn Humphries); Llanfair; Fix You by Coldplay (arr. leuan Jones) and Gwahoddiad. They were accompanied by Helen Roberts.
Nikkila Thomas returned to the stage for a dramatic O Mio Babino Caro before getting the audience to join in with Wonderful World. It was stirring stuff.
Cor Curiad started the build up for the grand finale with Seal Lullaby, Let the River Run and Africa.
They were then joined on stage by the Morriston Orpheus (with Nathan Jones taking the baton) for a wonderful performance of Rhythm Of Life.
Soloist Nikkila Thomas joined Côr Curiad for the final item – a stirring and emotional medley mash-up You’ll never walk alone and Climb Every Mountain.
It was an evening full of music to stir the soul and one which thoroughly deserved the standing ovation.
