HRH The Prince of Wales, Patron of Welsh National Opera, attended a performance of WNO’s Die Fledermaus at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, on Saturday 24 June.
On arrival, His Royal Highness was met by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, Mrs Morfudd Meredith, and hosts including WNO Honorary President Mathew Prichard, WNO Artistic Director David Pountney and WNO Managing Director Leonora Thomson. Over 60 young singers aged 10 to 18 from WNO Youth Opera greeted His Royal Highness’s arrival singing “I shall not live in vain” and were then able to stay and enjoy the opera performance.
HRH The Prince of Wales meets the cast of WNO’s Die Fledermaus at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, on June 24. Pictures: Roger Donovan.
Following the performance, Artistic Director of WNO David Pountney introduced His Royal Highness to the performers and Company members on stage.
The Prince of Wales has been Patron of WNO since 1997, and last year celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Company with a special Gala performance at Buckingham Palace.
Die Fledermaus was conducted by WNO’s new Music Director Tomáš Hanus and the cast featured Mary Elizabeth Williams in the role of Rosalinde , Mark Stone in the role of Eisenstein. They were joined by Ben McAteer (Falke), Rhian Lois (Adele), Alan Opie (Frank), Paul Charles Clarke (Alfred), and Emma Carrington (Orlofsky). The role of the jailer, Frosch, was performed by Welsh actor Steve Speirs. The performance was sponsored by Tidal Lagoon Power and Atkins.