THE president of the St. Davids Cathedral Festival, The Very Rev. J. Wyn Evans, welcomed Sir David Mansel Lewis KCVO and Lady Mary, together with more than 70 guests, to the Cathedral on Tuesday for the launch of special festival exhibitions in celebration of the 25th annual music festival.
In the North Quire Aisle, a fascinating exhibition has been devised by the festival’s hon. archivist, Christopher Taylor, containing a wealth of material illustrating the history of the cathedral festival since its inception in 1979 by the then organist and master of the choristers, Sir Nicholas Jackson Bt, an hon. patron of the festival.
In the South Quire Aisle, a second exhibition, entitled ‘The Religious Art of Frank Roper’, researched and compiled by the Roper Exhibition Group, Llandaff Cathedral, offers an introduction to the work of this distinguished sculptor to be found in the scores of churches and cathedrals he adorned with statues, windows and ecclesiastical furnishings, large and small.
It features, in particular, the fine Lady Chapel Screen at the Cathedral, the Stations of the Cross at the RC Church of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, Newcastle Emlyn and the Resurrection Window at St Mary’s, Talbenny.
In the Cathedral Library, a further exhibition, arranged by Nona Rees, the cathedral’s sub-librarian, in association with the National Library of Wales and Oxford University Press, looks at musical traditions in Wales, and in particular at the work of Thomas Tomkins whose music is featured in the concert on Tuesday, May 27 by Fretwork and Friends, and Michael Berkeley, whose Double Concerto for viola and cor anglais receives its first performance by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
Michael Berkeley will be discussing this commissioned work with composer and broadcaster, Geraint Lewis, in a pre-concert talk at 5.45 pm on Thursday, May 29.
Representing Pembrokeshire County Council was the chairman, Clr. Michael Folland, cabinet minister for lifelong Learning/culture and the arts, Clr. Pat Griffiths, and the arts officer, Mrs. Christine Willison.
Other civic guests included Clr. Gordon Cawood, chairman of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, the Mayor of the City of St. Davids, Clr. John Lloyd, Pembrokeshire county councillor John George and the chairman of the Peninsula Tourist Association, Mrs. Rona Liggitt.
The City Council and the Dean and Chapter of St. Davids Cathedral are jointly supporting the concert on Monday, May 26, which features the cathedral choir and Jubilate Brass in an exhilarating programme of music by Parry, Rutter, Walton and Tippett.
For further information contact the Box Office on 01437 721204.