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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Image source, PAImage caption, A chain of rescue workers at the site of the disaster on 21 October 1966A new choral work by composer Sir Karl Jenkins to mark the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster will be premiered at a memorial concert in Cardiff.On 21 October 1966, the village was devastated when a colliery waste tip collapsed, with slurry engulfing Pantglas Junior School on the last day before half term.A total of 144 people died, 116 of them children.Cantata Memoria will be performed on Saturday at Wales Millennium Centre. Welsh language TV channel S4C commissioned the work, which will be performed by Sinfonia Cymru and sung by a mixed choir of over 150 people along with a children's choir of 116.Media caption, Sir Karl describes what he he hopes the piece would achieveCantata Memoria's libretto was written by poet Mererid Hopwood with words in Welsh, Latin and English.ProfHopwood and Sir Karl went to Aberfan to meet local people to shape the work.Sir Karl said he was thrilled to accept, "exhilarated, humbled but also apprehensive having to write a piece that honoured the memory of this tragedy, and music that appealed to people but that also had integrity."He said one element was honouring Aberfan, the other was celebrating childhood.Image caption, Mererid Hopwood said it was important to get the approval of the people of AberfanProf Hopwood added: "At first I was very nervous, and there was an overwhelming sense of responsibility. "As a Welsh woman, having been brought up in
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