Choir's spoonful of love on Pavarotti's home turf

A NORTH Wales choir presented a Welsh lovespoon to the daughter of the late great Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti before singing in his home city to mark what would have been his 90th birthday.

- By STEVE BAGNALL Daily Post Reporter

The legendary singer always said he was inspired to pursue a singing career by his 1955 visit to Llangollen where the choir he and his father, Fernando, were members of, Chorus Rossini, won the choral competition at the 1955 Royal International Eisteddfod.

The 36 members of the Froncysyllte Choir flew back from Italy to Manchester early yesterday morning after a hectic weekend culminated in their singing several pieces to a packed house at the concert on Sunday evening.

Pavarotti's widow, Nicoletta, had been instrumental in the issue of an invitation two months ago to the Fron choir to take part in the concert at the Teatro Communale Pavarotti-Freni in Modena.

The trip was made possible thanks to the backing of Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill, owners of the arts-loving Pendine Park care organisation via the Pendine Arts and Community Trust, which supports cultural and community initiatives.

The arts-loving couple are also long-term supporters of the Llangollen Eisteddfod and in July they accompanied Pavarotti's widow, Nicoletta Mantovani, when she arrived at this year's event by train from Corwen to Llangollen.

Simon Atkinson, originally from Gresford but now living in Welshpool, a tenor in the choir and its press officer, said: "It's been a hectic weekend but it's been absolutely amazing.

"We flew out from Manchester on Friday, spent Saturday and Sunday in rehearsals and then flew home this morning after the concert.

"It's been hard work but absolutely amazing and we did find time to visit Pavarotti's home which is now a museum where there is so much memorabilia of his career but it really does feel like a home - there is even a half-written letter on his desk.