Rich and rare Celtic gems prove pick of the operatic pops

REVIEW: WNO A NIGHT AT THE OPERA

- by Mark Rees

The Welsh National Opera Orchestra

(Kirsten Mc Ternan)

IN 1966, Barry-born composer Grace Williams premiered her comic opera The Parlour in Cardiff. After that single outing it vanished from the stage - until 2025, when an archived BBC recording resurfaced.

Thanks to WNO’s A Night at the Opera, a sizeable portion was performed again, bringing this witty tale - about a family mourning a not-so-beloved relative who isn’t actually dead - back to life after nearly 60 years.