HISTORIC Stradey Castle was the venue for the summer black tie musical soiree of LARS on Saturday (Sep 9). For many it was a splendid and most memorable event albeit tinged with the sad news of the passing of Lady Mary Mansel Lewis.
Compere for the evening LARS Honorary Patron Huw Tregelles Williams paid his respects to the hosts Patrick and Claire Mansel Lewis before speaking about the work of LARS.
LARS Chairman Cerith Owens introduced the evening, which saw six of its youngest performers taking to the stage: Daisy Owens, Jack Owens and Lauren Fisher from Llanelli currently pupils at Ysgol Gyfun Y Strade.
This was the inaugural LARS event for three other LARS singers: Osian Clarke from Tycroes and Neve Summers from Ammanford; both pupils from Ysgol Dyffryn Amman and Sydney Richards from Treorchy pupil of Treorchy Comprehensive School.
The guest soloist was tenor Osian Wyn Bowen from Burry Port now in his final year at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.
The accompanists were LARS Musical Advisors Catrin Hughes and Andrew Pike both well known and highly respected musicians.
As the Honorary Patron introduced the singers it was hard to imagine more splendid or magical surroundings for these rising stars of the future to perform in. The grandeur of the castle and splendour of the interior design could easily have overshadowed the performers, however it was the music and the performances, which stole the show.
