HIS ROYAL Highness the Prince of Wales enjoyed the sounds of Sir Edward Elgar during a Three Choirs Festival masterpiece at Worcester Cathedral.
Prince Charles, who is president of the Three Choirs Festival Association, joined an audience of 1,000 music lovers from around the world to hear Elgar’s stirring oratorio, Dream of Gerontius at the concert last Tuesday, July 25.
The work has been a favourite of Festival audiences ever since its first, full Three Choirs Festival performance in 1902, when it was conducted in the cathedral by the composer himself.
English National Opera music director Martyn Brabbins conducted the evening which was performed by the 150-strong Three Choirs Festival Chorus and Worcester Cathedral Girl Choristers, together with the Philharmonia Orchestra.
The soloists were mezzo-soprano Susan Bickley, tenor David Butt Philip and baritone Roderick Williams.
Michael Clarke, Chairman of the Worcester Three Choirs Festival, said: “It was a huge privilege for all of us involved in the Three Choirs Festival to welcome the Prince of Wales, and perform Dream of Gerontius at the very location where Elgar himself conducted its first Festival performance in 1902.
“Afterwards His Royal Highness told me how much he had enjoyed the concert, and he complimented the excellence of the performance.”
Before he departed, Prince Charles met members of the Worcester Three Choirs Festival committee, trustees and staff of the charity, supporters of the evening’s event and some of the performers.
The Three Choirs Festival, which this year marks its 302nd anniversary, hosted 74 concerts, workshops, talks and family-friendly events across Worcestershire.
More than 500 performers took to the stage during a week of shows which came to an end on Saturday.
