Craig-y-nos was once home to opera singer Adelina Patti, the ‘Lady Gaga’ of her day. Her gardens are now a country park, open to the public and managed by the Brecon Beacons National Park. Walk the Plank’s creative team brought together some of the rising female talent in South Wales’ cultural scene to celebrate Mother Earth within the beautiful gardens where once Madame Patti herself sang.
Brecon Beacons National Park
Location:
Craig-y-nos Country Park
In the gardens of legendary opera singer Adelina Patti an incredible celebration of Mother Earth took place.
The site on the western edges of the Brecon Beacons sits within the Fforest Fawr Geopark, recognised by UNESCO for its unique geology. Creative Producers Georgina Harris and Angharad Evans worked with contemporary Welsh artists, including composer Tayla Leigh Payne, performance poet and singer Teifi Emerald, creative writer Jodie Bond and dance collective Kitsch n Sync. The work was inspired by the Brecon landscape as much as by the echoes of Adelina, and it drew influence from workshops conducted in communities in the Neath and Swansea areas.
Llais Y Bannau - Opening
A track created by composer Tayla-Leigh Payne
Madame Adelina Patti (1843-1919) was a remarkably talented woman who gained singing fame as a child and built on it throughout her life to become a legend in her own time. She was an accomplished actress, a shrewd businesswoman, as well as an acclaimed opera singer. She moved in the highest echelons of Victorian society, not only in Europe but also on the world stage.
The second most celebrated woman in the world in the year 1900, after Queen Victoria, is today almost forgotten.
People enjoyed a twilight picnic whilst listening to an ambient wave of immersive soundscapes curated by Tayla-Leigh Payne through their headphones. Meanwhile Kitsch n Sync’s costumed characters glided silently around the site before unleashing Teifi from within Madame Adelina Patti’s pavilion.
We welcomed various community groups who attended workshops in music, making and creative writing in advance, before coming to experience the National Park at night. They included the Healthy Lives project (Brecon) and young people from Yo Vo – Your Voice Matters from Neath Port Talbot.
Loved being a part of this wonderful production! diolch xx
The GeoPark’s expert Alan Bowring shared his knowledge about the glacial landscape and the rocks beneath our feet; and the Big Skills initiative offered hands on activities to participants in advance and on the night.
In 1957 the UK established its 10th National Park, the Brecon Beacons National Park, in its continuing efforts to rebuild the nation following two World Wars. With mountains and moorland, standing stones and castles, lively waterfalls and vibrant communities, the Brecon Beacons National Park has masses to offer residents and visitors. We have a long and colourful history and a rich and varied mythology and culture.
The National Park is around 42 miles wide. In total, it covers approximately 520 square miles of South and Mid Wales, just west of Herefordshire, and includes parts of Powys, Carmarthenshire, Monmouthshire, Rhondda and Merthyr Tydfil. It gets its name from the Central Beacons, which dominate the skyline south of Brecon. They rise to 886 metres at Pen y Fan, the highest peak in southern Britain.
Some of the traditions which helped and shape the landscapes and our everyday lives have faded with time; others continue today. The night skies are remarkable. They’ve earned the Park recognition as an International Dark Sky Reserve.
The Park’s industrial heritage is magnificent: Blaenavon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And the rocks tell their own story. They’re so unique that a large part of the National Park has been designated a European and Global Geopark.
We’d like to thank all the groups who participated:
- Big Skills initiative
- Craggy Volunteers
- Healthy Lives Project – Brecon
- Yo Vo – Your Voice Matters – Neath Port Talbot
- Ysgol Maesydderwen
Thanks to our partners who supported this event:
- Brecon Beacons National Park
- Fforest Fawr GeoPark
- Craig Y Nos Castle
Photography by Mohamed Hassan and Grace Springer