Oh what a night! ‘Voices For Ukraine’ at Saint David’s Hall, Cardiff, on Sunday, April 10th 2022. An amazing emotional event that I was very humbled, honoured, privileged and moved to be a part of.

For the evening, in my own little way, I wanted to mark the centennial of a great Welsh, international opera star, the renowned bass-baritone Sir Geraint Evans, who passed away 30 years ago.

Sir Geraint was a great mentor to many young up and coming singers and was a trailblazer for established British singers in European and US opera houses.

Sir Geraint retired from the operatic stage in 1984, with the role of the ‘quack’, Doctor Dulcamara, in Donizetti’s ‘L’elisir d’amore’ – The Elixir of Love, at his operatic home, The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and as a tribute in the concert, I sang Dulcamara’s cavatina, "Udite, udite, o rustici".

In his farewell speech, Sir Geraint said: “Wouldn't it be wonderful, if there were such a thing as the Elixir of Love, that every morning we could take a spoonful and give our love towards our fellow men”. Those sentiments couldn’t be more apt in today.

Suffice to say, I believe the evening raised over £14,000!
Bravi tutti!
Da iawn pawb!
Well done everyone!
Всі молодці!

A big thanks to: Rose-marie De Lloyd for devising it and for sorting out my charts for the orchestra, Gerry Cornelius our Musical Director for holding all together with the fantastic Orchestra De Cymru , David Rees, our very helpful Stage Manager and last but not least the man who put it all together my dear friend and colleague, baritone and ABC of Opera’s @MarkLlewelynEvans .

Thanks to my friends Jeff Howard Jeff Howard and @alanj.preston-tenor9574 Alan Preston for the footage.

Lovely to meet so many Ukrainians after the concert who sang with such passion with their national anthem "Ще не вмерла України і слава, і воля" ("Shche ne vmerla Ukrainy i slava, i volia” - 'The glory and freedom of Ukraine has not yet perished'), who Jeff Howard did a wonderful arrangement of.

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