Culture

Welsh National Opera brings myths and legends to life in new family concert

28 Sep 2026 2 minute read

Marvellous Musical Mythology. Image: WNO

Nation.Cymru Staff

Welsh National Opera is taking families on a musical journey through ancient myths and legends this autumn with a new interactive family concert.

Marvellous Musical Mythology will play at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff on 30 September and Venue Cymru in Llandudno on 23 October, before it heads on tour to Southampton, Oxford, and Plymouth.

The show, directed by Emma Woods and conducted by Tom Fetherstonhaugh and Frederick Brown, stars presenter Elin Llwyd who will lead families through the myths of Ancient Greece, Rome and Wales.

Aimed at children ages 7 to 11, Marvellous Musical Mythology will get audience members involved by inviting them to clap along, take on challenges and discover different instruments as the performance unfolds.

The WNO said: “Can you clap in 5/4? What does a real harpsichord sound like? And how does it feel when the whole WNO Orchestra plays at full power? There’s no need to know the answers – or the music – before you arrive. Elin will help you discover them as you go!”

The orchestra will be accompanied by soprano Eiry Price, tenors Andrew Henley at the WMC show and Sam Furness at all other shows, as well as dancers Krystal S. Lowe and Tom Kemp.

Concerts in Cardiff and Llandudno will be presented in Welsh, with both English and Welsh captions and BSL interpretation to help the audience follow the action. Cardiff’s concert will be BSL interpreted by Cathryn Mcshane Kouyaté.

The family concert will last about one hour and has no interval. Children are welcome to make sounds, react and join in, and ear defenders are available.

More information on venues and tickets is available on the Welsh National Opera’s site here.

Marvellous Musical Mythology will take place as part of WNO’s autumn season, which also includes a double bill of Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle and Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex, alongside Puccini’s La bohème. The productions will tour venues across Wales and England throughout October and November.

WNO has a 70-year history and tours opera and concerts across Wales and England, alongside youth and community programmes.

The company also works with partners to support and develop young operatic talent, with the aim of making opera accessible to wider audiences.

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