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Highlights of the Cardiff Festival (so far, anyway)

That is, musical highlights! Firstly, M and I went promenading at 2 Welsh Proms concerts. The first, on Monday 20th July, was the Revolutionaries Prom. Most obvious revolutionary - Beethoven (the concert featured his 'Overture, Les Franc Juges' and the Third Symphony (Eroica), famously almost dedicated to Napoleon. Those pieces were appreciated, & well played by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, although we were bored by the other work, Berlioz' suite of songs 'Les Nuits d'ete'. Maybe this piece was the reason why the Revolutionaries Prom had not sold that well - plenty of empty seats. A much better atmosphere, and indeed, interesting set of works, on Friday 24th for the Romantic Prom. The Philharmonia this time, playing Beethoven's 'Overture No 3 Leonora', Dvořák's Cello Concerto and Sibelius' Symphony No 5. The Cello Concerto was excellent (reminiscent of a previous Welsh Proms cello performance -Saint-Saëns' Concerto No 1), featuring soloist Thomas Carroll. The Beethoven was, well, Beethoven, but we were slightly underwhelmed by the symphony. All in all, still worth the £5.50 tickets. Looking forward to our next visit to St Davids Hall on 11th August, we're trying out the National Youth Orchestra of Wales. Programme looks good -more here.



Onto perhaps more familiar territory, we ventured to the last evening of this year's Cardiff Big Weekend to see headliners The Zutons - 4th time for me and 3rd for M at last counting. They were good, well received, but we were definitely unimpressed by songs played from their latest album You Can Do Anything. I remember not buying it, listening online giving me the impression it wasn't as good and I think I was right. The newer material seems to feature less sax, more guitar and makes The Zutons more like the average indie band, which they were not origially. Still, it was fun, and the fireworks were good.
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