CÔR TEIFI SUMMER CONCERT AT SAINT MARY’S CHURCH, CARDIGAN WITH UKRAINIAN SOPRANO KHRYSTYNA MAKAR

On a perfect Summer evening , with the swifts swooping outside, Côr Teifi and guests presented their “end of term” concert in St Mary’s church, Cardigan. The programme  presented pieces seldom heard locally, chosen, accompanied and conducted by the choir’s Musical Director, Henry Ward. The choir rose ably to the challenge, and we were taken from the light and humorous to the sublime and moving (and all the dances between). The evening was made even more special by the guest appearance of the truly extraordinary Ukrainian soprano Khrystyna Makar, who is internationally renowned and has been staying with other Ukrainian refugees at the Urdd centre in Llangrannog. The evening showcased further local talent with David Child’s engaging rich baritone in When you are Old and Grey by the choir’s own Alun Rhys Williams. This well known poem was finely set by Alun and provided a Celtic connection from the Irish poet, WB Yeats (actually written as a young man to his unrequited love and muse, the beautiful actress Maud Gonne.)This was Khrystyna Makar’s first performance in Wales. She is from the city of Lviv, known to us all by now, and which is the cultural centre of Western Ukraine. Ms Makar gave a powerful performance which would have amazed and thrilled in any setting but which was somehow made perfect by being barely contained in the simple, lofty nave of St Mary’s. The singer presented four  pieces, all in Ukrainian, ranging from the light to the sublime. We can only imagine what these refugees have been through and this made the recital even more poignant.The retiring collection, which raised a most generous £775, was for Aberaid in support of refugees of all countries who have been given homes and shelter in Ceredigion. Ms Makar told us that there would always henceforth be ‘a little bit of Wales in Ukrainian hearts’.