Tony Hadley Announced For BBC Proms In The Park In Colwyn Bay

Tony Hadley will perform with full orchestral backing at BBC Proms in the Park on Saturday, September 10 at Parc Eirias in Colwyn Bay. The news comes as the full line-up for the evening is announced. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As lead singer of Spandau Ballet, Tony Hadley became one of pop music’s best-known vocalists, thanks to hits including Gold, True and Only When You Leave. With one of pop’s most recognisable voices, he is a solo artist in his own right, and has spent the past 20 years entertaining audiences all over the world. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tony Hadley said: “I love performing with orchestras and it will be a real honour singing with the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales. BBC Proms in the Park in Colwyn Bay will be my first orchestral show in Wales and it’s been a while since I’ve played there on my own.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Wales-based Grammy award-winning Amy Wadge, one of the UK’s most prolific contemporary songwriters, is also confirmed for the line-up. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Amy’s most notable success to date comes from her long-established writing partnership with Ed Sheeran. Thinking Out Loud went to number one in the UK chart in November 2014. The first track ever to remain in the top 40 for a whole year, it subsequently became a multi-platinum-selling global hit. In December 2015, the track was nominated for three Grammys and won Song of the Year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Also confirmed is Welsh tenor Wynne Evans. As well as being a popular presenter on BBC Radio Wales, Wynne is also well-known to his fans as the inimitable spoof opera star on a well-known TV advertising campaign. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Wynne studied at the Guildhall School of Music and the National Opera Studio. Over the last 20 years, he has sung major principal roles at many of the world’s leading opera houses including The Royal Opera House, Welsh National Opera, Teatro La Fenice, Opera De Lyon and Glyndebourne. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

His debut album A Song in My Heart went to Number 1 in the classical charts. Apart from his operatic and concert work he sang the role of Piangi in the 25 year anniversary performance of The Phantom of the Opera, which was broadcast live from the Royal Albert Hall to cinemas worldwide. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Wynne is also the Wales ambassador for the BBC’s Get Playing campaign, which encourages music lovers to be a part of the Last Night of the Proms celebrations by joining the BBC Get Playing virtual orchestra. Amateur musicians and lapsed players are urged to visit www.bbc.co.uk/getplaying for the chance to feature in a unique digital performance which will be shown on big screen at BBC Proms in the Park in Colwyn Bay and around the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As already announced, completing the line-up in Colwyn Bay is the 17-year-old cellist and BBC Young Musician 2016, Sheku Kanneh-Mason. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The event in Colwyn Bay is being held in collaboration with Conwy County Borough Council and is part of the UK-wide celebration of the Last Night of the Proms 2016. The popular family occasion welcomes crowds to bring their picnics and flags to enjoy an evening of music, fireworks and fun. The main concert will be preceded by a showcase of local community talents, including Old Colwyn group Ghostbuskers – a 40-strong band that’s been developed as a musical performance project for people of all ages and abilities at TAPE Community Music and Film, as well as Anglesey-based band Cordia, local baritone John Ieuan Jones and the Colwyn Male Voice Choir. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​