Opera world premiere marks pit tragedy anniversary

Ninety years since a mine explosion and fires killed 266 men and boys, a new opera will be performed to commemorate the anniversary.

Just six men escaped when the Gresford Colliery disaster happened in the early hours of 22 September 1934.

Gresford - Up From Underground features young musicians and singers from across north Wales, and will be performed in St Asaph and Wrexham.

Wrexham-born composer Jonathan Guy wrote the music and poet Grahame Davies wrote the words.

Jonathan Guy said while the first half of the opera deals with the disaster the second half looks at how Wrexham has bounced back.

"We focus in on a few characters and their reactions to what happened and their sense of injustice but also since then the resilience and resurgence within Wrexham as a community," he said.

Jonathan's brother Robert Guy will conduct the opera which will feature musicians from NEW Sinfonia which the Guy brothers set up to bring orchestral music to communities in north Wales.

Robert said it was a powerful way of teaching new generations about the impact of the Gresford disaster.

"Putting it to music is a really easy way to engage with it on a more personal level. The story allows them to engage with their local history through the curriculum."

The opera was commissioned by composer Paul Mealor, from Connah’s Quay, the new artistic director of the North Wales International Music Festival which runs from 12 to 21 September.

He said: "Everything we do here is about the community so it's bringing in top professionals to work with our people from around north Wales.

"It's important for us that young children who perhaps don't know anything about Gresford are in this and actually living what it's about because something like that resonates throughout the history of Wales."

The main sponsor for the music festival is Pendine Park care organisation which cared for the Gresford disaster's last survivor Albert Rowlands who died in 2020.

He was a 15-year-old lamp boy at the colliery on the day of the explosion and his father, John, was among the victims.

Mario Kreft, director of Pendine Park, recalls spending time with Albert Rowlands.

He said: "He was with us until he was 100 years old. He was the most amazing chap.

"He had these memories - obviously very painful and sad memories - but he came through that and he always had stories.

"He had one of those wonderful lives, richly lived."

Rehearsals are now under way both at St Asaph Cathedral and Gresford Church to prepare for the world premiere of the opera on 12 September at the festival and performances in Wrexham the following week.