The Battle of Mametz Wood
A public event remembering the centenary of one of the bloodiest battles fought by Welsh soldiers during World War 1 will take place at Wales Millennium Centre on Saturday 21 May. Mametz Wood, Poetry and Song , organised by Cardiff University in collaboration with Welsh National Opera, will commemorate the battle through an exploration of WW1 conflict and creativity. The event will include talks from University experts, a chance to hear from Iain Bell, composer of Welsh National Opera's newly-commissioned opera In Parenthesis , and a recital of little-known wartime songs. Leading researchers from the University's Schools of Music, Welsh, and History, Archaeology & Religion will investigate Welsh responses to the Great War, with talks examining the Welsh experience of the Battle of Mametz Wood, the poetry and songs it inspired, as well as issues of memory and pacifism: Mametz Wood in Memory and History (Dr Toby Thacker) Sospan Fach and the Trenches (Professor Sioned Davies) Opposition to the Great War in Wales (PhD student Aled Eirug) Welsh-language poetry of Grangetown in WW1 (Dr Dylan Foster Evans) Musical Campaigns of Welsh Composers Ivor Novello and Clara Novello Davies during WW1 (Dr Rachelle Barlow) The day will end with a recital of wartime songs written by Ivor Novello, Clara Novello Davies and others, performed by mezzo-soprano Siān Cameron. This event is the first in a series exploring representations of the Great War in history, music, literature and visual cultures.
