Award-winning choir to perform at Classic Transport Weekend in Dee Valley
THE INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir has been announced as the headline act for a special outdoor concert during this summer’s Classic Transport Weekend on the Llangollen and Corwen Railway.
The choir will perform at the railway’s “Party in the Park” event on Saturday, July 4, in a field adjacent to Glyndyfrdwy Station, offering visitors an evening of music against the backdrop of the Dee Valley.
Organisers say the concert, which starts at 6pm, will be included free of charge for Classic Transport Weekend ticket holders. Standalone tickets will also be available for £5.
Special shuttle train services will operate from both Llangollen and Corwen, allowing concertgoers to travel to and from the venue by rail.
The performance comes exactly one year after members of the choir serenaded Nicoletta Mantovani, widow of legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti, during a journey on the Llangollen Railway – a moment which attracted international attention.
It also takes place just days before the opening of the 2026 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, an event with deep historical links to the choir.
Founded in 1947 to support the International Eisteddfod, Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir has become one of Wales’ most celebrated musical groups, earning worldwide recognition through its recordings and performances.
The choir’s breakthrough album, Voices of the Valley, became one of the UK’s fastest-selling classical releases and helped bring Welsh male voice choir music to audiences around the world.
The choir also shares a unique connection with Luciano Pavarotti. In 1955, members of his father’s choir stayed with families in Froncysyllte while competing at the International Eisteddfod, an experience widely credited with inspiring the future opera star’s passion for singing.
Speaking ahead of the event, Simon Atkinson of the Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir said the performance would be particularly significant.
“We are absolutely delighted to be performing at such a unique and exciting event,” he said.
“The setting at Glyndyfrdwy is truly spectacular and we know it is going to create a very special atmosphere for both the choir and the audience.
“This concert feels particularly meaningful for us as it comes exactly one year after our unforgettable performance for Nicoletta Mantovani on the railway and only days before the 2026 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod begins.
“As a choir formed in 1947 for the Eisteddfod itself, there is something wonderfully fitting about helping to start the celebrations ahead of another incredible summer for music and culture in the Dee Valley.”
Tim Hines, of the Llangollen and Corwen Railway, said organisers were thrilled to secure the choir for the event.
“We are absolutely delighted that the incredible Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir will be headlining our Party in the Park celebration,” he said.
“The setting at Glyndyfrdwy is simply spectacular and having a choir of this quality perform there in a field right next to the station will create something truly magical.
“We wanted this year’s event to be bigger and better than ever before, and this announcement certainly delivers that.”
The Classic Transport Weekend takes place on July 4 and 5 and will once again transform Glyndyfrdwy into a showcase of transport heritage, featuring classic cars, motorcycles, buses, tractors, trucks and trains.
Visitors will also be able to enjoy intensive steam, diesel and heritage railcar services throughout the weekend, with unlimited travel available through Day Rover and Two-Day Rover tickets.
A free vintage bus service for ticket holders will operate between Glyndyfrdwy and Corwen across both days, enabling visitors to explore attractions and displays throughout the valley.
Adult tickets cost £36 for one day or £65 for both days, while children’s tickets are £6 for one day and £10 for the full weekend. Dogs are welcome for £3.
Event tickets include unlimited railway travel, access to vehicle displays, free vintage bus services and admission to the Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir concert.
Tickets are available through the Llangollen and Corwen Railway website.
