A Romanian Musical Adventure

Two short concerts for all age groups, particularly interesting for families with school children 7+. 10 December 2005 at 4pm and 5pm St Peter's Church, Kensington Park Road, W11. Closest Tube: Notting Hill Gate Booking early is recommended as the church is small (Tel: 020 7603 1396.) Well known ex-BBC presenter Angela Rippon, accompanied by the London Schubert Players Orchestra, will read in English translation the absorbing Romanian adventure tale Youth everlasting and life without end by Petre Ispirescu (World Premiere): A magic winged horse carries a handsome prince safely over the Land of the Woodpecker, strewn with human bones, to a castle where three beautiful fairies live. He believes he has found the quest he has been seeking . . . until he strays into the Valley of Tears. Also in the concert: Overture: Vlad, Prince of Wallachia - The real Dracula (World Premiere): Vlad Tepesh is regarded as one of the great figures of Romanian history. Three times he was ruler of Wallachia between 1448 and 1476 and bears no resemblance to Irish novelist Bram Stoker's Count Dracula. Wallachia is the south-easternmost province of Romania, today the seat of the country's capital: Bucharest. In the 15th century the Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia were Christian Europe's front-line against the Ottoman Turks. Prince Vlad, known as 'Vlad the Dragon' (Dracul) because his shield bore a cross and dragon emblem, campaigned against the Turks, scoring several victories until he was killed in 1476 by a Wallachian rival collaborating with Sultan Mohammed II. A Suite of miniatures picturing landscapes from the Carpathian mountains (UK Premiere); and two exciting Romanian dances (UK Premiere). The concerts will be in the presence of composers Odagescu, Spinu and Herea and of HRH The Princess Helen of Romania.

A Romanian Musical Adventure 10 December 2005