Latest news with #RuleBritannia
Leader Live
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Wrexham Symphony Orchestra to hold Proms style concert
The Wrexham Symphony Orchestra will stage the concert at William Aston Hall on Sunday, June 1, at 2.30pm. The concert will be the finale of their 2024/25 season of concerts. The orchestra will be joined on stage by soprano Erin Rossington and guest conductor Robert Guy. Erin Rossington (Image: Supplied) The concert will include performances of "Last Night of the Proms" favourites, including Thomas Arne's "Rule Britannia", Edward Elgar's iconic "Pomp & Circumstance No. 1", and Sir Hubert Parry's "Jerusalem". Other pieces set to be performed include the dynamic "Libertango" by Piazolla and selections of music from opera and film. Matthew Ellis, the chair of Wrexham Symphony Orchestra, said: "Be sure to bring your flags, hats, singing voices, and silly dances as we round off our season in style with a concert full of joyful pomp and circumstance with music from film, TV, opera, and around the world. "Of course, there will be the chance to join in with the usual pomp and ceremony. "We are delighted to have guest conductor Robert Guy leading proceedings and soprano Erin Rossington performing some wonderful arias to lead us through the pomp and ceremony of the prom; this family-friendly concert is not to be missed." Soprano Erin Rossington, a Welsh National Opera Associate Artist for 2024/25, was raised near Llanfair Talhaiarn in North Wales. She studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Her roles include Maguelonne in Cendrillon, Miss Fortune in Miss Fortune, Mimì in La bohème, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, and Vitellia in La clemenza di Tito. Robert Guy (Image: Supplied) Conductor Robert Guy is well known to audiences in Wrexham and as a co-founder of NEW Sinfonia, he was a driving force behind the "Gresford: Up From Underground" Opera project, which engaged thousands of people and honoured the 90th anniversary of the Gresford Disaster. He has conducted 65 world premieres and led orchestras and choirs from London's West End to Hong Kong, Austria to Kazakhstan. Full details of Wrexham Symphony Orchestra's "Last Night of The Proms" concert can be found online, where tickets can also be booked.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
SARAH VINE: Brexit cost me my friends, my sanity and my marriage. Now the unelected elite have delivered a final insult to all of us who voted to Leave
If Brexit had a theme tune, it wouldn't be the patriotic strains of Rule Britannia, or the stirring sounds of Jerusalem, but a far less triumphalist anthem: the laid-back West Coast sound of the Eagles, and 1976 hit Hotel . 'You can check out, but you can never leave.' Does any other line encapsulate more succinctly the current situation? You can say your goodbyes, pack your bags, pay your bill (and boy, did Britain pay her bill – £23billion-odd so far, and more to come) but at the end of the day you'll end up right back where you started. Ultimately, there's no escaping the tendrils of the EU.
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Royal fans notice Prince Louis's adorable mistake during his and Princess Charlotte's national anthem rendition at King Charles's coronation
A staggering 83 per cent of the British public say they do not know the words to God Save The King beyond its first verse, according to research by Babbel. And around 33 per cent of respondents think the 'old-fashioned' and 'militaristic' national anthem should be replaced, suggesting alternatives such as Land of Hope and Glory, Rule Britannia and even Oasis's Wonderwall. But it seems Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis (who celebrates his seventh birthday today) would not count themselves as part of either group. After sitting through King Charles 's two-hour long coronation ceremony on May 6, 2023, the younger Wales children confidentially stood to sing the national anthem. Mature beyond her years, Charlotte looked precious in an ivory Alexander McQueen dress and silver leaf headdress as she delivered a word-perfect rendition of the song. Also belting out the patriotic tune was Louis, then five, who stood in a navy blue outfit from Savile row tailors Dege and Skinner alongside his parents the Prince and Princess of Wales. But his version of the national anthem was not as flawless as his sister's, as eagle-eyed fans spotted the moment he accidentally swapped out 'King' for 'Queen' in the first verse before correcting himself. One royal fan tweeted, 'Prince Louis sang Queen instead of King bless him' as another wrote: 'Prince Louis singing "God Save the Queen" has made my day. He's back!' The Wales Family sit in the front row near the High Altar Young Louis was quickly forgiven, however, as most other five-year-olds are just getting to grips with their alphabet let alone singing the national anthem on live television. Behind the well-rehearsed Wales children, former rugby pro Mike Tindall was seen checking the words to God Save the King - as did Princess Beatrice's husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. 'Such a wonderful, historic coronation,' someone wrote on X (then called Twitter). 'Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte sang the national anthem and behaved perfectly during the service. A credit to their parents.' 'Love Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte belting out the national anthem,' another royalist tweeted. A third added: 'Prince Louis singing was EVERYTHING #soproudofhim' Royal fans across the pond were equally as impressed, with one gushing: 'I'm American and I teared up.' Despite looking the part, the solemn ceremony elicited a yawn or two from Louis - who was also seen pointing things out to his sister Charlotte from their seats near the high altar. Their older brother Prince George had a formal part to play in the event as Page of Honour to their grandfather King Charles Many took to X to praise the youngsters for singing God Save the King so confidently God Save the King lyrics God save our gracious King! Long live our noble King! God save the King! Send him victorious Happy and glorious Long to reign over us God save the King O Lord our God arise Scatter his enemies And make them fall; Confound their politics Frustrate their knavish tricks On thee our hopes we fix God save us all Thy choicest gifts in store On him be pleased to pour Long may he reign May he defend our laws And ever give us cause To sing with heart and voice God save the King Dressed in a knee-length scarlet coat with gold trimmings over a white satin waistcoat, George, who is second in line to the throne, attended to the King with fellow pages Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, Nicholas Barclay and Ralph Tollemache. It marked the first time in modern royal history that a future monarch was officially involved in the two-hour service. While his grandfather King Charles and great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II both attended their parents' coronations in 1953 and 1937, respectively, as children, they merely watched the ceremony. At Charles's coronation, royal biographer Ingrid Seward told The Mirror that the Prince and Princess of Wales thought long and hard about allowing their eldest son, who is known to be 'shy in public', to take on such a vital role in the coronation. 'After much discussion with him, they all agreed he would regret it if he didn't do it,' Ms Seward said. 'It is his destiny after all to be part of many royal occasions in the future. And he will feel proud to be the youngest person taking part in the historic ceremony.' Despite not having a formal role in the ceremony like her older brother, Charlotte was somewhat of a guiding presence for her younger sibling Louis. Perhaps offering reassurance, or simply ensuring he walked in the right direction, Charlotte held Louis's hand as they processed through the grand building behind their parents. It marked the first time in modern royal history that a future monarch was officially involved in the two-hour service Prince Louis puts on an animated display after the two-hour long ceremony After the ceremony, Charlotte then dutifully took her place alongside George and Louis in the first carriage behind the Gold State Coach. But the young princess seemed to lose control of her cheeky younger brother as the Royal Family stepped out on to the balcony at Buckingham Palace to greet the sea of fans below. Louis impatiently drummed his fingers on the balcony railing before showing off his own version of the royal wave which has been dubbed 'the window wiper'. After pointing and making faces at the crowd, the young prince flung both hands around uncontrollably as his older sister waved gracefully. When the red arrows finally roared across the sky, the little prince appeared to let out a shout of excitement. He made sure to let his parents know that the planes had arrived, pointing excitedly towards the sky.
Sky News
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX BRIT Awards appearances spark hundreds of Ofcom complaints
Ofcom received 825 complaints over the Brit Awards, with the majority relating to Sabrina Carpenter's raunchy performance and Charli XCX's outfit, the media watchdog says. US pop star Carpenter, 25, sported a red sparkly military-style blazer dress for her performance at the awards show on Saturday night, paired with stockings and suspenders for a rendition of Espresso. The song was mixed with a Rule Britannia mash-up, as dancers in military parade dress followed her. She then switched to a red sparkly bra and shorts for her next song, Bad Chem, which she performed alongside dancers in bras and shorts while sitting suggestively on a large bed. Carpenter later received the global success award at the ceremony, and was also nominated in the international artist and international song of the year categories. But much of the buzz on social media surrounded her performance, which took place before the 9pm watershed. 1:57 Charli XCX, who , including album of the year. Some viewers took issue with her outfit - a black see-through dress. The singer addressed the concerns during her acceptance speech for artist of the year, saying: "I heard that ITV were complaining about my nipples. I feel like we're in the era of 'free the nipple' though, right?" Carpenter paid tribute to the UK in her acceptance speech, saying: "The Brits have given me this award, and this feels like such an insane honour in a very primarily tea-drinking country... you really understood my dry sense of humour because your sense of humour is so, so dry. So I love y'all more than you even understand."
The Independent
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The Brit Awards are no longer a closed shop of unchallenging big-sellers
Sabrina Carpenter clearly knows which side of her geopolitical s***storm is buttered. Marching onto a Union Jack stage while flanked by a parade of King's Guards, she serves up a vivifying shot of 'Espresso' interspersed with snippets of 'Rule Britannia', and closes her ultra-raunchy 'Bed Chem' segment by disappearing groinward on one of her sentrymen (or was he a beefeater?). Throughout her Brits 2025 opening performance, the Pennsylvania pocket rocket celebrates British pop supremacy as if angling for citizenship, and who could blame her? With America making a monumental arse of itself on the world stage – did you see Teddy Swims dressed as a sentient duvet? – it's time once more for this land of hope and (morning) glory to step up and lead the free-music world. Signs have been promising. The 2024 Brits ceremony ushered Britain's long-stagnant pop culture into a new era of justice (after years of label suppression, Raye took home a record six awards), equality (the majority of prizes went to women) and punk-rock abandon (Kylie did a shot of tequila from her shoe). This year, Charli XCX is rightfully rewarded with five nominations and the Songwriter of the Year award to celebrate her instant club culture classic of a sixth album making Brat s of us all last summer. Last year's Rising Star winners The Last Dinner Party have graduated to numerous main categories, hoping to see off big dogs like Coldplay and Sam Fender with a whip of a pre-Raphaelite petticoat. Category lists brim with respectable names – Jamie xx, Michael Kiwanuka, Beabadoobee, Nia Archives, Central Cee, English Teacher, Fontaines DC – and the inclusion of a contemporary jazz record like Ezra Collective's Dance, No One's Watching alongside The Cure's Songs of a Lost World makes the Album of the Year category look more like a Mercury Prize shortlist than the usual stream-totting back-slap. In fact, in this company, tonight's Best Pop Act nod to Little Mix's now-solo JADE seems a tokenistic throwback to the glorified sales conference that was the Brits of five years ago, when profitability alone was kingmaker and cultural evolution could go hang. Her mind-blowingly bizarre performance too – a kind of Munster marriage on Mount Olympus between an ascending angel and an ogre groom, in four operatic acts – suggests a glittering future as a Eurovision novelty entry. To stretch the political metaphor further, after a chaotic array of random, short-lived presenters in recent years, Jack Whitehall returns offering posh if aimless stability. He starts strong, pulling in cameos from legendary Brits-fluffers Sam Fox and Mick Fleetwood for a pre-recorded Squid Game skit, and hits the stage lobbing Golden Globes style roasts at the stars in the room like someone who knows he's never going to get Will Smithed in the face by Coldplay. Many of his jibes land like prize-fighter jabs: the Sugababes are 'the jury duty of pop', Teddy Swims has 'the voice of an angel and the face of a primary school desk', Eurovision hero Sam Ryder looks like 'someone brought their drug dealer'. But as he descends into that imploding black hole of comedy that is the tableside Brits interviews, he begins to lose it like all the others. Particularly when contractually forced to plug 5ive tours and Danny Dyer films, do misfiring bits with the Robbie Williams monkey or try to talk to a silent woman who's come wearing the face of a horse. Confident floundering, half zinger, half dud; Whitehall virtually embodies the state of British music as displayed throughout the evening. Charli XCX wins four of her five awards – 'It's the Brat Brits!' Whitehall exclaims – and uses her speeches to champion artistic integrity ('you don't need to compromise your vision') and award show wear from the Kanye's Wife range ('I thought this was the age of free the nipple?' she says after ITV objects to her sheer dress). Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Ezra Collective also do the nation proud. Their closing performance with Jorja Smith and a stage full of brass players is a celebratory bonanza of tropical party vibes full of exuberant hope for the future of British music. And that they win Best British Group above Coldplay and The Cure is a bold signal that the Brits are no longer a closed shop of unchallenging big-sellers. On the other hand, the evening feels somewhat outdated – Paloma Faith? Raye again? Stormzy rightly criticising the fan voting system for his Rap Act win over Central Cee? – and the fresher faces offer little new. Rising chart invader (and John Lewis ad singer) Lola Young might fling her dirty laundry into the crowd and tip washing powder across the stage, but her performance of 'Messy' is barely soiled soul pop. Sam Fender delivers an enjoyably spirited dash through the title track of his new album People Watching, but its close resemblance to Don Healy's 'The Boys of Summer' makes you wonder what the Best Rock/Alternative category (which he wins) is supposed to be offering an alternative to. And this year's Rising Star winner Myles Smith performs his Mumford-like 'Stargazing' on a fittingly beige set. Smith does, however, provide one of the most impassioned moments of the evening, during his acceptance speech. He attacks the government for treating music like 'an afterthought' by cutting support and services for artists, suggests that major arenas should help support the grassroots venues that are the industry's lifeblood and pleads with the industry bigwigs in the room to stick by artists after the first TikTok buzz has faded. Indeed, if any state-of-the-industry insight emerges tonight, it's one of struggle, of hollowing out, of ladders raised. Ezra Collective shout out the youth clubs and schools that gave them aspiration and purpose: 'So many of the problems that face greater society in the UK,' says drummer Femi Koleoso, 'the solution lies with giving a young person a trumpet.' Even Last Dinner Party bassist Georgia Davies, receiving the Best New Act award, highlights the plight of independent venues and that 'art is under threat'. Their performance may be the ultimate in cultured cult baroque – singer Abigail Morris tripping around a set based on the Twin Peaks red room, singing a swear-free 'Nothing Matters' while her band make like the Spiders from Middlemarch – but no strata of new music is immune from the rot. If Britain is ever to run music again, it needs security guarantees on its bedrock. And the Brits, at least, is where the row is breaking out for the world to see.
