WELSH tenor Gwyn Hughes Jones will perform works by Verdi, Tosti, Puccini and Bellini at Rhosygilwen this Saturday (July 12).

A former baritone performer, he has appeared at major operatic venues throughout the world, and is known for the strength and sweetness of his voice.

In common with other Welsh-speaking opera stars such as Bryn Terfel and Gwynne Howell, he is also admired for his fine diction.

He made his professional operatic debut in 1995 with Welsh National Opera as Ismaele in Nabucco conducted by Carlo Rizzi.

Among the roles he has sung for the company are Manrico in Il Trovatore, Duke inRigoletto, Rodolfo in La Boheme, the title role in Gounod’s Faust, Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly, Don José in Carmen and Nemorino in L'Elisir D’amore.

Gwyn made his European debut as Ismaele in Nabucco with Opera National de Paris and subsequently sang Camille de Rossillon in Die Lustige Witwe for the company.

Other appearances in Europe include the title role in Werther for Opera National de Lyon conducted by Christian Badea, Fenton in Falstaff for La Monnaie, Brussels conducted by Antonio Pappano, Rodolfo in La Boheme and Don José in Carmen for Norwegian National Opera and at the Music Theatre Trondheim.

In 2001 Gwyn made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York singing Ismaele in Nabucco, a role he has revived twice for the company.

He has also sung Fenton in Falstaff at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly and Rodolfo in La Boheme for the Lyric Opera of Chicago andErnesto in Don Pasquale for Florida Grand Opera.

Gwyn has selected a special programme of Italian songs for his evening at Rhosygilwen, which will also include lesser known works by Cilea and Liszt.

The evening starts early at 6pm with a 90-minute interval for picnics in the gorgeous grounds of Rhosygilwen. Tickets can be booked on line on Rhosygilwen.co.uk