My Royal Performance
Justina Gringyte was one of around 40 students to
perform at Buckingham Palace when His Royal Highness The Prince of
Wales hosted a spectacular Royal Gala in celebration of the Royal
Welsh College of Music & Drama’s 60th
anniversary.
Royal Welsh College staff, students and alumni attended the
star-studded gala at the Palace on 29 April 2010. At the event, His
Royal Highness The Prince of Wales also announced that the
college’s new 160-seat theatre, currently under construction, is to
be named the Richard Burton Theatre.
Guests at the event included Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Dame Shirley
Bassey, Ruth Jones and Rob Brydon as well as Lord Lloyd Webber,
Lord and Lady Sainsbury of Preston Candover, Sir David Frost, Sir
Michael Parkinson and Sir Howard Stringer, together with several
members of Richard Burton’s family.
The evening featured a series of performances showcasing the
talents of the college’s students, alongside Bryn Terfel CBE, an
Honorary Fellow of the college, who made his Buckingham Palace
debut singing at the event and the acclaimed actor Robert Hardy,
who read a tribute to his friend Richard
Burton.
Postgraduate student, Justina Gringyte, of Lithuania, is
currently studying on the postgraduate Opera Pathway and has just
won a place at the prestigious National Opera Studio in London. She
spoke to us about her experience at the Palace.
“Preparing for the occasion was so exiting,” she said. “The
College Principal, Hilary Boulding, chose the programme – I was to
sing Seguidilla from Bizet’s Carmen and My Man’s
Gone Now from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. I often
perform these pieces with our Head of Opera, Angela Livingstone, so
we both felt quite confident. Our duet was ready to go to the
palace.”
Justina set about polishing her performance with her singing
tutor, Buddug Verona James, Head of Acting, Dave Bond, and Senior
Lecturer in Movement, Fran Newman. “We were looking for new staging
solutions and stronger dramatic points,” she said.
The last dress rehearsal, the night before the gala, went well
and confidence was high. There was just one thing left to do - get
to the Palace!
“I was very nervous on the morning of the big day. I couldn’t
believe it was really happening.”
Arriving in London, Justina met up with the other RWCMD students
and staff and, after a lengthy security process, finally entered
the palace. On the way to the dressing room, she glanced into the
ballroom, full of giant tapestries and mirrors. “I was simply
shocked at the splendour,” she said.
The dress rehearsal was at 4pm and, after a short break and a
quick bite to eat, the performers took their places in the ballroom
just as the guests started to arrive. A buzz of excitement filled
the Palace.
The performance began with jazz student, Chris Gilligan. There
was no turning back now, after a few minutes it would be Justina’s
turn to go on stage, with His Royal Highness and Dame Elizabeth
Taylor sitting just a few steps away in the front row.
“I couldn’t believe how quickly my performance
went! Afterwards we relaxed and mingled with His Royal Highness and
the other guests. I spoke to Bryn Terfel for quite some time.
Alumni Ruth Jones and Rob Brydon were there, Shirley Bassey, Andrew
Lloyd Webber, David Frost, Michael Parkinson – some incredible
names. Again the time seemed to fly... One minute I was in the
Buckingham Palace, then the next I was back in the tube station. It
was hard to believe I had ever been there, that I sang for royalty.
I am very grateful to the College for giving me the chance to live
for one day in that wonderful dream.”
It was a moving occasion for all involved but none more so than
for the family of Richard Burton. Dame Elizabeth Taylor said:
“Richard would have been so deeply touched by this honour as am
I.”
The Richard Burton Theatre, along with the 450-seat concert
hall, four acting & movement studios and exhibition gallery,
will be an important new addition to the college’s professional
training and performance facilities. The development, designed by
architectural practice BFLS, is due to open in the spring of
2011.
Read more about the Royal Gala here.