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Dame Shirley Bassey to Visit RWCMD for Celebration of her Life in Music

19 September 2016

Students from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama will soon be getting a once in a lifetime opportunity to perform their tribute to the girl from Tiger Bay, in the presence of Dame Shirley Bassey herself.

Musical theatre students, together with the Big Band of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, will perform the legendary hits of Dame Shirley Bassey in front of the Dame herself in a special gala event in her home city of Cardiff on Saturday 19 November.

Dame Shirley will join ticket holders for a concert performance in the intimate environment of the Dora Stoutzker Hall, which will be followed by a post-show party in the stunning foyer overlooking Bute Park.

This gala event will raise funds for the Dame Shirley Bassey Scholarship which supports outstanding young singers, training at the College.

“I am delighted to be returning to Cardiff and to visit, for the first time, the new facilities at the Royal Welsh College, which gives so many talented young singers the kind of training and support that was not available to me when I started,” says Dame Shirley Bassey.

“I have had the pleasure of hearing and meeting RWCMD students on other occasions but I am truly excited to hear them interpret the songs that mean so much to me personally.

I hope you will join me on 19 November.”

In 2003, Dame Shirley, who is an Honorary Fellow of the College, auctioned a collection of her stage gowns, collected over 50 years as one of the world’s most celebrated performers, and donated half of the proceeds to the College to establish the Dame Shirley Bassey Scholarship fund.

Since then, some of the most outstanding young singers training at Wales’ National Conservatoire have been recipients of this prestigious award.

“We are thrilled to be welcoming Dame Shirley Bassey to the College and to be giving our students the chance to pay tribute to someone who has inspired so many performers over the years,” said Hilary Boulding, Principal of RWCMD.

“She is greatly loved and admired by everyone and we feel truly fortunate to have been able to establish the scholarship in her name and to have her continuing support and interest.”

Tickets for this unique event will be on sale from 10am on 26 September 2016 (available only from RWCMD Box Office: 029 2039 1391, www.rwcmd.ac.uk)