The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Earl’s return to his early acting haunts
Prince Edward opens first festival at venue he knows well
The Earl of Wessex returned to a north-east hall where he once took the stage tojoin the audience at a sparkling Saturday night show marking the Queen’s diamond jubilee year.
Prince Edward was guest of honour at the Diamond Coronation concert staged by theHaddoHouseChoral and Operatic Society in Haddo House Hall, near Tarves.
Rural Haddo has been a showcase for the arts since 1945, when the late Lord and Lady Aberdeen transformed their ancestral home into a venue for music and drama productions and created the choral and operatic society.
In his early years, Prince Edward was an enthusiastic member of the Haddo Players and took part in several shows in the hall.
Saturday’s spectacular choral tribute included performances of works rangingfromHandel’s setting of Zadok the Pr i e s t to Mozart’s Coronation Mass.
Earlier in the day, the prince officially launched an inaugural Haddo Arts Festival when he visited a young people’s drama workshop led by TV actor Jonathan Bullock before unveiling a plaque and opening a Voices art exhibition featuring sound, performance and artwork.
The Haddo Arts Festival programme continues until Sunday, with events rangingfromrecitalsbythe Scottish Festival Orchestra and North East Scotland Music School to photography workshops and a Scottish Opera production of Verdi’s La Traviata.
Prince Edward was also in Aberdeen on Saturday to help mark the 70th birthday of Scotland’s first municipal centre, the Powis Gateway facility.
He was welcomed by the city’s Lord Provost, George Adam, in his role as lord lieutenant and introduced to centre steering group members including chairman the Rev Andy Cowie.
After touring an anniversary exhibition, the prince met centre users before signing the visitors’ book and unveiling a plaque. A sore back prevented the Queen from attending morning service yesterday at Crathie Church on Deeside.
The service would have been the 86- year- old monarch’s last at the hillside kirk during her regular summer stay on the royal estate at Balmoral.
She is due to leave Scotland today after her summer stay, flying out from Aberdeen as scheduled, to return to London.
AspokeswomanatBuckingham Palace confirmed the Queen had spent yesterday morning resting, but had been able to meet guests and host a private luncheon at the castle as scheduled later in the day.
“She was taking things easy in the morning, and is now perfectly fit,” the palace spokeswoman added.