Prince of Wales pays tribute to Welsh National Opera

The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to the Welsh National Opera on its 70th anniversary.

A special concert was staged at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.

Since its inception in 1946, WNO has provided a stage to some of the world's biggest opera stars.

Two of them - Bryn Terfel and Rebecca Evans - were at the palace to perform alongside the orchestra and chorus of WNO.

They sang for the 300 invited guests, which included many of the sponsors and benefactors who help to fund the organisation.

Prince Charles said he was "proud" to be patron of the opera company and said he knew "what a difference this remarkable company makes to Wales".

He told the audience he wanted to wish it "the happiest 70th anniversary".

Terfel sang some of his first roles with WNO when he performed for the company in the late 1980s.

Speaking to BBC Wales, he said: "If you delve into their historical background you will also see not only that the Welsh home-grown talent start there, but they created wings for other singers as well.

"And you need a stage to sing these operatic roles when you begin your career."

WNO is currently touring its new production In Parenthesis, based on the World War One poem by David Jones. It will be performed at the Royal Opera House in London on Friday.