Maureen McGovern was on hand Feb. 14 at a press launch for the International Festival of Musical Theatre in Cardiff. The inaugural festival will take place in Wales at what is known as "Europe's Youngest Capital" Oct. 14-Nov. 3. The event will boast the European concert performance of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens' Ragtime The Musical accompanied by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, a concert version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel with the BBC Concert Orchestra and a gala performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Also featured will be the United Kingdom premiere of the children's performance of Les Misérables and nine new musical theatre works that are being selected from 186 submissions from 16 different countries.

The festival is being presented with support firstly from BBC in Wales and the City of Cardiff as well as from the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization, the Cole Porter Trusts, the Gershwin family, Music Theatre International and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre. Among the festivals patrons are Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and Michael Grandage.

For more information on the International Festival of Musical Theatre which will take place at venues all over the city of Cardiff, Wales, visit www.cardiffmusicals.com

— by Ernio Hernandez