THE greatest soprano of her day, the operatic superstar Adelina Patti, is remembered in two events at Brecon’s Theatr Brycheiniog to mark the 100th anniversary of her death.

'Queen of Song' is a day-long celebration of talks from 10am this Sunday, September 22, and there will be a major competition concert on Tuesday night September 24.

Born in Spain in 1843 to Italian, opera-singing parents, she spent many years living in America.

With a voice remarkable for its incredible purity, for which Verdi declared her the greatest singer he had heard, she was acclaimed and was already a singer of considerable renown by the time she chose to take up residence in the Upper Swansea Valley, in Breconshire, performing regularly for royalty from all over Europe.

In 1878, Adelina bought a castle in the Upper Swansea Valley which she gave the romantic name of Craig-y-Nos (Rock of Night) and became immersed in local community life and was a generous benefactor, giving charity concerts even after she had largely retired. She particularly favoured Brecon, where she sang in Welsh at the 1889 Eisteddfod.

She undertook many building projects at the castle over the years and opened a theatre there in 1891 where many musical productions were held. She died at Craig-y-Nos in 1919 and was buried near her father at the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris.

Sunday’s heritage day will have illustrated talks on all aspects of her remarkable life which saw her touring the world to an adoring public.

On Tuesday the 2019 Adelina Patti Song Prize will be awarded when the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, in conjunction with Theatr Brycheiniog, proudly present the finalists of the first annual competition for Bel Canto - ‘Beautiful Singing’ - in Arias, Songs and Ensembles to commemorate one of the greatest operatic singers of the latter half of the 19th century. The evening starts at 7.30pm.