Plans have been unveiled for the evening entertainment at this summer’s National Eisteddfod in Abergavenny and there’s something for everyone – from rock to light classical and big band music.

West End star Caroline Sheen, award-winning operatic soprano Gwawr Edwards and celebrated harpist Catrin Finch are among the performers.

Chief executive Elfed Roberts said, “We’re very excited about this year’s programme. So many great artists want to be involved it’s difficult to fit them all in!”

Traditionally, the only evening events during Eisteddfod week were classical concerts, but as the Eisteddfod has evolved and developed in recent years, the organisers have listened and responded to the modern audiences’ needs.

They’re confident that the new pavilion this year will improve the experience for both visitors and artists.

It’s also presented an opportunity to introduce a few different ideas, including a gig with Candelas, Yr Ods and Swnami, the biggest bands in the Welsh music scene, and an evening by Catrin Finch, Serenestial: Adventure through Time and Space.

“We appreciate our concerts can’t compete with permanent venues like the Millennium Centre, with their better facilities for sound and so on but, in our temporary building, we aim to give people a fantastic one-off concert that they will not see or hear anywhere else,” said Elfed.

The programme kicks off on Friday July 29 with Only Men Aloud and Gwawr Edwards (pictured right) and Rebecca Trehearn.

Saturday is Big Band night with Caroline Sheen and James Williams while Sunday celebrates 100 years of Cymanfa Ganu – an idea conceived by Lloyd George as a way of bringing people together after World War 1.

The programme was also launched last week for the popular Open Air stage and Maes B, the fringe event where young people go for their ‘fix’ of rock music.

Performances at Maes B have really developed in the past five years. This year there will be five bands on stage every night until late.

“It’s a meeting place to enjoy music and a great chance for Monmouthshire people to see the best Welsh contemporary artists,” said Elfed.

“It’s important for the Eisteddfod to visit every corner of Wales and it’s nice to be bringing it back to Abergavenny.

“We’ve been talking to Monmouthshire County Council about it for ten years. We’re hoping to attract 150,000 visitors to the Maes over the week.

“The response to our advertising for volunteers has been very good – we have more than 70 applicants already.

“The purpose of the National Eisteddfod is to raise the profile of and foster the Welsh language but that doesn’t mean it belongs to Welsh speakers - it’s for ALL the people of Wales. There’s a welcome for everyone.

“The event is still evolving all the time – the aim is keep the best but introduce new things each year.”

To sustain visitors to the Maes enjoying the competitions, concerts and the host of other activities, the site this year will boast twenty different caterers, most from Wales, and three bars, one selling nothing but Welsh beers and ciders.

“We hope the people of Abergavenny will visit the Maes and visitors to the Maes will also visit Abergavenny and the surrounding area,” said Elfed.

“We appreciate that a lot of people think only Welsh speakers attend or compete but that’s not true.

“Non-Welsh speakers have nothing to fear - we want them to come along and get a feel for the language and the culture!

“Many of the evening performers are not Welsh speaking. And, if you think about it, it’s quite common for opera singers to perform in, say, German or Italian but not speak those languages.”

Early Bird tickets for the Eisteddfod at £15 per day go on sale from April 1. You can book online at eisteddfod.wales or by ringing 0845 4090 800.