British singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé delivered a breathtaking performance at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod last night as she teamed up with the festival’s Absolute Orchestra for a spectacular concert that brought a packed Pavilion to its feet.

Sandé’s unmistakable soulful vocals were perfectly matched by the rich, cinematic sound of the Absolute Orchestra, conducted by the festival’s artistic director, Dave Danford. Specially for the Eisteddfod, Danford created new orchestral arrangements of some of Sandé’s best-loved songs, giving familiar hits a thrilling new dimension.

A hand-picked orchestra of more than 20 musicians provided a lush musical backdrop throughout the evening, complementing Sandé’s powerful voice from the opening notes to the final encore.

The concert began with Daddy, accompanied by a girls’ choir, before the orchestra launched into a Bond-inspired suite featuring My Kind of Love and Clown, immediately winning over the enthusiastic audience.

Danford’s inventive arrangements continued throughout the evening, with Heaven flowing seamlessly into Hurts, while Yes You Can featured a striking classical bridge before leading into Survivor. One of the night’s standout moments came when Danford cleverly incorporated music from Aram Khachaturian’s Masquerade Ballet Suite, blending classical and contemporary styles with remarkable success.

A particularly memorable highlight saw Sandé perform Beneath Your Beautiful alongside rising young vocalist Brook Fox, who had earlier appeared with the evening’s support band. The duet received a warm reception from the thousands gathered inside the Pavilion.

The emotional tone deepened during Mountains, accompanied by a powerful video montage contrasting scenes of war with images from the Eisteddfod’s iconic Parade of Nations, which had taken place just hours earlier. The sequence featured narration from former festival president Sir Terry Waite, who was among the audience, adding an extra layer of poignancy to the performance.

After stirring renditions of Highs and Lows and Read All About It Pt. III, the audience rose for a prolonged standing ovation, recognising not only Sandé’s outstanding performance but also the exceptional musicianship of the Absolute Orchestra.

The applause ensured there could be no quick exit, with Sandé returning for two encore performances. She closed the evening with You Are Not Alone before bringing the house down with a rousing, hand-clapping rendition of Next to Me, leaving the Pavilion quite literally bouncing and providing one of the standout moments of this year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.