D-Day 75 Celebrations in Portsmouth

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This page originally posted in December 2018, has been updated on February 21st, 2019, March 25th 2019, May 29th 2019 and June 4th 2019.

In June 2019 Portsmouth ECTC is hosting the a capella choir from Caen who are financing their visit to Portsmouth totally by themselves. They have done some concerts in their German Twin City of Würzburg and now wish to come and visit us in their British Twin Town of Portsmouth.

An ideal time for them to come is as part of our city's D-Day 75 celebrations. We had begun to plan for their visit before the city was chosen as a feature city for the D-Day anniversary celebrations so their being here can only enhance the many wonderful events happening in Portsmouth to celebrate this milestone anniversary.

As chair of the twinning committee in Portsmouth I have been very busy with various other committee members and many highly organsied and talented people out their in this wonderful city of ours.

I am very pleased to announce that we have arranged some wonderful musical and theatrical events for you to enjoy during the visit of Veni, Vidi Canto. We are also looking into other places the choir will be during the afternoon periods of that weekend. We hope to visit the Hotwalls Studios artists too...

Here are our definite plans with some highly talented local vocalists musicians joining us to work with our visiting choir...

For the Saturday (June 8th) we hope to have the choir performing some songs to mark the arrival of Boudicca into Portsmouth Harbour on her return from marking the D-Day celebrations in and around Caen.

Boudicca will have veterans on board and she is currently due in the harbour around 13:30 on that day, so should be visible from just after midday on the horizon.

We hope the choir can be there to welcome her in musically...

We have definite plans with St Mary's Church for a concert there featuring: The St Mary’s Church Choir, The Fine Voice Academy, Miss Becki Short - 40s performer (and her entourage including the Oasis Community Choir), The Haven Community Choir.

This event is now live online and free tickets can be booked on Eventbrite.

For Sunday (June 9th) - The choir Veni, Vidi, Canto will sing at the Spinnaker Tower from around 10am, hoping for good weather for them to be able to sing near the entrance of the tower... If wet look inside the Waterfront Café.

We have definite plans with The New Theatre Royal for a celebratory concert:

Celebrating the sailors, marines, soldiers, airmen and diverse communities of people, who’s breath-taking bravery and ingenuity contributed to the D-Day campaign, paving the way for the liberation of Europe 75 years ago. Featuring performers and personalities from both sides of the Channel, including Portsmouth and its twin city of Caen, it is also a celebration of the communities touched by those events, past and present. Packed with incredible stories of bravery, moving performances, and shared moments of entertainment, we look forward to welcoming you to this special event.

You can find out more about Veni, Vidi, Canto here

Miss Becki Short has her website here

The Fine Voice Academy's website is here

The Fine Voice Academy at the Kings Theatre in 2015 on BBC South