Our guests come from Cornwall, the very southwestern most tip of England, that has its own song, poetry and story traditions. It’s a tradition that’s alive a well in Wisconsin. Many Cornish people came here to settle in the late 19th century.
Before he retired, Benjamin Luxon was one of the preeminent and acclaimed baritones of his generation, singing everything from opera to pop, music hall to folk. Bert Biscoe is a folk singer of some note and also a member of the city government of Truro (East).
While we celebrate a Cornish reunion here in Milwaukee, Luxon wishes that his native land would do more.
"They really haven’t used the opportunity to delve into their history, to really establish themselves as a nation," says Luxon. "And they’ve missed out on these Cornish communities around the world which are still extremely active and still have the feeling of being Cornish."
They’ll perform tonight at the Zelazo Center on the UWM Campus. We were also joined by the Chair of the Planning committee for the Gathering of the Cornish CousinsKathryn Herman. That organization is sponsoring the concert.
