Spiro and Angelo Notaras eating ice cream at “ The Proms” concert the Saraton Theatre .

"Biggest event to hit Grafton in 25 years"

Grafton Examiner, 28th Oct 2014

Clair Morton

GRAFTON'S Afternoon at the Proms may have even been better than the real thing.

Angelo Notaras thinks so, and judging by the crowd's enthusiastic standing ovations on Sunday afternoon, they do too.

An Afternoon at the Proms, based on the Proms Concert of London, was a first for the Clarence Valley and included all the classics, including Land of Hope and Glory and Sailor's Horn Pipe performed by the Clarence Valley Sinfonia Orchestra.

Having been to the Proms in London on many occasions, Mr Notaras, also the co-owner of the Saraton Theatre, said he was happy to report the success of the local version might have secured its future as an annual event.

"I think it might have been the biggest event to hit Grafton in 25 years," Mr Notaris said.

"The thing that stuck me was enthusiasm and community spirit of all the people on stage.

"Grafton doesn't understand how lucky they are to have people like composer Greg Butcher and everyone else in this town, and we need to have things like this so people like this can come out and blossom."

Composer Greg Butcher said the show was tremendous.

"I'm very proud of how well both the orchestra and choir played," Mr Butcher said. "Nothing like this has been done for a while with local musicians and it all came off."