Internationally acclaimed composer Gareth Glyn felt the weight of Welsh history on his shoulders in portraying a pivotal protest in a new opera that’s going on tour.

‘Fflamau Penyberth’ commemorates the 90th anniversary of the 1936 arson attack at RAF Penrhos near Pwllheli.

It was carried out by Welsh nationalists who set fire to buildings at the base before handing themselves over to the police.

The opera, commissioned by OPRA Cymru, explores the events that saw Saunders Lewis, Lewis Valentine and DJ Williams protest against the destruction of Penyberth, a historic farmhouse with deep links to Welsh culture and pilgrimage, to make way for an RAF training camp and aerodrome.

It will premiere at Pwllheli’s Neuadd Dwyfor on 19 November before touring to Rhosllannerchrugog, Bangor, Swansea, Barry, Brecon and Aberystwyth and back to Pwllheli for the final performance of the tour.

The libretto was written by OPRA Cymru founder, Patrick Young, from Llan Ffestiniog, in conjunction with author and historian Arwel Vittle, from Caernarfon.

Powerful arias and rich harmonies feature prominently in the score by Gareth, who was born in Machynlleth and is regarded as one of Wales’ foremost choral composers.

Gareth said: “’Fflamau Penyberth’ commemorates a hugely significant event in Welsh history and I felt a great responsibility to get it right and I hope my score does justice to this seminal moment.

‘Fflamau Penyberth’ features prominent singers in the leading roles supported by a cast of six others and a chorus.

Tenor Robyn Lyn Evans was raised in Pont-Rhyd-y-Groes, Ceredigion, and started singing in local Eisteddfodau. He has since sung with Welsh National Opera and others and frequently appears on the concert platform.

Aberdare-born baritone Emyr Wyn Jones has worked with Scottish Opera and appeared with Sir Bryn Terfel in a celebration of his career, Bywyd Trwy Gân (Life Through Song), for S4C.

Baritone Robin Gruffudd Hughes has sung with leading companies including the Royal Opera. He was born in Pen Llyn and was twice a finalist for the W Towyn Roberts Scholarship at the National Eisteddfod.

Following the arson attack on September 8, 1936, the three men were found guilty at the Old Bailey in London and jailed for nine months in Wormwood Scrubs.

When they were released they returned to Caernarfon and were greeted as heroes by a crowd of 15,000 people.

Penyberth was a farmhouse which had been the home to generations of patrons of poets, and also a way-station for pilgrims to Bardsey Island, but destroyed in 1936 in order to build a training camp and aerodrome for the RAF.

In early 1936, the Air Ministry announced its plans to establish RAF Penrhos, an airfield which would function as an air observer, gunnery and bombing school.

The proposals led to widespread protests in Wales but the government settled on Llŷn after locations in Northumberland and Dorset were met with protests.

Watch ‘Fflamau Penyberth’ at locations including Neuadd Dwyfor, Pwllheli, on 19 November, Pontio, Bangor on 24 November, Aberystwyth Arts Centre on 3 December and Neuadd Dwyfor, Pwllheli on 5 December.