Music of Wales in the country's national sport of rugby, which in 1905 saw the first singing of a national anthem, Wales's "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau", at the start of an international sporting encounter. A tradition of brass bands dating from the Victorian era continues, particularly in the South Wales Valleys, with Welsh bands such as the Cory Band being one of the most successful in the world. The 20th century saw many solo singers from Wales become not only national but international stars. Ivor Novello, who was a singer-songwriter during the First World War. Also, opera-singers such as Geraint Evans and later
Mal Pope anthem "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau" before his third-round knockout of the Nazi German opponent Walter Neusel, for whom "Deutschland über alles" has been played. "Contender" was premièred at the United Nations building in New York, followed by seasons at Swansea's Grand Theatre and the Aberystwyth Arts Centre. A theme of the musical is that Farr's controversial loss to Joe Louis, and his disproportionate lack of success in the United States, may have resulted from his refusal to co-operate with fight-fixing American mobsters and bookmakers. A new musical, "Cappuccino Girls", opened in February 2009, treating contemporary themes and relationships. Pope was