Soprano scales new heights on home soil

Cork-born soprano Deirdre Moynihan returns to her home city this Friday with a project close to her heart.

She performs a lunchtime concert of Handel’s Nine German Arias, considered some of the most beautiful and profound music that Handel wrote for singers, in UCC’s Honan Chapel.

“The music is something I always wanted to do as a collection, and it’s very rarely performed in Ireland,” Moynihan says. “I approached the Irish Baroque Orchestra manager with a proposal for a four-date tour. All the venues were extremely enthusiastic from the off, it was great to get such encouraging support.”

The Arts Council were also impressed and funded the project. A trio of leading musicians from the IBO Chamber Orchestra joins Moynihan for the tour which opened on Tuesday in Mayo.

“It’s a collection that Handel wrote in his native language and is rare in that respect as he wrote so much in Italian and other languages.” The text is from the poems of Handel’s contemporary, Barthold Heinrich Brockes, on the theme of God’s goodness evident in all creation.

“They are ethereal, uplifting, contemplative, fiery; I think people are often surprised that there’s so much variation among them. They’re really engaging, people get into them straight away,” Moynihan says.

Moynihan sings a wide range of genres of classical music but, with a parallel career as a traditional fiddle player, this Baroque music holds a special appeal.

“The improvisation element is important. Usually we repeat the aria with the repeat heavily ornamented and you have the freedom to improvise as you see fit, I really enjoy that aspect.

“The ornamentation isn’t the same as in traditional music but it gives me ideas in the way I approach it since I’m improvising and I’ve played around with harmony from an early age. It might give me a different take on a particular passage.”

Moynihan’s concert schedule features a busy and exciting mix of appearances. “For any musician it’s hard to sustain a career. Apart from technical work on repertoire you have to get out there and look for, and create, opportunities. People don’t necessarily realise that it’s not just about the music, if you want a sustainable career you have to work hard at that side of it.”

Collaboration is really important, she says. “It gives you a fresh approach and leads to new opportunities. I feel very fortunate to have worked with lots of top ensembles in the country. Forging friendships is important too, I think it’s important to enjoy the people you work with. When the hard work leads to opportunities like this, to work with such high-calibre musicians, it makes it all worthwhile.

“People in Cork are the luckiest in the tour because the concert is part of FUAIM, UCC’s concert series, so it’s free,” says Moynihan. They are also lucky that, due to a late venue change, the concert will take place in UCC’s beautiful Honan Chapel. “I’m delighted that the final concert is there, it’s really stunning and it will really suit this music. The mellow sound of the period instruments and the high intermingling of the voice and violin will be enhanced. It will really draw the listener in.”

*Hidden Handel — Where Light and Shadows Merge: Deirdre Moynihan & IBO Chamber Soloists. Wed 13, St Johns Arts Centre, Listowel; Thurs 14, The Hunt Museum, Limerick; Fri 15, Honan Chapel, UCC.