Classical music and opera events to fight the Winter blues
1. The Music Makers RTÉ Philharmonic Choir Anniversary, NCH, Jan 9
The RTÉ Philharmonic Choir, celebrate their 30th Anniversary in January with a performance on the very date of the first ever rehearsal – (January 9, 1985) .
The anniversary concert includes The Music Makers by Edward Elgar, a fitting tribute to the many choir members who have performed with such dedication and commitment over the years, and is coupled with a new commission and world premiere by Elaine Agnew, Everyone Sang, a setting of Siegfried Sassoon’s moving poem.
The Choir are joined by the RTÉ NSO , soprano Imelda Drumm and pianist Hugh Tinney.
www.nch.ie
2. Schubertreise VIII, NCH, Jan 11
In February 2013, Bass Baritone Conor Biggs embarked on an audacious musical odyssey to perform all 600 of Schubert’s songs in a series of 35 recitals over ten years, a feat never attempted before.
He returns with pianist Michel Stas to perform Part VIII, featuring settings of poetry by Friedrich von Matthison, much admired in his day, who provided the composer with 29 poems in total
www.nch.ie
3. Shannonside Winter Music Weekend, Co Clare, Jan 15-18
If you fancy something a little less highbrow you should make your way to the Winter Music Weekend in County Clare.
This multi-genre jamboree dedicated to acoustic performance hosted by Sixmilebridge Folk Club has gone from strength to strength.
In recent years, the party has spilled over to include nearby Bunratty village. Gigs take place all over the Folk Park venues on Saturday with great value family tickets available.
Sixmilebridge boasts its own commuter line station on the Limerick to Galway line so you could leave your car at home.
www.wmw.ie
4. Galway Mid-Winter Festival Town Hall Theatre, Jan 16-18th
Music for Galway’s Midwinter Festival dedicated to chamber music returns to the Town Hall Theatre in January. This year’s intriguing title is ‘Soundtracks for Superpowers’. The festival focusses on two composers who towered over their respective centuries, Joseph Haydn and Dmitri Shostakovich, who both worked with powerful patrons, the Esterházy family and Joseph Stalin, respectively.
Performers include the Carducci String Quartet, soprano Helen Kearns and pianist Finghin Collins On Sunday afternoon, the visitors will be joined by ConTempo Quartet, Galway’s Ensemble in Residence for Shostakovich’s works for octet. There is a Saturday morning lecture and you can sit in on open rehearsals.
www.musicforgalway.ie
5. Out to Lunch at Belfast Cathedral Quarter Festival, Jan 2-24
This festival of music, comedy, literature and drama, boasts an eclectic line-up of affordable lunchtime performances (including a free lunch) plus an array of evening shows, many seen at the Edinburgh fringe.
The hotly anticipated film screening Nowhere is Home captures Festival stars of 2013, Dexys,. There is a special screening with dinner of John Hustons’s The Dead at the Black Box .
For a helping of drama, desire and death with your soup and sambo, a trio of singers present arias associated with femme fatales at the Black Box.
If that isn’t enough for you. Russian State Ballet brings four traditional productions to the Grand Opera House in late January
Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival 2- 25 January.
www.cqaf.com
Russian State Ballet present Coppelia / Nutcracker/ Swan Lake / La Fille Mal Gardéé at The Grand Opera House 20-24th Jan
6. The King’s Singers, Cork Opera House, Feb 3
The classy male vocal sextet stop off on their globetrotting tour at three Irish venues in February.
The programme is a mixof Renaissance and modern works by British composers leavened with standards from the American songbook.
Warmly received in Cork when they headlined the 2012 Choral Festival, the acoustics of the purpose-built opera house will suit them.
www.corkoperahouse.ie
7. IAYO Festival of Youth Orchestras, NCH Dublin, Feb 7
Excitement will be high when youth orchestras converge on the festive portals of the premier concert venue for the 20th annual Festival of Youth Orchestras.
Eight ensembles from around the country perform at afternoon and evening concerts. Participating ensembles include National Youth Orchestra of Ireland and the Irish Youth Wind Ensemble.
A Festival Orchestra convened for the event will perform a specially commissioned work by Sam Perkin.
www.iayo.ie
8. Waterford New Music Week - Various venues, March 23-29
WNMW celebrates music composition and performance with workshops, talks, lunchtime recitals, evening concerts.
All daytime events are free and take place right across the city.
The main draw is a masterclass by leading British pianist Joanna McGregor who will perform an eclectic and engaging programme from Bach via Piazzolla and Thelonious Monk .
www.facebook.com/WaterfordNewMusicWeek
9. Galway Choral Spectacular Seapoint, Jan 31
Limerick Choral Union celebrated their 50th anniversary with one of the biggest choral events of the year, a performance of Carl Orff’s dramatic cantata, Carmina Burana involving 240 choristers of all ages, a symphony orchestra and three soloists under their director of 18 years, Malcolm Green.
If you missed it, there is a second chance to hear the combined forces of the LCU and Galway Choral Association with Choristers of St Nicholas ScolaCantorum when they repeat the programme in Galway in January.
Also included is one of Poulenc’s most celebrated works, The Gloria. Soloists include Franzita Whelan and Derk Moloney.
www.thelcu.ie
10. Faust Everyman Cork, Feb 20-28
Continuing in a Gothic vein after highly successful autumn outing with Der Vampyr, the Cork Operatic Society production of Guonod’s Faust featuring a winning blend of top notch soloists (including Cork diva Cara O’Sullivan), and a chorus drawn from the community under innovative musical director John O Brien, promises to punch above its weight.
A must see for aficionados and opera virgins, it’s a piece with lots of good tunes and a cracking yarn.
www.everymancork.com
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