A special sort of homecoming for Simon Keenlyside

With Jewish roots in Dublin, and having recently signed up for Irish citizenship, celebrated baritone Simon Keenlyside is looking forward to performing for the first time here, writes Cathy Desmond

ONE of Britain’s most distinguished baritones leads a macabre dance in Dublin. Simon Keenlyside is the baritone soloist in Totentanz, a new work by Thomas Adès which will have its Irish premiere at the National Concert Hall tonight.

A glance through Keenlyside’s biography gives an idea of just how far reaching a career the London born baritone has had. It lists no less than 50 roles performed in major houses all over the world over the last three decades. It is an incredible diversity of characters in his “long time crashing around as a gypsy” as he self-deprecatingly puts it.