Children of Lir will be recreated in folk opera
THERE will be plenty of Wexford involvement in the forthcoming Children’ of Lir folk opera.
The old Celtic tale of the Children of Lir will be brought to life in the National Opera House on February 3 and 4 next year.
This unique concert will feature choirs from two local schools in Wexford, the Loreto and Selskar College, as well as a 20-strong male local choir, four ballerinas from the Wexford School of Ballet while local actress and singer Sharon Clancy will narrate the concert.
The four ballerinas who will depict the four swans are Holly Johnston, Hannah Scully, Carla Fusciardi Wallace and Sorcha Finn.
They will be joined by the nine musicians of Loudest Whisper and a string quartet and all will perform under the baton of young vibrant conductor Fergal O’Connor.
In total 120 people will perform this magical mystical concert of The Children of Lir.
Contemporary composer and musician Brian O’Reilly is behind ‘ The Children of Lir’ celtic concert. He is staging the concert with his brother Paud O’Reilly and their band, ‘Loudest Whisper’ which is one of Ireland’s most successful and longest established groups.
Their distinctive blend of folk/rock and blues is renowned not only in Ireland and the UK but also in North America.
Brian O’Reilly first staged his musical rendition of ‘ The Children of Lir’ in January 1973. It was an immediate success and heralded as Ireland’s first folk opera.
The Children of Lir has been enjoyed by over 25,000 people all over the world since it was first performed by the group in 1973. It was so successful Polydor Records picked up on it and signed ‘Loudest Whisper’ to make an album of the music.
Ireland’s first concept album The Children of Lir was issued in 1975 and this is now a collectors item.
With each staging of The Children of Lir over the years came new and innovative ideas both for the work itself and for its production. Due to its tremendous success, in 2005 Sunbeam Records UK contacted Brian O’Reilly regarding a re-issue of the 1975 album The Children of Lir on vinyl. Following a meeting in London, the O’Reilly brothers Paud and Brian were happy with Sunbeam’s offer. The Children of Lir was re-mastered in Abbey Road and a limited edition of the album on 180g virgin vinyl was issued in 2006. This edition was also a sell out.
According to the composer Brian O’Reilly, the upcoming concert will be one of the more creative and magical home grown presentations that Ireland has seen in a long while. ‘ The concert is a unique mystical Celtic experience, the music is hauntingly lyrical and spiritual, yet in idiom it is contemporary and vital in a recognisable Celtic style.’
The event is taking place as part of Wexford’s cultural celebration of the 1916 centenary, the arrangement and the participation of local adult and children’s choirs and performers turns this project into a vibrant community venture.
‘ The Children of Lir’ Celtic Concert will be performed at the National Opera House in Wexford on February 3 and February 4, with a matinee at 12 noon on February 3 and an 8pm evening concert on both February 3 and 4. Further information and tickets see www. nationaloperahouse.ie or call 053 912 2144
The centrepiece of the ancient Irish legend which tells the story of the four Children of Lir who were turned into swans for 900 years by their step mother is that love, sorrow and betrayal transmigrate from humans to birds. The swan metaphor reflects freedom, beauty, jealousy and everlasting youth as well as perhaps eternal silence.