Spectacular opera singer Celine is worthy of note
‘Dragons’ Den’ panellist Gavin Duffy gives an insight into his friend Celine Byrne — the ex-GAA ladies’ footballer turned opera star
ONE of the world’s first great, internationally acclaimed opera stars was an Irishwoman — Margaret-Burke Sheridan, from Castlebar, Co Mayo.
She was prima donna at the world’s most famous opera house, La Scala in Milan. Her name holds pride of place on any list of alltime soprano superstars that will inevitably include Nellie Melba, Lily Pons, Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland.
One hundred years on, it seems Ireland has a soprano who is certainly becoming the talk of opera in Europe. She is Celine Byrne.
Celine approached me a couple of years back to give her some business advice. We became friends, and, first-hand, I have seen her opera career rocket.
Her background is a million miles away from the pampered life of an opera diva that now beckons. In fact, aged 17, she was a promising GAA ladies’ footballer in Kildare, as well as a solid if not yet spectacular performer in local musical societies.
She went to work as an au pair in Italy where, by chance, her host family took her to see her first opera. Celine knew in an instant this would be her future.
However, it is still a remarkable feat that, by 2007, in Athens, the relatively unknown Celine from Ireland was awarded the prestigious first prize at the Maria Callas Grand Prix and was tipped to be the next big thing in opera.
Organisers said her voice would round out into the perfect lyric soprano register. It has taken a decade and more than 20,000 hours of training, practice and performance for that to happen.
No less an authority than Dr Veronica Dunne can’t hide her surprise at how Celine’s voice continues to improve. Dr Dunne said: “Celine’s tone, range and breath control keep getting better. She has arrived almost at her peak (knocking her knuckles on the desk, touching wood)... it will last her for another 15 years.”
Dr Dunne, affectionately known by her pupils as Ronnie, has a wicked sense of humour. She added: “If opera was a sport they would be dope testing Celine for performance-enhancing drugs because she keeps setting, in voice terms, new PBs [personal bests].”
Ronnie treats all her pupils as her children and won’t show favouritism for one over another, but she can’t help point out that Celine’s spinto voice and stamina are amazing.
Spinto is a voice of powerful dramatic quality — and Celine’s voice without amplification can fill the great opera houses over the best, loudest orchestras, while maintaining perfect tone. But her stamina differentiates her from all the other top opera stars.
This year, Celine has completed seven opera productions as well as toured with Jose Carreras in Asia; played concerts with Andrea Bocelli and Gaston Rivero, dubbed the new Pavarotti; debuted at the Royal Albert Hall, London, as well as being a guest singer with some of the world’s top orchestras.
Twice this year she has flown from the far side of the world to oblige RTE. She was the star of the broadcaster’s spectacular Centenary concert, bringing it to a close singing the Brendan Graham classic You Raise Me Up.
Some weeks ago, she left to a standing ovation in Bejing, rushed to the airport and flew for 26 hours to Dublin, was then driven to Cork, and stood up and sang like an angel for the recording of RTE’s upcoming Christmas Eve carols special.
The international opera producer Simon Walton said: “Celine could still perform even if she had a head cold. It is extraordinary that her instrument (voice) is always of performance standard.” Celine’s idea of taking it easy for Christmas is doing what will be another sell-out show in the Bord Gais Theatre next Sunday, December 18. Why? She just loves to sing and, according to Celine, “it’s great to do a show where I don’t have to die” — a reference to the drama of opera and the inevitable fate of the heroine.
She added: “I can’t wait to sing all the great arias but also the Christmas classics and beautiful hymns with an orchestra at full belt under the baton of my great friend David Brophy.”
It’s in concerts where the real Celine shines. Audiences love her because she talks to them. She is not just a great voice, she is the ultimate entertainer.
But if you ask Celine to describe her voice, she will tell you she is blessed with a strong top and a beautifully rounded bottom and, too late, you will cop from the twinkle in her eye — she is having a laugh at your expense.
In truth, she can’t explain why Pope Francis requested for her to sing for him in Croke Park in 2018, or why her performance as Marietta in Korngold’s heartbreaking Die Tote Stadt has the big opera houses outbidding one another for her, but then a century ago, how did they ever explain how a girl from Castlebar became one of the world’s first soprano superstars?
‘Celine shines in concert... she is not just a great voice, she is the ultimate entertainer’