BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Soprano Evelyn Bourton has spent lockdown planning a very special project in collaboration with photographer Pip Sheridan
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Local soprano Evelyn Bourton has been treating people to impromptu recitals during the trying months of the pandemic. As a trained opera singer, she has no problem projecting her voice, and has taken to singing in a variety of locations around Dundalk from the beach at Blackrock to Strandfield Cafe as restrictions allowed.
‘Social distancing for me is not an issue. I have been trained to sing in amphitheatres,’ she explains. ‘I have been humbled by the reaction of people who have heard me singing. Our voice is a gift from God, it’s our job to share to lift hearts even when we can’t e close to each other physically.’
Now, just as we approach the winter solstice, she is embarking on an exciting project to bring hope to the world.
It was when visiting Loughcrew during the summer that she had a chance meeting with photographer Pip Sheridan, who is originally from Enniskillen.
Pip loves to tell stories with images while Eve uses her voice to reach out to others.
The acclaimed photographer is best known for his evocative photographs which capture the natural beauty and mythical landscape of Ireland.
He was commissioned in 2002 by O’Brien Press to create images for a book called ‘Leg
endary Ireland.’ This led to him travelling around Ireland for three months, armed with his camera, maps, and excerpts of the manuscript.
Eighteen years later Pip is still travelling around ancient sites, and wells that were honoured and cared for by our ancestors, this time with a springer spaniel as well as a camera. On his journey he lights fires, instigates mischief, drinking in the music and writing
stories with light.
It was on one of these journeys that he met Evelyn. They got chatting and discovered that they had a shared interest in Celtic mythology, mysticism and magic.
Out of that conversation came the seeds for a project which sees them collaborating to explore the frequencies of sound and light.
‘I will be singing in an empty space in the town centre while
Pip captures the performance in his unique way,’ explains Eve. ‘I’ve got some chants, some of my own compositions, and also some pieces from my operatic repertoire,’ she explains. ‘It will be a mix of song and spoken world.’
There are, she explains many folk tales in opera so this ties in with Pip’s interest in mythology and legends.
‘We are going into the darkest time of year, and I want to
bring love, light, hope and art to everyone.’
She has been busy researching and rehearsing for the production, which is taking place this week. ‘ The acoustics in the space are incredible so we are really looking forward to sharing this.’
‘We will then put it online on www.mysticalireland.ie and also on Facebook,’ she says.