Classical Music Series starts in September
THE sixth Drogheda International Classical Music Series was launched in the d Hotel, with the Series running from September 2017 to March 2018 with one concert per month.
Since the first performance in October 2012, the Series has grown from promoting four or five concerts to a handful of people to presenting up to seven concerts often to capacity attendance, which is a significant achievement for a provincial town.
Commenting on the season, Artistic Advisor Pauline Ashwood said “I’m delighted that the Arts Council and Louth County Council have funded the Series again, enabling us to bring the best of Irish and international classical music talent to Drogheda. Whether you’re a musical aficionado, looking for a new interest or just in the mood for a two-hour escape, this Music Series has something for all.”
The opening concert comes fresh from the 2017 Edinburgh International Festival. Performed by the vibrant Scottish early music group Ensemble Marsyas under dynamic director Peter Whelan, this concert will be based on works made famous by the Italian superstar castratro, Tenducci.
Giusto Fernando Tenducci was born in Siena in c.1736 and went on to become one of the major castratri singers of the time with a successful career across the leading Italian opera houses. He later toured Ireland and caused a massive scandal when he eloped with an aristocratic Irish lady. He was jailed in Cork when they caught him but he escaped and travelled to Edinburgh with his new wife... who was by then pregnant!
On Friday 8th September at 7:30pm, don’t miss the chance to hear the story of Tenducci through many of Handel’s best known and loved arias performed by the musicians of Ensemble Marsyas, mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty with Alec Frank- Gemmill (horn) under director Peter Whelan. The natural acoustic of St Peter’s Church of Ireland will lend itself to this beautiful music.
Other concerts in the Series include the Gould Piano Trio in October, violinist Alina Ibragimova with pianist Cédric Tiberghien in November, a special Christmas concert by the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra with soloists Fatma Said and William Davenport, international cellist Johannes Moser with pianist Andrei Korobeinikov in an all Russian programme, an evening of operatic arias and duos from six emerging Irish opera stars in Feb and closing with a recital by Finghin Collins in March.
Advance tickets for concerts are €19 & €17 online / phone or €20 & €18 on the door. Student / children’s tickets are €5. Booking opens in early August through Droichead Arts Centre on 041 9833946 or www.droichead.com
The Series funded by the Arts Council and Louth County Council and is run in partnership with Droichead Arts Centre.
Fri 8th Sept 7:30pm St Peter’s Church of Ireland
Direct from the 2017 Edinburgh International Festival, the sensational Ensemble Marsyas with mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty and Alec Frank- Gemmill (horn) under the direction of Peter Whelan will perform a concert of famous early operatic works including Handel’s masterpieces Va Tacito and Verdi Prati.
Fri 13th Oct 7:30pm St Peter’s Church of Ireland
Gould Piano Trio
According to the Washington Post, the British-born Gould Trio have the combination of jeweler-like precision and a musical fire that ignites from the first bar. For their first visit to Drogheda, they will perform three major works for piano, violin and cello including Mendelssohn’s much-loved Piano Trio No. 1
Haydn; Piano Trio in G Hob XV 25 Gipsy Rondo
Mendelssohn; Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49
Beethoven; Piano Trio in B flat major, Op.97 Archduke
Thurs 23rd Nov 7:30pm St Peter’s Church of Ireland
Alina Ibragimova (violin) with Cédric Tiberghien (piano)
French pianist, Cédric Tiberghien makes a welcome return to Drogheda this time with the brilliant Russian/British violinist Alina Ibragimova for a programme of violin and piano hits including Franck’s famous Violin Sonata. The Guardian described them as “today’s partnership of choice for violin and piano repertory”. Franck; Violin Sonata Ysaye; Poème élégiaque Op 12 Vierne; Violin Sonata op.23
Fri 15th Dec 7:30pm St Peter’s Church, West St (Catholic Church)
RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra with Fatma Said (soprano) and William Davenport (tenor)
What better way to start the festive season than with the forces of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra featuring prize-winners of the prestigious Veronica Dunne Singing Competition 2016, Fatma Said and William Davenport. The programme includes opera highlights from Massenet’s Manon and Lehár’s Giuditta, and a selection of seasonal orchestral and vocal music including the beautiful O Holy Night.
Note this concert is in St Peter’s West St, to accommodate the large orchestra.
Fri 26th Jan 7:30pm St Peter’s Church of Ireland
Johannes Moser (cello) with Andrei Korobeinikov
German- Canadian cellist Johannes Moser is regarded as one of the finest cellists today. He makes his first visit to Drogheda in an all-Russian programme with pianist Andrei Korobeinikov. This is one not to be missed.
Fri 16th Feb 7:30pm St Peter’s Church of Ireland
A Night at the Opera
An evening of opera and song curated by the director of Wide Open Opera and Opera Theatre Company, Fergus Sheil who has put together six singers who really are from the top drawer of emerging Irish talent, including Muireann Mulrooney (sop) Amy Ní Fhearraigh (sop) Carolyn Holt (mez) Andrew Gavin (ten) Cormac Lawlor (bar) and Rob McAllister (bass bar).
Fri 9th Mar 7:30pm St Peter’s Church of Ireland
Finghin Collins (piano)
For Finghin’s first solo recital in the Series, he will perform a programme of Field Nocturnes and Preludes by Rachmaninov and Chopin. A fitting close to the 2017/18 Series.