Vivre Musicale: Schumann Song Studio at RIAM

Mezzo Eimear McCarthy Luddy

On Wednesday, Vivre Musicale a collective of singers and musicians attached to the Royal Irish Academy of Music presented an evening of work by Clara and Robert Schumann. I regret I missed songs by Clara but there was enough of a feast in two song cycles from Robert's Liederjahr from two excellent young singers and a Fantasiestucke on clarinet from Berginald Rash. Baritone, Sean Boylan was an animated lovelorn protagonist in a rendition of Heine's texts  Liederkreis op 24. Boylan's ability to get to the heart of a text was apparent when I hear him in Ennis at a recital in 2014. My, Irish Examiner  review here. Sean tells me he is off to London to study at the Guildhall and we wish him well.

  Eimear McCarthy Luddy was a new name to me. The mezzo-soprano gave a moving and vivid rendition of Frauenliebe und Leben, composed shortly before his wedding to Clara. The eight texts tell the tale of  a woman's heart from the headiness of new love,  the joy of motherhood and a poignantly prescient final text on the pain of widowhood. We were reminded what a remarkable woman, Clara was to maintain a career as a concert pianist and support her eight children, the eldest who was in his early teens when Robert died. McCarthy Luddy's programme note concluded with this quote from Clara 'What have I possessed and lost! And yet how long have I gone on living and working. Where does one ...find the strength? I found it in my children and in art-they have sustained me by their love and art too has never played me false.

But back to our soloist ,  McCarthy-Luddy had a lovely purity of tone with an elegant  platform presence wearing a floor length, black and ivory gown.  Reading her biography, I note that she began formal training with Eimear Quinn and is currently working towards a Masters in performance with Owen Gilhooly.I am looking forward to hearing her again.

All were well served by Seho Lee on piano- Accompaniment Teaching Fellow at RIAM

Both singers, I believe are involved in Drums and Guns at The Lir Weds 9th March.

 The next Vivre Musicale  presentation is an Opera Gala Thurs March 24th 7pm Organ Room Tickets €10/5


For mother's day here are a few of the lines of Schumann's Woman's Heart, text 7 on the joys of a baby at the breast

Du lieber , lieber engel du,
Du Schauest  mich an und lachelst dazu
An meinen Herzen, an meiner Brust,
Du meine Wonne, du meine lust














 

Summer Soup Songs: Lunchtime series at NCH & St Columba's

St Columba's Ennis

I heard two terrific young singers  in two lunchtime  recitals  a couple of weeks ago. The first was  in the grand auditorium of the prestigious National Concert Hall with the full forces of the RTE National Symphony Orchestra, the second, in the hidden gem of the  neo Gothic St Columba's Church in Ennis County Clare.

My review of baritone Sean Boylan with pianist Tham Horng Kent was published earlier this week in the Irish Examiner, link here . It is good to see this series establishing itself on the scene hosted by Helen Houlihan. What impressed her about today's singer, I asked the soprano. 'The voice of course but most of all the ability to get right into the heart of the text' she said. Virginia Kerr was among the gathering to hear her student perform. Sopranos Ruth Kelly and Edel O Brien who also perform as part of the series were in a attendance to support  their fellow artists.

Rachel Kelly

Another rising star of the opera stage drew a full house to National Concert Hall on Tuesday for the final concert in the RTE National Symphony Orchestra's lunchtime series.  In a programme titled Love Actually, mezzo soprano Rachel Kelly  demonstrated the sparkling form and graceful stage presence that has propelled her onto the prestigious Jette Parker Young Artist programme at the Royal Opera House in a programme of arias by Mozart, Rossini, Bizet and Guonod. Kelly  sported a 'grand bit of glam' in sequinned gown and sparkly jewellery . The ladies of the RTE NSO wore a casual dress down Friday look in black pants and assorted tops and cardis. Perfect for cycling home in after the concert. Come on ladies! Break out those summer frocks. The occasion demands it. 

The combined forces of the Kelly and Hunt clan gathered in the foyer to support their girl. NCH chief Simon Taylor was in the John Field Room to greet concert goers.  The combination of great value price €10 and a daylight hours performance with a tidy running time  attracted a large proportion of senior citizens and day trippers. 'I come every week' said Mary from Dundrum. 'Tuesday is always music day. I wouldn't miss it'

You can hear Rachel singing in a master class with the soprano Joyce di Donato here  


Kelly has a busy Autumn schedule ahead. as a cast member of major new productions at the ROH  in the Autumn season. She appears in the ROH collaboration with The Globe, L'Ormindo and in Verdi's early work, Il Duo Foscari. The series continues with the RTE Concert Orchestra picking up the baton.  Their guest soloist on Aug 12^th  is soprano Ana Devin followed by  Eamonn  Mulhall on 26th. John Wilson, new principal conductor of the RTE CO conducts an instrumental programme on August 19th 

Bus 145 directly in front of Luas stop brings you all the way from Heuston Station to  Leeson Street , a stone's throw from the NCH

Related posts  Musical Postcards France at NCH

http://cathydesmond.blogspot.ie/2013/06/classical-thursday-recital-series.html

Review of recital with Rachel Kelly and Una Hunt at Wexford Opera Festival