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














 

Bel Canto with Emma Kirkby and friends at RIAM

Emma Kirkby Heather Tomala Nicholas Clapton at RIAM 

Simone Colavecchi

There was a teeny note of consternation at the door of the Organ Room at the RIAM in Dublin last Thursday. The performance by the tutors of the Bel Canto Summer School was sold out!. And no surprise really when the line up included  renowned early music specialist Emma Kirkby in a rare performance in  Ireland.
Thankfully , nobody was left outside the door of the elegant period drawing room and we were treated to a wonderful evening of singing and shared insights into the genesis of a  selection of  English and Italian early music by KIrkby and countertenor Nicholas Clapton .


When a performer is as lauded as Kirkby, you are a little apprehensive about hearing them , given the weight of expectation that accompanies the encounter. Kirkby was wonderful live. Added the purity of her voice was her  stance, the  graceful  gestures and facial expression  that animated her delivery. She wasn't just  performing -she was it , whatever iy was be it star crossed lover or the ghost of a little girl !  Particularly lovely with lute accompaniment by Simone Coalvecchi were two numbers by John Danyel to words by his brother Samuel. As an encore we heard participants Angie Hicks and Lauren ?  in a tender duet as a taster for the studnet showcase the following evening. A smiling Heather Tomala at the piano and harpsichord was excellent.throughout . I am facinated to read that in her spare time she indulges in a spot of Irish dancing. There now!

The organ room at the RIAM, Westland Row  is a most elegant double cubed space and a perfect size and acoustic for a chamber music concert.
 

Sister Act: Suor Angelica at The Abbey

It is decades since I was at the Abbey.  The brick and concrete exterior seemed even drabber and drearier than I remembered. Arriving at the studio space, the Peacock Theatre in the basement had the feel of descending  into a bunker.  However, once the curtain  went up on Suor Angelica, all such misgivings disappeared as the young performers of the RIAM drew us into the tragic world of  Pucccini' s Angelica, a young aristocrat  banished to a convent on the birth of her illegitimate son. The production by Lir Academy sets the story in a Magdalene laundry with a resonance in 50's Ireland.

Opening with muted strings, the 12 piece orchestra under conductor Andrew Synott, sited in one of the wings were excellent  and all the nuances of timbre were clearly heard. In the absence of double bass, Sarah Lockart was an assertive anchor and there was fine virtuoso playing from Miriam Kaczor on flute and piccolo.
  The singing from the nearly all female cast  was excellent.  Rebecca Rogers brought out all the pathos  in the title role  and Carolyn Holt as Angelica's stony  aunt gave good dramatic account of her roles. Sara di Bella brought a nicely done,m comic element to Sr Genevieffa .

The buzz continued in the bar for some time post show as the patrons  gathered to greet the young performers. There were many leading lights from the arts world including Dr Veronica Dunne, grand dame of Irish Opera scene.

You can get a flavour of the evening in my post show interview with Rebecca Rodgers in the audioboo below.

https://t.co/E2SekFegzk Whew #SuorAngelica @RIAMOpera a powerful tea time opera treat @AbbeyTheatre Interview with star soprano @rodgical
— Fidleir (@fidleir) March 5, 2015