www.irishchamberorchestra.com

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FEBRUARY -

PORTLAOISESLIGOWEXFORD

- MAY 2020

LIMERICKDUBLIN

ENNIS

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MAY 2020Irish National Opera Irish National Opera ChorusPeter Whelan ConductorCaitriona McLaughlin DirectorSarah Bacon DesignerSinéad Wallace Lighting Designer

THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO Mozart

Sung in German with English Surtitles

People trafficking across the seas is nothing new and sex has long been part of its matrix. Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio deals with conflicts between nationalities and cultures with the lightest and most sophisticated of touches. The beautiful, exotically colourful score includes some of his most brilliant, and extremely virtuosic arias.

Friday 15 May National Opera House, Wexford @ 8pm  053 9122144 / 1850 4 OPERA

Tuesday 19 May             Gaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 7.30pm

Wednesday 20 May       Gaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 7.30pm

Thursday 21 May            Gaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 2.30pm Gaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 7.30pm

Friday 22 May Gaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 7.30pm

Saturday 23 May Gaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 2.30pm Gaiety Theatre, Dublin @ 7.30pm 0818 719388 www.ticketmaster.ie

Musically and dramatically, the production could hardly be bettered, with the Irish Chamber Orchestra under Peter Whelan’s expertise delivering superbly – Emer O Kelly, Sunday Independent

IRISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

The Irish Chamber Orchestra is Ireland’s most dynamic ensemble. Mixing traditional repertoire with new commissions, and collaborating with everyone from DJs to dance companies, the ICO pushes the boundaries of what a chamber orchestra can do. You are as likely to find the ICO at Electric Picnic as Mozartfest, but wherever it performs, the ICO delivers world-class concerts feted for its energy and style.

Each year, the ICO presents concert seasons in both Limerick and Dublin, embarks on two national tours, and makes a number of prestigious international appearances. Our Artistic Committee works closely with Jörg Widmann Principal Conductor/Artistic Partner and Katherine Hunka Leader, to create exciting, diverse and innovative programmes, mixing standard repertoire with new work from the best young Irish composers. This versatile approach enables us to appeal to music fans of every stripe while upholding the highest artistic standards.

Our groundbreaking initiative, Sing Out with Strings (SOWS), offers primary school children in Limerick the chance to learn music. The runaway success of SOWS has inspired us to set up a youth orchestra, the ICOYO, which provides aspiring musicians aged 12 to 18 with the support they need to grow. The orchestra has made its home at the University of Limerick for over 20 years, and is deeply involved in the MA in Classical String Performance, supporting young talent through workshops and masterclasses.

The ICO is orchestra-in-residence at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick, and is funded by The Arts Council of Ireland/An Chomhairle Ealaíon.

www.irishchamberorchestra.com

FEBRUARY 2020Jörg Widmann Conductor/ClarinetDiego Chenna Bassoon

BEETHOVEN 7

Mozart Marriage of Figaro Overture, KV 492Strauss Duet Concertino for Clarinet, Bassoon and Orchestra, TrV 293Widmann Con Brio OvertureBeethoven Symphony No. 7, Op. 92

Mozart’s Figaro Overture maintains a manically jolly mood throughout. Strauss’ late Duet Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon is a masterful and brilliantly crafted homage to his beloved Mozart. In Con Brio, Widmann creates a fury and rhythmic insistence using the same instrumentation as Beethoven’s 7th and 8th symphonies with lean means. The momentum of Beethoven’s 7th Symphony is unstoppable; the steady build-up of intensity captures the listener in its headlong energy – one of the all-time greats!

Thursday 13 February University Concert Hall, Limerick @ 8pm061 331549 www.uch.ie€28, €25, €10 students, €5 children

Friday 14 February The Printworks, Dublin Castle, Dublin @ 7.30pmPresented by the Office of Public Workswww.irishchamberorchestra.com€28, €25, €10 students, €5 children

Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony had a tautness of energy, sometimes touched with fierceness that kept one on the edge of one’s seat – Michael Dervan, Irish Times

MARCH 2020Fazil Say Director/Piano Katherine Hunka Director/ViolinAnna Devin Soprano

ORIENT & OCCIDENT

Fazil Say Silk Road Mozart Ruhe sanft mein holdes Leben from Zaide Fazil Say Black EarthMozart Ch’io mi scordi di te, KV 505 Fazil Say Four Arias from Goethe Lieder (West-Eastern Divan) Mozart Piano Concerto No. 12, KV 414

Fazil Say has a passion for Mozart.  His Silk Road is an exotic and extraordinary musical journey across the fabled trade route.  In a world of Turkish pirates and Christian slaves, Anna Devin sings one of Zaide’s most beautiful arias, Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben to her would-be-lover.  In Black Earth, Say’s music digs deep into soil and history.  Mozart’s Ch’io mi scordi di te is one of his finest concert arias.  The ICO creates a colourful backdrop to Say’s dramatic and passionate Goethe Songs, a tribute to Persian poetry and a showcase for Anna Devin’s brilliant vocals. Finally, Mozart’s playful Concerto in A major brims with lyricism and texture emulating his idol, J.C. Bach. 

Saturday 28 March The Printworks, Dublin Castle, Dublin @ 7.30pm Presented by the Office of Public Workswww.irishchamberorchestra.com€28, €25, €10 students, €5 children

Sunday 29 March University Concert Hall, Limerick @ 3pm061 331549 www.uch.ie€28, €25 and €10 students, €5 children

He (Say) is not only a brilliant pianist, but will without doubt also become one of the great artists of the 21st century - Le Figaro

APRIL 2020Katherine Hunka Director/ViolinNicola Sweeney Violin Christian Elliott CelloMalachy Robinson Double Bass

STRINGS ATTACHED

Schnittke Moz-Art à la HaydnSchubert Rondo for Violin and String Orchestra, D. 438 Ian Wilson Seventh Seal Concerto for cello, double bass and string orchestra World Premiere (Commissioned by the ICO and funded by the Arts Council of Ireland)Piazzolla The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires

Schnittke’s Moz-Art à la Haydn brims with virtuosity, wit and flair.  Schubert’s Rondo for Violin and Strings is a masterpiece – virtuosic, fresh, lyrical and imbued with love.  Principals Christian Elliott and Malachy Robinson and their ICO colleagues then present the world premiere of Ian Wilson’s Seventh Seal – a new concerto for cello and double bass, commissioned by the ICO.  Astor Piazzolla’s ‘tangoed’ Four Seasons of Buenos Aires depicts the seasonal moods of the city through jazzy rhythms and romantic violin solos that ooze excitement, propelling this work to a brilliant conclusion. 

Wednesday 22 April Glór, Ennis @ 8pm065 684 3102 www.glor.ie€22, €20, €10 students

Thursday 23 April                           Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise @ 8pm057 866 3355 www.dunamaise.ie€22, €20€10 student group rate

“Hunka and her players drove the music with at timesvehement virtuosity”.

Friday 24 April The Model Sligo @ 8pmCon Brio Sligo Music Series071 914 1405 info@themodel.ie orwww.conbrio.org€25, €10 students, €5 children

Saturday 25 April The Printworks, Dublin Castle, Dublin @ 7.30pm Presented by the Office of Public Workswww.irishchamberorchestra.com€28, €25, €10 students, €5 children

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