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TCH Archives > Sunday Business Post > 2006/10/01 > Classical notes

Classical notes
Sunday, October 01, 2006 - By Dick O'Riordan
Lyric Opera Productions, which operates exclusively in the National Concert Hall (NCH), has had an extremely busy year so far and its production of Madame Butterfly is sure to add to the continuing success story for director Vivian Coates.

The three-night run on October 7, 10 and 12 has international stars in the lead roles, including Korean soprano Jee Hyun-Lim as Butterfly and Italian tenor Marcello Bedoni as Pinkerton. There is also an impressive Irish line-up that includes sopranos Sandra Oman and Doreen Curran and bass John Molloy, all former graduates of the DIT Conservatory in Dublin. €20-€36; 01-4170000.

It is a happy coincidence, therefore, that the success of DIT graduates is celebrated with an enticing concert featuring stellar soprano Orla Boylan and pianist Philip Thomas at the NCH on October 5.The programme will include music by Strauss, Sibelius and Barber as well as operatic arias. €5-€25; 01-4170000.

Pianist Una Hunt’s new CD, Fallen Leaves from an Irish Piano Album, is a collection of piano pieces that are not only charming but also historically interesting as they trace the evolution of the piano in Ireland.

The CD, published by RTE Lyric FM, includes favourites by Chopin and Field, as well as works by lesser-known composers only recently sourced from the National Library of Ireland’s collection.

Hunt is embarking on a five-concert Fallen Leaves’ tour under the umbrella of Music Network, the Arts Council body that helps spread quality music to the regions.

The venues are: Glor Irish Music Centre, Ennis (Oct 3); Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co Cork (Oct 7); Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin (Oct 12); St Michael’s Church, Ballina, Co Sligo (Oct 13). Tickets €10-€16.

Gifted young pianist Sophie Cashell takes a major step next Tuesday towards a concert career when she gives the Mabel Swainson Award Winner Recital at the NCH.

Cashell, a former student of the Royal Irish Academy of Music and now studying at the Yehudi Menuhin School, has advanced relentlessly though the junior ranks, being a multi-award-winner at festivals and feiseanna and eventually winning the Swainson award, the most prestigious honour for piano playing at the Feis Ceoil.

Her programme will include Handel, Beethoven, Liszt and Ravel. €6-€10; 01-4170000.

It’s not that long since Redmond O’Toole played lead guitar in a punk band called Brinskill Bomb-Beat. But the DIT Conservatory graduate has come a long way since packing in punk for classical music. That’s not to say he has gone orthodox - far from it.

O’Toole now plays an eight-string Brahms guitar, a strange instrument that is played in the cello position and is connected to a resonating box. This provides added range and tone and creates a sound of real beauty. O’Toole, who studies under the guitar maestro Oscar Giglia, has already achieved international status and is reckoned to be one of the most outstanding young guitarists in Europe.

His repertoire includes his own arrangements as well as baroque and medieval compositions.

He has just released his first CD, Bornheim Klassic, and is embarking on an eight-venue tour: NCH (Oct 2); Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar (Oct 5); Mermaid Theatre, Bray (Oct 7, 1pm); Wexford Arts Centre, Wexford (Oct 8, 2pm); Civic Theatre, Tallaght, Dublin (Oct 11, 2pm); Hawkswell Theatre, Sligo (Oct 12); Solstice Theatre, Navan (Oct 13); Airfield House, Dundrum, Co Dublin (Oct 14), €10-€12.

The Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO) is on the second of its three new-season visits to the NCH with a programme of Mozart, Schnittke, Arensky and Shostakovich on October 4.

Katherine Hunka is director and lead violinist. The ICO makes a great effort to attract young audiences and its marketing strategy allows two free child (up to age 16) tickets free with every adult ticket purchased.

€10-€20; 01-4170000.