‘CHOPIN in Paris’, ‘Songs of the Night’, ‘Hungarian Night’ and … oh, dearie me, “Dr Darkpants has the X-Factor”…? Trust Irish Chamber Orchestra to buck up the romance with fun in the mix scheduled for this year’s MBNA Limerick International Music Festival. The MBNA festival will take place from Tuesday May 24 to Sunday 29, laying on everything from storytelling though song to tenor Paul McNamara on “lovers villains, heroes and ghosts” with his choice from Brahms, Schubert and Fauré.
For the final concert of the Irish Chamber Orchestra’s 2011 season last week, at which Anthony Marwood fiddled his last after six years of artistic direction, we got a peek into May’s calendar.
Orchestra chief executive John Kelly drew special attention to the gala Hungarian Night on Saturday May 28 in UCH, which will raise funds for the ICO’s Sing Out With Strings Programme.
The famous director Gabor Takacs-Nagy will lead Antal Aalai on violin, one of Hungary’s most exciting young violinists. Kelly promises “a feast of folk music inspired by Hungarian traditions alongside one of the finest concertos of the 19th century by Bruch”.
Hot stuff, almost as good as the return of Mike Finn’s ‘Dastardly Dr Darkpants with an X Factor’. This interactive musical theatre extravaganza is for all the family, with plenty of knowing mirth to amuse those in parental role. Dr Darkpants (gulp) was a huge hit last year and for 2011, he’ll be accompanied by Simon Cruel, Cheyl Clueless and Ludwin von Bestof’em.
St Mary’s Cathedral provides the atmospheric backdrop for two recitals. One showcases the music of Chopin; the other features two concerts in one, a choral recital followed by a piano recital.
MBNA remains on board as sponsor, a boost hugely appreciated by John Kelly, the ICO and Limerick, a city enriched by this unique festival of international calibre. Tickets range in price from €0 to €10 to a kind maximum of €25 for the fundraiser, so this really is ‘singing out with strings’ for all of us.
For booking information, call 1890 923 543 or visit www.irishchamberorchestra.com
