VOCAL group The Three Tenors celebrates five years on the road this year with a gala concert at the National Concert Hall in Dublin in April. In the build up to that they are on a nationwide tour taking in Limerick this weekend, Saturday 22.
The success of the act has growing every year as with bigger attendances at every concert. The trio was assembled by concert producer/ promoter John Conway over five years ago when John saw a gap in the market for a “contemporary classical-crossover act” in Ireland. Through John’s contacts all four became close friends and an Irish concert act was born going from strength to strength each year.
One of The Three Tenors, Ray O’Hare, took time out this week to talk to Limerick Post Newspaper about the upcoming concert and the successes of the last five years.
The Three Tenors are a ‘crossover’ act that appeal to a broad church. It is for music fans – not strictly classical music buffs. Declan Kelly, Ray O’Hare and Dominic McGorian perform favourites and greatest hits from Sinatra (‘My Way’ and ‘New York, New York’), Leonard Cohen (‘Hallelujah), Simon & Garfunkel (‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’), The Dubliners (‘Song for Ireland’), Roy Orbison (‘Blue Bayou’) and Michael Jackson (‘Heal The World’), to Pavarotti (‘Nessun Dorma’) and Elvis (‘Love Me Tender’ / ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’) plus a few rousing Irish ballads.
The mix of classical and contemporary is working for the trio, with fans attending multiple shows on this tour. as Ray O’Hara reports.
“People will come to gigs regularly from all over the country and we meet these people in our meet and greets after the show. I am always surprised at the people I meet afterwards, and especially the comments we get. One of the most regular comments we get is from men. They tend to come up to us and say, ‘Lads, this evening at 6pm I was happy sitting on the couch, fire lit, watching television and the missus made me get up and come to this concert’. And they will turn around and say they had a brilliant night and were glad they got off the couch.”
THE Three Tenors have talented musicians with them and don’t use any backing tracks, everything you hear is played live. Their violinist is Maria Mason from Thurles in Tipperary and Gillian Saunders is their tireless pianist who is on stage all night directing proceedings. Unlike the original Three Tenors who sang solo lines and then sang in unison for the big notes, The Irish Three Tenors strengths are in their harmonies as they deliver rousing choruses in unison. So, Limerick Post wants to know if there are any divas within the trio and and rows commonplace among the talented singers?
Ray laughs, “We are all good friends. And we have to be able to give and take and hold back to let the other person shine. That dynamic is important between us.”
It also helps that their repertoire is arranged for them but they regularly take suggestions on their facebook page from their fans for new material to perform.
A feature of the Three Tenors show is the inclusion of two choirs from the locality of where they perform. At their Lime Tree Theatre show the trio will be joined by the Milford Primary School Choir and the Raheen Gaelscoil Choir. The choirs get to meet and perform with the professional musicians. For the kids it is a chance to rub shoulders with full-time performers, get the mobile phones out and get souvenir pictures and see that there is more to music that the hour long music lesson that they might attend once a week.
“We give them a little bit of time before the concert to help them to settle and not be nervous. I think they come away with a life experience.
“Their parents are always appreciative and we got some lovely comments on facebook this week to say that the children had a ball. If you can inspire the next generation to have a love of music that is great.”
The Three Tenors with the Milford Primary School Choir and the Raheen Gaelscoil Choir will perform at The Lime Tree Theatre on Saturday March 22.
