THERE is much going on with Limerick Summer Festival, the 700-strong marquee concert taking place at Old Crescent RFC, Rosbrien on Thursday July 5. Within the embrace of the enormously fun and sporting Pig’nPorter international tag rugby tournament – in its 17th year – there is an isle of world class music calling us in www.limericksummermusic.ie
Consider too that Old Crescent’s winning senior players will steward the event, that Met Eireann’s forecast for this hot spell burns on and there will be acres of free parking to oblige this 8pm event.
Co-founder Michael Murphy makes the point that Limerick Summer Festival (LFS) is “truly unique as it is very unusual to get two internationally acclaimed artists, Suzanne Murphy, soprano and violinists Vladimir and Anton Jablokov to – No. 1, share the concert and No. 2, collaborate.”
Michael Murphy should know, having led the foundation of University Concert Hall 25 years ago beyond survival into success. He’s also Suzanne’s little brother.
In short years ahead, the LFS committee is looking to take the July date into an extended run as Limerick culture week. They can do it.
“In my view, culture is what the people in a place, a country, an area – what they like, what they do and attend. People in Limerick have a huge interest in music.” He waves a biography of Catherine Hayes to indicate the wellspring of talent drawn from Shannonside.
“I mean, look at the number of stage schools, vocal societies, choirs we have. You know there is a huge history of opera culture in Limerick.
“Now, what is the national passion? Rugby.”
Well, some of us think hurling or drinking, but go on. “The Rosbrien Pig’nPorter Festival has grown into the biggest tag rugby tournament in the world,” and he elaborates on the powerful pull it has for women players and attendance. All good stuff with, with teams and fans from Scotland to Edinburgh to the US of A trooping into this rugby club’s grounds for Saturday July 7.
So here’s to a celebratory programme of music, the duelling violinist Jablokovs with a Slovakian musician on piano to accompany Suzanne and to play in their own gifted quartet complete with double bass.
In various combinations, all five artists will share the stage in special arrangements from Suzanne for songs from her WE4 heady band days, a group that toured the world. Also classics ‘Plaisir D’amour’, ‘I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls’ and more will be party to this summery promenade from marquee into clubhouse and spilling out onto (tag) rugby pitches at last chords.
This will be the great Suzanne Murphy’s first performance in Limerick in seven years. Book for the occasion at www.eventmaster.ie
