UNIVERSITY Concert Hall will celebrate Culture Night (this Friday September 20) with a day of performances that honour Ireland’s rich artistic heritage.
The event will kick off with a lunchtime concert at 1pm, featuring students from the prestigious MA programs in Irish Traditional Music Performance and Irish Traditional Dance Performance at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. These young performers will showcase the vibrant and dynamic traditions of Irish music and dance, offering the audience an immersive experience of the country’s cultural heritage.
In the evening, at 6.30pm, audiences will have the rare opportunity to enjoy a performance on the newly restored Savoy Compton Organ, a cherished instrument at UCH. The show will feature the talents of renowned Compton organist Rónán Murray, along with vocal performances by baritone Gerry Noonan and soprano Kathleen Noonan. This unique performance will bring to life the legacy of Dublin’s Theatre Royal, one of Europe’s most famous variety theatres.
Theatre Royal historian Conor Doyle will narrate the evening, sharing rarely seen original film footage from the theatre’s final night, along with photographs, autographs, and captivating stories from its golden era. Audiences will be taken on a nostalgic journey back to the theatre’s heyday, recalling stars such as Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Sean Connery, Walt Disney, and Liberace, as well as beloved Irish entertainers like Jimmy O’Dea, Maureen Potter, and Josef Locke.
This highly acclaimed production has already sold out over 30 times at renowned venues, including the National Concert Hall and Dublin’s Tivoli Theatre.
