Celtic Woman Performs Well At Birmingham JCC

[Don]

Celtic Woman performs well at Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex, but show's concept isn't for everyone




From the Celtic Woman Website http://www.celticwoman.com/trellis/Gallery
Fiddler Mairead Nesbitt is one of five soloists in Celtic Woman

Celtic Woman -- all swishing skirts, soaring sopranos and flitting fiddle bow -- played to a full house Friday night at the BJCC Concert Hall.

Audiences seem to adore this Irish troupe, which began its career with specials on PBS and parlayed that into highly theatrical stage shows. They're part Enya, part Broadway, part Lawrence Welk, part "The Quiet Man" and part evening-gown pageant.

Some describe Celtic Woman as "Riverdance for voices," but that doesn't quite capture the essence of this carefully calibrated production.

It's wholesome yet sexy, old-fashioned but trendy, aural and visual.

In Birmingham, as elsewhere, the principals were four sweet-voiced singers (Chloe Agnew, Orla Fallon, Lynn Hilary and Alex Sharpe) and one dynamic violinist (Mairead Nesbitt). Backed by six instrumentalists and an eight-member chorus, they offered material that ranged from New Age pop to adult contemporary ballads to Irish and American standards.

There's no denying that a great deal of talent was assembled for the show, which started at 8:10 p.m. and lasted about two hours. Each member of the team worked hard, blended skillfully and fulfilled the very high concept.

Enjoying much of this concert, however, was strictly a matter of taste.

If the thought of "You Raise Me Up" and "Beyond the Sea" makes you cringe, or you've heard too many covers of "Over the Rainbow" and "Danny Boy," even superbly sung versions aren't going to resonate.

Originals written for Celtic Woman, such as "The Sky and the Dawn and the Sun," have an earnest, mystical quality that will strike some listeners as lovely and inspirational. Others, however, may find them verging on saccharine.

Still, no one could fault the contributions made by Nesbitt, the firecracker fiddler. Throughout the evening, she played with strength, generated excitement and moved with a graceful athleticism.

Review rating: Three out of five stars

Posted by aharvey February 23, 2008 1:29 AM
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Always Remember All Things Are Possible With God !!

[celtic_girlakp]

3 our of 5. Don't they mean more like 5 out of 5! A perfect score! Come on!
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