Celtic Woman Concert Reviews

(Click here for our review of the April 20, 2007 concert in Chicago.)
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"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." - Albert Schweitzer

Okay, here goes. I'm going to try to write a review of an indescribable experience. And I will be a tad long-winded about this, because it's a subject dear to my heart. If you find this off-putting, you'd best leave now.

Eric and I went to another Celtic Woman concert Saturday night, February 17, 2007. The venue was the Times-Union Center in Jacksonville, FL. The show was, in a word, perfect. Writing a review of this concert is akin to writing a critique of Michelangelo's Pieta.

How do I describe the show? It was amazing, soaring, uplifting, joyous, captivating, heavenly, rapturous……… words fail me. I am not normally given to hyperbole, so these adjectives are sincere and heartfelt. In fact, they may be understated.

Anyone who has attended a CW concert, or owns one or more of their CDs and DVDs, or has even seen them perform in a PBS begathon special, is already familiar with the music they perform. It's an eclectic mix of classical, traditional, and modern, with a dash of New Age thrown in. Many of their songs were composed and/or arranged by David Downes, the CW musical director. Suffice to say, the man is a genius. He has taken five exciting, vibrant talents and blended them in a way that makes the whole even greater than the sum of its parts. Each performer retains her own individuality, but the separate pieces fit together amazingly well.

About the music, and the performers………

Máiréad is the wood sprite of the group. She fiddles, she leaps, she flies, she dashes from one side of the stage to the other……. One can literally feel the electricity in the audience when she is playing. And she is no common, garden-variety fiddler. She may be tiny, but her energy and her talent are huge. Her rousing rendition of Granuaile's Dance will make you want to get up and dance in the aisle, and her Shenandoah will bring tears to your eyes. The pulse of the entire show jumps up a notch when she's on stage.

Chloë is the child-woman. She is utterly charming in her youth and innocence, and her voice is as sweet and clear as a mountain stream. Her voice has matured beautifully since the original Helix Theater concert, but she still has that air about her that makes you want to run up and give her a hug. She expertly tackles a complex and difficult song like Nella Fantasia, then breaks out in a huge, almost bashful smile and runs/skips off the stage. She's delightful.

Órla is the group's dream catcher. When she plays her harp and delicately sings Carrickfergus, you get the feeling that she really does wish she were in Carrickfergus. Don't misunderstand; she is not distant or aloof. She, like all the other ladies, is incredibly, refreshingly accessible. She is gifted, classy, stylish and touching, and a wonderful entertainer. She also has an old soul, and her spirit is never far from her roots.

Méav is the quintessential soprano. Achingly beautiful in face, form and voice, one could easily imagine her singing Mi chiamano Mimi from Puccini's La Boheme. Here, she sings what I consider to be the definitive Danny Boy, and when she hits and holds (effortlessly) that final high note, there isn't a dry eye in the house. Yet she handles fun, flirty numbers like Dulaman and the group rendition of At the Ceili with perfect humor and grace. Méav is a consummate professional, with a relaxed bearing and an easy smile that instantly draws you in and endears her to you.

Lisa……. Ah, Lisa. As she herself has said, I am "a tad biased." But not without good cause. Her musical theater background is apparent in her every move, every expression, in her powerful delivery, and in the way she makes you feel like she's singing to you personally. Her solos in this show include Dougie MacLean's Caledonia, David Downes' The Blessing, and Brendan Graham's The Voice. Technically, she is a gifted soprano who can slip easily and beautifully into a lower register; her range is truly amazing. And her theatricality is enchanting; she puts so much emotion and enthusiasm into every song. As someone noted on her forum, when she sings Caledonia she looks like she wants to reach out and wrap the entire audience in one huge, group hug. She sings, she mugs, she dances and prances……… Okay. You get the picture.

The group. As I alluded earlier, David has managed to weave five very talented but disparate ladies into one magical evening. Among their several group numbers, they do an a capella, tight harmony version of Over the Rainbow that is just breathtaking. Their rousing renditions of At the Ceili and Orinoco Flow are marvelously spirited and exciting. And if you aren't clapping in time to the rhythm of Sing Out, you should have someone call 911; you may already be dead.

I opened this treatise with a quote from Albert Schweitzer. It's apropos to this group because they so obviously love what they are doing. When wonderful artists like these come together in such joy and happiness, the result is an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime.

Click here for our review of the April 20, 2007 concert in Chicago.