Interview: Anthony Kearns to perform at Irish 'oasis' in Phoenix

BWW: How long have you been living in the U.S. and why did you move here from Ireland?

AK: Going on five years now, the bulk of my work is here; working with The Irish Tenors and on solo tours. I found that when I flew back to Ireland, I'd be back about a week and something else would come in. If I was to take it, it'd mean hopping on a flight and coming back again.

There's plenty of things to be doing - concerts and corporate events. So, it's opened up a lot of doors and opportunities for me.

BWW: Speaking of concerts, you'll be performing at the Anam Cara Awards Gala at the Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix on October 15.

AK: That's going to be great fun! It's a most unusual place out in the desert. It's fantastic; it's like a little oasis! I suspect it will be a lovely, balmy evening outside and maybe the stars are out. It should make for a wonderful evening, a great celebration of everything Irish.

BWW: So, you've been to the "Castle on Central" before?

AK: I have, but it's been a number of years back; I would say it was ten years ago. I remember getting the tour of it, but a lot has changed since I was there last. I am really looking forward to seeing the Castle and other renovations in all their magnificence!

BWW: When you were a lad growing up in Kiltealy, Ireland, what did you dream of doing?

AK: I always knew in my heart-of-hearts that music and singing was going to be a huge part of my life. I was unhappy doing anything else and it was what I had to do, sink or swim.

BWW: At 22-years-old, you won a national singing competition...without any formal training.

AK: I was entering talent competitions a lot back then, in clubs and pubs, just to get a feel for it. I stumbled on ("Ireland's Search for a Tenor") and had to sing down the telephone to the National Radio Centre. That was the first round of it and then there were a couple of rounds after that; the finals were held in the open air.

On that panel of adjudicators was a singing coach, Veronica Dunne. As luck would have it, she saw something in (my) raw potential versus the seven or eight others in the finals - who were much older and probably had some years of training. I think that's what probably steered it my way. I had a natural talent and she saw that this guy's got untouched, I can mold him. (laughs)

BWW: So, you had no bad habits yet.

AK: Correct! Well, I did have one bad habit - I used to smoke back then. But that's the first thing (Veronica) said when I won the competition. She said, "The first thing you need to do, sweetheart, is to pack these things in," as she pointed to the cigarettes. And that was the end of that!

BWW: What else did you learn from her?

AK: I came from a traditional Irish background where you sang mainly a cappella and you could embellish it and do what you like with it. With classical music, it's more controlled, more disciplined. I had to sing in a certain way.

The main thing I learned is the technique, the discipline and the foundation. It was a whole new world that opened up to me.

I remember my first competition as a trained singer at four months, five months (after the major competition). I entered the Feis Ceoil in Dublin; it's a competition for classical singers and musicians. I was in the final and the first prize was taken away from me because I had my eyes shut! (laughs)

I just got into my own little world singing and the adjudicator said, "This is some wonderful singing from this young man. It's an awful pity he wouldn't look at us."

BWW: What sort of advice might you have for up-and-coming vocal performance students at the Academy of Irish and Celtic Studies in Phoenix?

AK: The fire in the belly has to be there. It's an innate thing, if you have the natural ability and you've a good ear for music. You can add to that, you can learn to read music like I had to -- very slowly, but I did it.

BWW: Are you saying, you didn't know how to read music when you won "Ireland's Search for a Tenor"?

AK: No, I couldn't read a stem. Once, I was booked to sing "Handel's Messiah" and I'm on the stage of the National Concert Hall in Dublin with the symphony orchestra, the maestro and four soloists. I had learned my part by ear - somebody had played it onto a cassette tape for me and I followed it note by note. I knew everyone's note, even my own.

But I used to turn about 20 or 30 pages of the score, when the person beside me was turning one or two...so I said, this is not going to work. On a professional level, I can't just be "guessing" where I'm coming in.

So, I moved to Wales for some vocal lessons and that's where I put me head down and started with (Music Theory) Grade One, all the way up to Grade Six. That was as far as I got; I could read a score, that's good enough.

BWW: How did you get started with The Irish Tenors?

AK: I was living in Wales at the time. Bill (Hughes, a television producer) asked me would I be willing to come back to Ireland and audition. So, I flew back over...did my audition (and got the) thank you very much...bye, bye...don't call us, we'll call you kind of feeling.

I went back to Wales thinking I did okay and Bill called me about a week after. His exact words were, "Are you sitting comfortably? I think what's about to happen is going to change your life for the better." He said, "We'd like to welcome you on board."

October of '98 was the first show in the Royal Dublin Society Showgrounds for PBS. Little did we know how big it would become and the effect it would have. If I told you the scale of things in '99, touring 18 cities and playing arenas with 20,000 people, playing with a 50-piece orchestra and James Galway as the guest artist - it was just mind blowing. We're out touring in December again.

BWW: You have performed in front of a lot of prominent world leaders and religious figures. Is there one or two of these occasions that really stand out in your mind?

AK: I've been fortunate to perform, in a solo capacity, for the current President. I had a performance at the Mass for the Pope in Philadelphia in 2015, but there are lots of moments.

(In 2004,) we were performing for GOOD MORNING AMERICA with Diane Sawyer. We were perched on the top of the roof of a building in Washington, D.C.; looking over where Ronald Reagan was (lying in state). That was a powerful moment singing at the funeral of President Reagan.

One of the finest moments, was part of The Irish Tenors on Ellis Island. Martin Sheen was our host for the show. It was a beautiful TV special; I think PBS would be very proud. It honored not just the Irish, but all who came through Ellis Island into this country. That was very poignant and very moving.

BWW: Talk about some of your operatic roles. In the U.S. alone, Edgardo in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, the title role in FAUST...what roles are you longing to play?

AK: I have done a few here, the Italian tenor (Alfred) in DIE FLEDERMAUS, Gounod in ROMEO AND JULIET, Nemorino in L'ELISIR D'AMORE; the lyric tenor roles, Donizetti and Bellini, that's my repertoire for now. I would give Puccini's LA BOHÈME a go in time, but steer clear from the heavy Verdi opera roles.

I would give Russian a go - EUGENE ONEGIN, or a German opera perhaps. I have a good ear, as they say, with music and languages as they all come together.

BWW: If you were to pick someone to sing a duet with, who would it be?

AK: Renée Fleming is a wonderful soprano; Anna Netrebko, a Russian soprano at The Met, is visually and vocally attractive. It doesn't hurt to share the stage with somebody who suits the part. Nowadays, you have to be able to dance, move and sing -- and look like a million dollars.

BWW: Can you dance?

AK: I can move my feet. I could do a waltz and stuff like that, but that's the extent of my dancing. Although I wouldn't mind singing on DANCING WITH THE STARS, with its amazing productions and sets, that's for sure.

BWW: Could you see yourself singing on Broadway?

AK: I don't know if Broadway would be my bag; unless, it was something like SOUTH PACIFIC, OKLAHOMA or one of the more classic musicals. I wouldn't be doing the likes of WICKED or anything like that anytime too soon.

BWW: What's one thing about you that your fans may not know, but would find interesting?

AK: I listen to all kinds of music. But from time-to-time, I like a bit of country music; although it'd be the old school country music...Merle Haggard, The Grand Ole Opry. That's the kind of stuff I really liked and listened to growing up. Elvis Presley as well - Fantastic!

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For tickets to see Anthony Kearns perform at the Anam Cara Awards Gala on Oct. 15, 2016 in Phoenix, visit azirish.org.

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