Review: CELTIC NIGHTS Extols The Indomitable Spirit of the Irish - Exhilarating!

A tribe ~ a people, a culture ~ is defined by its history. If that history is wrought by famine and oppression, the experience will show in its art. Such is the case of the Irish, whose spirit, passion for freedom, and fortitude are exhilaratingly showcased in CELTIC NIGHTS: SPIRIT OF FREEDOM.

The national tour of this show arrived in Scottsdale with a triumphant display of sight and sound, song and dance, woe and joy.

An opening image of the Emerald Isle without borders belies the divisions that for centuries wreaked havoc and pain on its people. The music of the evening was rather a celebration of that people's determination to transcend its troubles and fight for freedom. It is not a show for politics, albeit political perspectives undeniably influence its themes. It is rather a testament to the spirit of freedom and its power to inspire modest individuals to great acts.

The spirited, indeed powerhouse, cast of six singers (Rebekah Johanne, Sara Byrne, Ian Drew, Ciaran Olohan, Nik Parks, and Emily O'Dwyer) and five dancers (Gavin Boyle, Kevin Goble, Leanne Phelan, and Rachel Hunter) are the guides through Ireland's tumultuous history from the failed rebellion of 1798 to the momentous Easter Rising of March 28th 1916 and the declaration of the Irish Republic and then, through three decades of what is famously known as the Troubles, to the 1198 Good Friday peace agreement.

Throughout their songs, we hear the voices of hope, defiance, despair, grief, rebellion, determination, lust for liberty, and longing for lost loves. Their ballads extol the virtues of their national heroes and narrate their experiences under oppression.

These themes are echoed in the music of the people. They reside in the pulsating and breathtaking movements of the step dancers and in the dueling instruments of Sarah Fennell on violin, Stephen O'Connor, on uilleann pipes, and Laura Callaghan on tenor banjo and guitar.

Irish history ebbs and flows like a churning river throughout this production. It is monumental in scope, inspiring, and exhilarating.

Following its January 28th performance at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, CELTIC NIGHTS will continue its 2016 tour through the United States and Canada. Watch for it!

Photo credit to CAMI Music

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