An Die Ferne Geliebte – Beethoven
Written in 1816, An Die Ferne Geliebte is credited as being the very first song cycle ever written. While it was also the only song cycle ever Beethoven ever wrote it would become an extremely popular form of song writing that would be used by many famous composers such as Schubert, Schumann and Brahms. The cycle itself deals with a young man pining for his love who is far away from him. He asks trees, birds and streams to send his love to her.
Selection of Moore’s Melodies – Britten
Between the years of 1957 and 1958 Benjamin Britten set many of the Thomas Moore’s famous Irish Melodies to his own accompaniments. He said that the new accompaniments are based on the harp which was a very popular instrument in the Irish tradition. These arrangements give the listener the chance to hear these classic Irish tunes from a different perspective.
New Light – Eoghan Desmond
New Light is a song cycle based on the poetry of Killorglin poet Kevin Griffin. This new composition was written in 2021 by Irish composer Eoghan Desmond. The piece deals with the passage of time over the space of one day, beginning in the crisp light of the morning and ending pensively beneath the light of the stars. This will be the world premiere of the new song cycle and we are delighted that it will happen in Killorglin the natural home of this music.
Conor Prendiville is a tenor from Killorglin, Co. Kerry. He recently graduated with a masters degree from the Royal Irish Academy of Music where he studied with Owen Gilhooley and Dr. Dearbhla Collins. He is a member of the ABL Opera Studio at Irish National Opera for the 2021/22 season. Previously Conor has been one of the UL University Concert Hall’s ‘Rising Stars’ and a member of the Wexford Factory at the Wexford Festival Opera, he has also been a company artist at the Cork Opera House. Conor has performed the roles of Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Don Basilio/ Don Curzio (Le Nozze di Figaro), Rinuccio (Gianni Schicci), Beppe (Pagliacci), Dr Caius (Falstaff), Fritz (Edmea), Ronald (Abandoned) and Captain (Stephen McNeff’s ‘Banished’). He has also performed as a soloist in various concerts including Handel’s ‘Messiah’, Britten’s ‘Rejoice in the Lamb’, Bach’s ‘John Passion’, ‘Komm, du süße Todesstunde’ and ‘Actus Tragicus’, Mozart’s ‘Requiem’, ‘Coronation Mass’ and ‘Spatzenmesse’ as well as Kevin O Connell’s ‘Mass’ and ‘Aifreann’.
Vocal coach at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, Dearbhla Collins is also Assistant Head of Music at the National Opera Studio in London. Since 2005, she has been the Executive Artistic Director of the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition in Dublin.
She is highly regarded internationally as a song pianist; performances include concerts with sopranos Juliane Banse, Anna Devin and Fatma Said; mezzo-sopranos Tara Erraught, Rachel Kelly, Ann Murray and the late Bernadette Greevy; tenors Dean Power, Paul McNamara and Mark Padmore; baritones Benjamin Appl and Will Thomas. These performances include recitals throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe. She has also toured the US with Tara Erraught and given masterclasses and recitals in Beijing, Shanghai and Wuhan in China.
