Celtic Woman

Audiences can sense when performing are enjoying creating music and that is what Celtic Woman does best, having fun singing. They thoroughly love performing for audiences around the world and that makes the audiences around the world continue to love their shows whether they are recording for a PBS special or live.
Celtic Woman is the name used by this group that has been around for ten years. Currently there are three Irish singers: Chloe Agnew, Lisa Lambe, and Susan McFadden. Also included is Mairead Nesbitt who has to be one of the most active violinist in the world, playing the violins as she skips, runs, and twirls while still playing her violin. All four ladies are dressed in colorful, flowing dresses and gowns that constantly move with their swirling. Accompanying the group is a small quartet of superb singers with a small band that plays an assortment of instruments including different types of bagpipes and two percussionists who has an immense assortment of drums to vary the rhythmic styles of each selection. While performing the stage lights are constantly in movement adding to the mood of each song.
This group thoroughly pleased the large audience at the Orpheum Theater last Tuesday night with frequent standing ovations throughout the program. What is noticeable in their performance is their connection with the audience whether making eye contact, sitting on a lap, or walking around, Celtic Woman is superb with pleasing their fans.
The first half of the program consisted of many of their Gaelic songs including Enya's well-known "Orinoco Flow", the Scottish ballad "Caladonia", and was highlighted with "Danny Boy" sung in beautiful three-part harmony accompanied only by the solo violin. The second half started with the bagpipe in the back of the audience slowly processing to the stage as the introduction for "Amazing Grace. The other songs in the second half were more popular with "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables and "The Circle of Life" from The Lion King. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was a beautiful and unusual arrangement along with "Shenandoah" and the heart wrenching "Ave Maria". The program concluded with "You Raise Me Up" with many standing ovations and encores.
The women looked like they were from a fairy tale with their ballgowns and long swishing dresses. Mairead Nesbitt as the ever-moving violinist unquestionably commanded the stage connecting the audience with the performers along with Chloe Agnew who makes swiveling hips seem appropriate at all times along with her phenomenal voice range and perfect intonation. The bodrain player completely entertained everyone with this percussion instrument demonstrating the unique qualities of this drum with a variety of tones and rhythmic sounds. Also, the male Irish dancer was phenomenal with his speed of dancing and high kicks definitely reminiscent of River Dance.
Celtic Woman has been around for ten years and continues to amaze and delight audiences. The night closed with "Mo Ghile Mear" which perfectly stated what the audience warmly felt for this group “till we meet again” which people were humming as they left the theater.