By Gillian Brunette
The Celtic Tenors, Daryl Simpson, James Nelson and Matthew Gilsenen, are three of Ireland’s most prized possessions.
These young men, superstars in their homeland, have established themselves as the most successful classical crossover artists ever to emerge from that country.
The Tenors are returning to Huntsville for the third time, performing in concert at the Algonquin Theatre on Thursday, Nov. 27. Showtime is 8 p.m.
UPLIFTING: The unique voices, charm and wit of the three Celtic Tenors (from left), Daryl Simpson, James Nelson and Matthew Gilsenen, are sure to thrill when the three men take the Algonquin Theatre stage on Nov. 27. (Photo by Jon Snelson, HFA photographer.)
Presented as part of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts’ fall season, the Celtic Tenors, with their eclectic mix of classical, folk, Irish and pop, have proven to be a festival favourite, selling out their two previous Huntsville appearances in 2005 and 2007.
With total album sales worldwide, including compilations, of over one million, and a full international touring schedule, the Celtic Tenors have topped the charts in the USA, Canada, Germany, the UK and Ireland.
The Celtic Tenors are blessed with beautiful voices, many influential fans and friends and more than their share of Irish charisma and good looks. During former U.S. president Bill Clinton’s visit to Dublin Castle, the lads performed and their version of Danny Boy is now Clinton’s favourite.
They also gave a private performance for then-secretary general of the United Nations, Kofi Annan. This was a gift from U2 frontman Bono.
According to Phil Coulter – the composer of the Tenors’ hit Remember Me – the Celtic Tenors continue to re-invent the whole tenor idiom by pioneering a new style of ‘cool,’ never before seen on the classical stage, and by breaking the traditional stuffy tenor mould.
While each of the Celtic Tenors has been influenced by the musical traditions from their own individual parts of Ireland, Simpson (from Omagh in Northern Ireland), Nelson (from Sligo in the heart of Yeats country) and Gilsenen (born into a hard-working farming family in North Meath) show great flexibility in melding their voices to suit the appropriate classical, folk, Irish and pop genres.
The Tenors’ live show is an experience overflowing with vitality and variety from start to finish. The unique voices, charm and wit of the three men, combined with talented young musical director Colm Henry, combine an emotive journey with a thoroughly uplifting experience, as anyone who has heard them sing You Raise Me Up can attest.
Equally at home performing to large festival crowds or intimate concert halls and theatres, and whether backed by a live band, symphony orchestra, solo piano or even a capella, their voices and personalities always shine through alongside their undeniable Celtic charm.
The group’s fifth album is due for release just before Christmas. Recorded in the Hollywood Hills, this new album is a collection of songs from North America by various songwriters, including Stephen Foster and Bob Dylan.
Tickets for the Celtic Tenors are $35 for adults and $15 for youth 18 and under, and are available at the theatre box office, by calling 789-4975 or online at the festival website www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca or the Algonquin Theatre site www.algonquintheatre.ca.
And don’t forget to check out the festival’s blog at www.trumpeterhfa.blogspot.com
