Celtic Woman blends styles and voices
By Daniel Durchholz
SPECIAL TO THE POST-DISPATCH
Wednesday, Apr. 12 2006
There's no disputing the popularity of Celtic Woman, an Irish quintet whose
stage show has played to huge audiences throughout America - thanks in no small
part to a television special taped in 2004 that has since become a staple of
PBS pledge drives.
What is less certain, though, is exactly what to call the kind of music they
play. To be sure, traditional Irish music, performed on Uilleann pipes,
bodhrans and tin whistles, is at the heart of the group's repertoire, but the
women also perform some classical material as well as show tunes from Broadway
musicals and Disney movies.
"We were just in Japan doing promotion for the show, and we found they have a
category called 'healing music,' says singer Meav Ni Mhaolchatha. "We don't
have a comparable category to it. But it's not just New Age; it's also pure,
traditional music and some classical crossover music. And that's how they
categorize us. We kind of liked that."
The show, which also features a live band and eight-member vocal choir, is the
brainchild of Sharon Browne, whose Celtic Collections label is home to each of
the Celtic Woman artists as individuals, and musical director David Downes, who
previously served in the same capacity for "Riverdance."
Originally, the idea was just to tape the TV special. The group members thought
it would be more or less a one-off event.
"We thought, yeah, we'll give it a go," Ni Mhaolchatha says. "As Lisa (Kelly)
says, 'I was free the night they wanted to do it.' Obviously, it's been a
roller coaster since then."
Comparisons of Celtic Woman to "Riverdance" are frequent and somewhat
understandable: several of the quintet's members performed in that troupe as
well.
"Of course, the difference is that this show is focused on the music," Ni
Mhaolchatha says. "Music was part of Riverdance, but most people came for the
dancing. For us, it's great to be in a show where the song is the thing and
you're there to serve the music."
Each of the Celtic Woman members is comfortable performing all kinds of music,
but they do have certain specialties. "Lisa's background is in shows, in
musicals," Ni Mhaolchatha says. "That's sort of the style she comes from. Chloe
(Agnew) sings the Disney songs and some classical. Orla (Fallon) plays the harp
in the show and has a more traditional-style voice. (Violinist) Mairead
(Nesbitt) plays both classical and trad, and I'm somewhat similar to her in
that I grew up with both.
"It's a great mixture, but we all come with our own styles as well." The group
also plays a couple of songs by Irish superstar Enya - which is just as well,
since Enya never tours and seldom even plays live.
"Also, because she does so many layered vocals, it would be hard for her to
recreate that live," Ni Mhaolchatha says. "But with the forces we have, each of
us can take a line, and the choir can sing also. It's a chance to do a slightly
different version. 'Orinoco Flow' always gets a great response."
Continuing on the topic of Enya, Ni Mhaolchatha adds with a laugh that the
reclusive singer actually lives in a castle.
"She lives the romantic American notion of what Irish people are like," she
says. "But sorry, none of us have castles."
Celtic Woman
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Fox Theater, 527 North Grand Boulevard
How much: $40-$45
More info: 314-534-1111
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