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Irish mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught Awarded 'RISING STAR 2010' at The National Concert Hall

Thu 04 February 2010

The 2010 National Concert Hall Rising Star is one of Ireland's most gifted and critically acclaimed young operatic singers, Irish mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught, from Dundalk, Co. Louth. The prestigious Rising Star Award gives Tara the opportunity to perform a solo recital at Ireland's premier music venue for classical music, The National Concert Hall, on Monday 1 March 2010, 8pm. Accompanied by pianist Nicolai Krugel, Tara will enchant Irish audiences with a programme that ranges from original English Canzonettas by Joseph Hadyn to Giacomo Rossini's Non piu mesta from his opera La Cenerentola.

Director of The National Concert Hall Judith Woodworth comments "It is our great pleasure to present the Rising Star Award to the young Irish mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught this year. We take great pride in providing opportunities for Irish musicians to perform on our stage. The Rising Star Award, which is given annually to promising young Irish musicians, gives them a platform to perform and allows audiences and fellow musicians to recognise and applaud publicly the wealth of talent that exists in Ireland".

A former student of the legendary vocal coach Dr. Veronica Dunne at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Tara is now an artist in residence at the Bayerishce staats oper Opern studio, Munich. 2009/2010 has proved exceptionally busy for Tara which began with her Opera Ireland debut as Anetta in Balfe's Falstaff, followed by her French debut with Haydn Concerts in Paris and Lyon. She has also performed her Bavarian State Opera debut as Laura in Luisa Miller. Her German debut was also made with the Rhinische Philharmonic Orchestra in Koblenz. Most recently Tara's operatic performances have included Barena in Jenufa, Gianette in L'elisir damore, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and Sandmann in Hansel and Gretel.

Tara was award 1st prize in the Jackub Pustine International singing competition in the Czech Republic along with the Zdar nad Sazavuo audience prize in May 2008. In June of that year she was awarded the Washington National Opera prize and the Houston Grand Opera prize at the Hans Bagor, Belvedere International Singing Competition in Vienna. Tara was also awarded 2nd place in the 2007 Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition, where she also received the Dermott Troy prize for the best Irish singer.
Previous recipients of this award include 2009 winner, Redmond O'Toole, (guitar), 2008 winner Michael McHale (piano), 2007 winner Emer McDonough (flute), 2006 winner Elizabeth Cooney (violin) and 2005 winner Cathal Breslin (piano) to name a few.
 
PROGRAMME
Joseph Haydn        Original English Canzonettas: 
                             Sailors song (Hob.XXVI 31-36)
                             The wanderer 
                             Sympathy
                             Fidelity (Hob.XXVI: 25-30)
Ernest Chausson    Le colibri
                             Serenade Italienne
                             L'amour D'antan
                             Les Papillons
                             Le temps des lilas
Jacques Offenbach  Les Contes de Hoffmann
                              C'est l'amour
                             L'amour Vainquer
Gustav Mahler        Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen:
                             Wenn main schatz
                             Ging heut' morgen 
                             Ich hab ein gluhend messer
                             Dei zwei blauen augen
Giacomo Meyerbeer   Nobles seigneur, salut! from Les Huguenots
George Frideric Handel   Lascia ch'io pianga from Rinaldo
Giacomo Rossini   Non piu mesta from La Cenerentola

The winning entry of The Jerome Hynes' Competition for Young Composers 2009 will also be performed. 

Tickets: €15 (€10 Concessions)
National Concert Hall Box Office Tel: 01 417 00 00 or www.nch.ie (no booking fees) 

ENDS
For further information or images please contact: Sinead Doyle, Marketing & PR Manager, Tel: 01 417 00 57 or e-mail: sinead.doyle@nch.ie