Media Release 18 May 2015
‘Nora Barnacle’ to have world première on Bloomsday at the National Concert Hall
A New work by Shaun Davey, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill & Rita Connolly
A collection of original songs (entitled Nora Barnacle ), inspired by the life of Nora Barnacle and her relationship with one of the 20th century's greatest writers James Joyce, will have its world première at the National Concert Hall on Bloomsday, 16 June 2015 8pm.Nora Barnacle was composed by Shaun Davey (of The Brendan Voyage, The Deer’s Cry and Granuaile fame) who collaborated with celebrated Irish poet Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill and singer Rita Connolly to tell the insightful and moving story of Nora Barnacle and James Joyce’s remarkable life together.
The very complex relationship between Nora and James began very passionately and ended in heartbreak. In 1904 they eloped from Dublin and from there their stormy relationship took many turns; they survived poverty in Italy, took refuge from World War in Switzerland and settled in Paris to be feted by the artistic avant-garde.
Performing this new piece, which can best be described as intimate, tender, melodic, playful, sometimes fierce and sometimes heartrending, will be Music Director David Brophy, Brian Connor (grand piano), Eoin Begley (accordion and concertina) John Finucane (clarinet), Gerry O'Beirne (guitar), Noel Eccles (percussion) and Rita Connolly (vocals).
Nora Barnacle at the National Concert Hall
Tuesday 16th June, 8.00pm
Prices: €25, €20
ENDS
For further information/ images and interviews please contact: Sinead Doyle, Marketing & PR Manager, National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2. Tel: +353 1 417 00 57 Mobile 087 1775334 or E-mail: Sinead.Doyle@nch.ie
ABOUT SHAUN DAVEY
Shaun Davey’s compositions, often large-scale and melodic, have been recognised as a bridge between Irish traditional music and the orchestral tradition. He has received international recognition as a composer for theatre, and has worked with directors such as Trevor Nunn and Sam Mendez; in the USA he has also worked both on and off Broadway, receiving a New York Critics Award and a Tony nomination for best musical score (James Joyces’ The Dead). His work in TV and Film (Ballykissangel, Twelfth Night, Waking Ned) has been recognized with many awards including an Ivor Novello Award. Shaun has collaborated with his wife Rita Connolly for many years and it is her unparalleled singing that continues to inspire his compositions.
ABOUT NUALA NÍ DHOMHNAILL
Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill is one of the most prominent poets writing in the Irish Gaelic language today. Her poetry has been translated into English by a number of well-known Irish poets, including Seamus Heaney, Medbh McGuckian and Paul Muldoon. Irish themes, including language, are central to her poetry and range from ancient myths to small details of contemporary life. Her first collection was published in 1981, and the translation Selected Poems: Rogha Dánta appeared in 1986. Her works have since been translated into Italian, Japanese, and Turkish.
ABOUT RITA CONNOLLY
Rita Connolly and Shaun Davey have worked together since 1977 when, as a young backing vocalist, she joined the recording sessions for the BBC production of ‘Catchpenny Twist’. Since then she has collaborated with Shaun on many projects, making her unforgettable solo debut in The Pilgrim (suite for Celtic soloists and orchestra) at the Lorient Interceltic Festival in 1983. So striking was the beauty of her singing of ‘A Ghrian’ - ‘Hymn to the Sun’ - before a Breton audience of 5000 , that two years later she returned to Lorient as soloist in a song suite specially-composed for her. This was the popular and evocative ‘Granuaile’, which tells the story of Grace O’Malley, the legendary 16th century Irish woman chieftain and captain of war galleys who opposed English rule in Mayo. Ripples in the Rockpools from Granuaile, has since become a regular feature in the Irish National school syllabus.
