Celtic Woman, the all-female musical ensemble from Ireland, comes to the Washington-Baltimore area with three performances of “Songs From The Heart,” a multimedia program bursting with poetic beauty, joy and poignancy. Vivacious fiddler Mairead Nesbitt is backed by Lisa Kelly, Chloe Agnew and Lisa Lambe, the newest member of the captivating vocal trio. Speaking from Savannah, Ga., where Celtic Woman was appearing, Mairead promised that audiences can expect many old favorites and Irish classics.
| Onstage |
| Celtic Woman |
| Where: Hippodrome Performing Arts Center, Baltimore, |
| When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday |
| Info: $87 to $144; 800-949-1866; concertticketcenter.com |
| Where: Patriot Center, Fairfax |
| When: 8 p.m. March 11, doors open at 7 p.m. |
| Info: $24 to $75; Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000; ticketmaster.com) or the Patriot Center box office. More information at patriotcenter.com |
“There are also arrangements of contemporary songs by Jimmy Webb, Andrew Lloyd Weber and Billy Joel and ‘Songs From the Heart,’ an original composition written for this tour,” she said. “This is a live show that’s dynamic and electrifying because of the incredible lighting and interaction between the singers and instrumentalists. We have a fantastic bagpiper who is a new addition to the cast, and there are some extra bonus numbers not seen on the PBS special filmed at Powerscourt Estate in Ireland. That is a beautiful and an amazing location. We loved doing a concert outdoors for the first time, but most of all we enjoy performing before live audiences on the tour.”
Celtic Woman excites viewers of all ages. Young and old alike never get enough of the ethereal voices, the orchestra’s traditional Irish instruments and Mairead’s vigorous playing that exhibits her conservatory training and All-Ireland fiddle championship. When musical director David Downes conceived “Riverdance,” he tapped into America’s yearning to learn more about Ireland and Irish music. Celtic Woman replaces the focus on dance with voice and songs that cling to the heart.
Five Celtic Woman albums have been snapped up by fans upon release with more than 6 million sold. The sixth, “Lullaby,” was released in February and already is a top seller. During the past season’s tour, they also performed on “Dancing With the Stars” and at the White House.
Mairead said she is thrilled to be on her 12th American tour and playing her violin while attired in gorgeous outfits by award-winning designers.
“The styles have to be flowing and easy to move around in because I never stay in the same place onstage,” she said. “When people come up to us afterwards, the most frequent question they ask is, ‘Where do you get so much energy?’ ”
