Criticism
Different Words for Cello Worlds
The Spike alternative cello festival took place in Dublin on the weekend of 11–13 February. Brendan Finan reviews the Saturday night performance at the Pepper Canister featuring Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Martin Johnson and Adrian Mantu.
The Darkness She Creates
Síobhra Quinlan, performing as sfiiinx, has just released her debut album 'The Magma Chamber' on the Ergodos label. Andrea Cleary reviews.
Remembering Stanford
Music for Galway's annual Midwinter Festival took place last weekend (21–23 January) and focused on the Irish composer Charles Villiers Stanford. James Camien McGuiggan reviews.
Every Character in Their Own Prison
The opening night of Irish National Opera's production of Vivaldi's 'Bajazet' took place in Navan this week. Brendan Finan reviews.
Sketching the Lives of Forgotten Women Pipers
TG4 recently broadcast 'Mná na bPíob', a documentary in which musician Louise Mulcahy explores the lives of female uilleann pipers from the past. Adrian Scahill reviews.
A Reminder of All That is Great
The Other Voices festival celebrated twenty years this year, with a weekend of live music in Dingle just before the latest restrictions. Andrea Cleary reviews.
Capturing the Darkness and Lightness of Maxwell Davies
Peter Maxwell Davies' 'The Lighthouse', Irish National Opera's most recent production which ends its national tour this week, is based on a true story about keepers who go missing without a trace. James Camien McGuiggan reviews.
A Winter Highlight
The 9th Fidelio Trio Winter Chamber Music Festival took place last weekend with featured artist Francesco Paolo Scola and works by Kevin Volans, Irene Buckley, Berio, Ustvolskaya, Stravinsky, Korngold and more. Adrian Smith reviews.
A Radical and Timely Work
Michael Gallen's new opera 'Elsewhere', based on the true story of a protest in an asylum in Monaghan in 1919, premiered at the Abbey Theatre last week. Brendan Finan reviews.
Electric Performance
The opening night of the contemporary music festival Music Current (8–11 November) featured pianist and composer Zubin Kanga. Anna Murray reviews.