Friday 3 May | 8pm
Birr Theatre & Arts Centre
€25/22*

**Part of Birr Festival of Music 2024**

Internationally-acclaimed Irish mezzo-soprano Paula Murrihy and world-renowned pianist Malcolm Martineau make a rare recital appearance in Ireland to present a wonderful programme of Debussey, Berlioz, Benjamin Britten, Vaughan Williams and Ina Boyle, which they will reprise at London’s prestigious Wigmore Hall at the end of May.

Irish Mezzo-Soprano Paula Murrihy enjoys a busy career working at the highest level in both Europe and the US. Ms Murrihy has performed on the greatest opera stages of the world, including the Metropolitan Opera (New York), Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (London), Opéra de Paris, Salzburg Festival, Opera Frankfurt, Opera Santa Fe, to name but a few. Her concert appearances have included the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, Wigmore Hall (London), Carnegie Hall (New York). In addition to her international appearances, she performs regularly at home in Ireland in Irish National Opera productions, most recently Carmen and Der Rosenkavalier. 

Pianist Malcolm Martineau is recognised at the highest international level as one of the UK’s leading accompanists, and has performed worldwide alongside the world’s greatest singers including Sir Thomas Allen, Dame Janet Baker, Florian Boesch, Barbara Bonney, Dame Sarah Connolly, Elīna Garanča, Angela Gheorghiu, Thomas Hampson, Sir Simon Keenlyside, Angelika Kirchschlager, Magdalena Kožená, Dame Felicity Lott, Dame Ann Murray, Anne Sofie von Otter, Christoph Prégardien, Thomas Quasthoff, Frederica von Stade, Sir Bryn Terfel and Sarah Walker, among others. He is a prolific recording artist with a discography of over 100 CDs, and has appeared at the world’s principal performance venues.  

It is a privilege for the Birr Festival of Music to present such high calibre, world renowned artists, and we are without doubt that the audience will be enchanted by their performance.