The Mayo Strings return to Ballintubber Abbey on Sunday December 5th at 8:00 pm. This annual musical treat, regarded by many in the area as the true start of the Christmas season, will follow the familiar format. The String orchestra will play a series of Baroque and more modern pieces interspersed with readings and contributions from the orchestra’s guest artistes, and culminating in a round of familiar carols.
This year the orchestra offers a sequence of 17th century Hungarian dances, a suite of three movements by Gustav Holst, something from Handel’s Fireworks Music and a trio of canons – nothing to do with the cannons in the "1812", I hasten to add, but the musical kind, including, of course the most famous canon of all – Pachelbel’s.
Sandra Schalks, from Headford, Co. Galway, has sung with us for a number of years now and returns to give us Bellini’s sublime "Casta Diva"... Also Tchaikovsky’s simple and moving "Legend", "O Holy Night", and a number of other carols for the audience to join in.
Our second guest will be Castlebar flautist Deirdre Lynn Rodgers. Deirdre will play Gluck’s radiant "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" and the touching Adagio from Galuppi’s Flute Concerto in D, as well as the lovely flute solo which introduces the full version of "Casta Diva".
The readings will, as always, be a surprise and a delight.
All this in the wonderful ambiance of Ballintubber Abbey, candlelit and welcoming like no other church I know.
Admission at the door is 10 euro (concessions 5 euro). Ballintubber Abbey, Sunday December 5th, 8:00 pm.
