ARTS VOICE - Sean Hurley
18th July 2006

MAJESTIC MOZARTFEST AT BALLYKEEFE

THE Kilkenny Mozartfest at Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre this weekend will celebrate the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth and the lives of his contemporaries. The concert on Saturday at 8pm is headlined by the newest member of The Irish Tenors, Karl Scully, who will be joined by some of Ireland's top musicians to perform some of the most famous and dazzling arias from operas, magical movements from chamber works and stylistically sophisticated solo works.

Inspired by Mozart is a historical, musical journey which transports the listener through a myriad of spectacular classical compositions, starting with dazzling Donizetti, adding a splash of vigour and verve from Verdi and finishing off with Mozart's most majestic musical moments.

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of a floodlit Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre, members of the Kilkenny Mozartfest audience can look forward to the superb talent on offer by tenor Karl Scully; mezzo soprano Alison Dunne; soprano Anna Devin; violinist Lynda O'Connor; cellist Tara-Lee Byrne and pianist Mary McCague. Both Karl and Alison were hand picked and chosen as the Irish representatives, tenor and mezzo-soprano respectively, alongside ten singers from around the world to par- ticipate in the Wexford Opera Festival Young Artists Development Programme this April.

Karl is the newest member of The Irish Tenors along with Finbar Wright and Anthony Kearns, which undertakes two American Tours this year and a nine show special for RTE this summer. Karl has recently returned to Ireland after completing two years of post- raduate operatic studies in Genoa, Italy with Gabriella Ravazzi. In Ireland Karl was a student of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, where he studied under Dr Veronica Dunne and Suzanne Murphy.

Mezzo soprano Alison Dunne commenced her vocal studies with Professor Paul Deegan in the Royal Irish Academy of Music. She is currently in her third year of Bachelor of Music Performance Degree in the Dublin Institute of Technology studying under Mary Brennen.

Soprano Anna Devin was born in Dublin. Lynda O'Connor began her violin studies at the age of three and now performs regularly with the RTE Concert Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Irish Chamber Orchestra and the Young European Strings. Cellist Tara-Lee Byrne has recently returned to Dublin after spending the last two years in living in Northern Italy where she was studying under the esteemed pedagogue and author Elizabeth Wilson. In 2001 Tara graduated from the Royal Irish Academy of Music with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Performance (Hons) and has held the position of principal cellist with The National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, Orchestra da Camera Di Scuola APM, Saluzzo, Utrecht Symphony Orchestra,Holland, RIAM Symphony and Chamber Orchestras and The Hibernian Orchestra, Ireland. Tara is a deputy cellist with The National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and RTE Concert Orchestra and has regularly performed on baroque cello with the Irish Baroque Orchestra.

Mary McCague from Dundalk, Co Louth began her piano studies with Dr John O'Conor at the age of five and in 2005 was awarded the Nordell Cup and the Mabel Swainson Pianoforte Award, for which the prize was a full-length evening recital in the John Field Room, National Concert Hall, Dublin. She has played orchestral piano with the NYOI, DYO Symphony Orchestra, RIAM Symphony Orchestra and has worked with the dynamic Crash Ensemble. Mary is currently pursuing a Master in Piano Performance at the Royal Irish Academy of Music under the tutelage of Dr. John O'Conor and Reamonn Keary.