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Ten days of Artistic Adventures in Ireland's medieval city 07-16 August 2015
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07–16AUGUST2015
Artistic adventures in Ireland’s medieval city
kilkennyarts.ie
01
In the historic Castle Yard, we’re joining forces with Druid and Lincoln Center Festival to present DruidShakespeare, an epic theatrical experience which many are calling one of the events of the decade.
The great Martin Hayes returns as host and co-curator of the MARBLE CITY SESSIONS, gathering extraordinary musicians from around the world for nine collaborative concerts.
Major international artists making their Irish debuts in our Bach series include Iranian harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani and Chinese Bach specialist Zhu Xiao-Mei.
Visual artist in residence Mick O’Dea will be creating A Festival Portrait, painting and sketching Festival artists, scenes and performances throughout the ten days.
The legendary William Christie & Les Arts Florissants return to Ireland after 20 years for ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH, a unique series of 18 concerts exploring Bach’s timeless music.
Giants of world music bound for Kilkenny include Toumani Diabaté and Amjad Ali Khan.
Musical titans joining us this year include pianist Sir András Schiff and viol master Jordi Savall.
One of the world’s finest writers, Robert Pinsky, is Festival poet in residence for 2015.
Front Cover image: Alexander Haiden/Grafenegg
Welcome to ten days of artistic adventures…
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ONLINE today at kilkennyarts.ie
BY PHONE from 6 July on +353 56 775 2175
IN PERSON from 6 July at the Festival Box Office14 John Street, Kilkenny
Weekdays: 10am - 5.30pm (closed Monday 3 August)During the Festival: daily 10.30am - 7.30pm
For terms and conditions go to kilkennyarts.ie
03
PRINCIPAL FUNDER
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HEADLINE EVENT PARTNERS
MAJOR DONORS
EVENT PARTNERS
MEDIA PARTNERS
CULTURAL PARTNERS
Mrs Loretta Brennan Glucksman Mrs Joneen Casey
SUPPLY PARTNERS
o’neill foley
Leisure Club & KO Spa
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KILKENNYHONDA CENTRE
For 42 years our funders and partners have played an invaluable role in helping Kilkenny Arts Festival to flourish. We greatly appreciate their continuing support.
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BUTLER GALLERY
BUTLER GALLERY
BUTLER GALLERYOPERA THEATRE COMPANY
Book your seat…
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THE CASTLE YARD Full Cycle - FC Part 1 - P1 Part 2 - P2ADMISSION ALL PERFORMANCES (FULL CYCLE OR IN TWO PARTS) €60/€52EXCEPT THU 6 AUGUST PREVIEW (€40) & WED 12/THU 13 AUGUST (€45/€40)
DRUID (IRELAND) IN A CO-PRODUCTION WITHLINCOLN CENTER FESTIVAL (USA) AND IN ASSOCIATION WITH KILKENNY ARTS FESTIVAL
DruidShakespeare Richard II, Henry IV (Parts 1 & 2)and Henry Vby William Shakespearein a new adaptation by Mark O’Rowedirected by Garry Hynes
This epic theatrical event distils four of Shakespeare’s greatest plays into one thrilling drama played over six hours.
A sweeping narrative of family, ambition, war and the making of nations, DruidShakespeare is performed with an exceptional ensemble cast and a rousing parade of characters, including one of the playwright’s greatest comic creations, Falstaff.
Experience Druid’s most ambitious project ever in the unique atmosphere of the Castle Yard, Ireland’s finest open-air theatre space.
The production can be seen either as a full cycle on a single day, or over two successive evenings.
Please note: this is an outdoor performance. Please dress for the weather.
With thanks to Kilkenny Design Centre
an exhilarating epic ... nothing can quell the extraordinary vitality of Hynes’ production, its ability to match the play’s shifting moods and its visual appeal ... it is a staggering venture Michael Billington, The Guardian
SHAKESPEARE AND IRELANDRothe House, Sunday 9 August 4.30pm
Garry Hynes and members of the Druid company discuss the challenges of staging Shakespeare for an Irish audience in conversation with Fintan O’Toole. Free but ticketed.
SEE ALSO ‘TYRONE GUTHRIE & THE SHAKESPEARE REVOLUTION’ P.17
Director Garry Hynes
Associate Director (design) Francis O’Connor
Associate Director (movement) David Bolger
Co-Costume Designer Doreen McKenna
Lighting Design James F Ingalls
Sound Design Gregory Clarke
Music Conor Linehan
Dramaturg Thomas Conway
Voice CoachAndrew Wade
Fight DirectorDonal O’Farrell
CastClare BarrettDerbhle CrottyPeter DalyGavin DreaGarrett LombardKaren McCartneyCharlotte McCurryAaron MonaghanMarie MullenRory NolanJohn OlohanAisling O’SullivanMarty Rea
Duration Full Cycle: 6 hrs 30 mins approx., including three intervals (2 x 15 mins & 1 x 30 mins)Part 1: 3 hrs 15 mins, including 15 min intervalPart 2: 2 hrs 45 mins, including 15 min interval
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SPECIAL DEAL
FOR THIS EVENT
See page 58
ST JOHN’S PRIORYADMISSION €16/€14FOR EACH CONCERT
ST JOHN’S PRIORYADMISSION €14/€12
WATERGATE THEATREADMISSION €16/€14
It was an idea only Bach could have conceived: to compose a collection of preludes and fugues for keyboard, circling in turn through all 24 major and minor keys. Bach envisioned the book as a teaching aid “for the use and profit of the musical youth”, but in the centuries that followed it has become one of the most influential works in the history of Western classical music. The idea was so good that Bach repeated it later in life, composing a second book of 24, but the first book of The Well-Tempered Clavier is the best known and, over two lunchtime concerts in St John’s, acclaimed harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani makes his eagerly anticipated Irish debut performing the complete Book I.
Esfahani’s performance of the first book of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier was … rivetingThe Guardian
FRI SAT
7 8 1PM 1PM
SAT
8 4.30PM FRI SAT
7 8 8PM 3PM
ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH
THE WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER, BOOK 1
Mahan Esfahani harpsichordIran
IRISH DEBUT
PROGRAMME IFriday 7 August 1pmPreludes and Fugues 1-12
Duration 60 mins approx.
PROGRAMME IISaturday 8 August 1pmPreludes and Fugues 13-24
Duration 60 mins approx.
07 06
Bach and the Chain of BeingIn this special lecture with musical illustrations from the harpsichord, Mahan Esfahani examines the cyclical patterns in Bach’s works, and explores the ways in which his music was heard by his contemporaries.
Duration 60 mins approx.
OPERA THEATRE COMPANY (IRELAND)
The Human Voice by Francis Poulenc
Director Tom CreedSoprano Kim SheehanPiano Michael McHale
A young woman is driven to the point of desperation as she tries to connect with her ex-lover over the telephone in Francis Poulenc’s spellbinding one-act opera, The Human Voice (La voix humaine). Poulenc creates an atmospheric and theatrical soundscape, using unaccompanied singing (soprano Kim Sheehan) interspersed with evocative instrumental outbursts (renowned pianist Michael McHale) to convey the woman’s heartbreak. Based on the classic play by Jean Cocteau, and directed by Tom Creed (Deep, Kilkenny Arts Festival 2014), The Human Voice is a profound and emotional exploration of love and loss.
Duration 60 mins approx.
SPECIAL DEAL
FOR THIS EVENT
See page 58
SPECIAL DEALS
FOR THIS EVENT
See page 58
a love affair at the end of the line
08
THE BLACK ABBEYADMISSION €20/€17.50
LEFT BANKADMISSION €16/€14
The Goldberg Variations stands as one of Bach’s greatest achievements, a work in which the composer’s technical ingenuity dovetails perfectly with his inspiration. As a centrepiece of its Bach series, the Festival is offering audiences a very rare chance to experience three contrasting interpretations of the ‘Goldbergs’ by leading international artists, all making their Irish debut. This first concert is perhaps the most radical. The saxophone is not an instrument associated with classical chamber music, but Sax Allemande has set out to challenge that perception, collecting an Echo Klassik Award for best chamber music recording and reinvigorating the classical repertoire. On the opening night of the Festival, Sax Allemande performs the Goldberg Variations in the candlelit Black Abbey – a spellbinding space for this blend of timeless genius and contemporary sounds.
The Goldberg Variations series is generously supported by Mrs Joneen Casey.
The irrepressible Sax Allemande returns for a second – and very different – concert that takes us from the height of German Romanticism to New York’s Tin Pan Alley and the early years of jazz. Mixing the waltzes and capriccios of Brahms with the ragtime of Scott Joplin and the preludes of Gershwin, Imaginary Saloon is a dazzlingly entertaining musical journey in the relaxed ambience of the Left Bank.
Duration 60 mins approx.
pure pleasureSchweinfurter Tagblatt
Duration 60 mins approx.
FRI
79.30PM
SAT
84.30PM
Imaginary Saloon
The Diplomatic Coffee Club
THE HOLE IN THE WALL ADMISSION €12/€10
SAT
811AM
In the surroundings of a 16th-century townhouse, one of Ireland’s leading diplomats discusses 21st-century foreign policy in conversation with Festival Director Eugene Downes. Rory Montgomery is Second Secretary-General of the Department of the Taoiseach with responsibility for European and international affairs, and has served as Irish Ambassador to the European Union and to France. Complimentary gourmet coffees will be served.
Duration 60 mins approx.
THE HUBERT BUTLER ANNUAL LECTURE
The Age of Unreason Nationalism and Jihad in the 21st Century
Lara Marlowe USA
Introduced by Olivia O’Leary
Liberal democracy triumphed over fascism in the 20th century, but as the new century advances, the ideals of Wilsonian democracy and European integration appear to be fading. A significant proportion of 740 million Europeans have embraced anti-immigrant, anti-EU populist nationalism, while growing numbers of the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims espouse jihadism.
National Front leader Marine Le Pen is likely to lead the first round of the next French presidential election. Meanwhile Islamic State, an unholy alliance of Salafist extremists and survivors of Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist regime, holds large swathes of Syria and Iraq.
Foreign correspondent Lara Marlowe has spent most of her 35-year career covering France and the Middle East, reporting extensively on the rise of the French National Front and on Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Marlowe looks at the historical and ideological roots of both movements, and attempts to explain why extremism is such a powerful magnet in the 21st century.
The Hubert Butler Annual Lecture was established in 2007 to honour the Kilkenny writer, historian and broadcaster whose remarkable consistency of vision and clarity of mind made him unique among essayists and whose work evinced an unsurpassed moral, political and literary integrity.
Lara Marlowe with members of the Northern Alliance mujahideen group who were fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan in the wake of 9/11.
ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL ADMISSION €16/€14
SAT
8 6PM
Duration 60 mins approx.
09
ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH
GOLDBERG VARIATIONS I
Sax AllemandeGermany
IRISH DEBUT
SPECIAL DEAL
FOR THIS EVENT
See page 58
1110
ARCHITECTS OF AIR (UK)
Mirazozo
After two sell-out runs, Architects of Air are back for a third year in the Castle Park with another luminarium – or giant, light-filled inflatable sculpture – for you to explore. Mirazozo is the sister to Miracoco – the luminarium that was such a hit back in 2013. Inspired by Islamic architecture, and featuring a stunning labyrinth of domes, chambers and tunnels, Mirazozo is packed with enchanting spaces and beguiling light effects. It’s the perfect place to play, wander (and wonder), or simply relax.
The luminarium is wheelchair accessible. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
think the Starship Enterprise crossed with the sci-fi movie Fantastic VoyageThe Irish Times
SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1611AM-6PM 11AM-6PM 12PM-6PM 12PM-6PM 12PM-6PM 12PM-6PM 12PM-6PM 11AM-6PM 11AM-6PM
KILKENNY CASTLE PARKADMISSION €5. TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED AT THE MAIN CASTLE GATE.P
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OPERA THEATRE COMPANY (IRELAND)
Susanna’s Secret by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari
Director Tom CreedConductor Andrew SynnottSoprano Rachel CroashBaritone Rory Musgrave
A man suspects his wife is having an affair when he smells cigarette smoke on her clothes, and sets out to discover her secret - with hilarious consequences. Rachel Croash (soprano) and Rory Musgrave (baritone) star in Wolf-Ferrari’s frothy comic opera about the secrets that couples keep. Sung in English, in a new translation by Tom Swift, Susanna’s Secret (Il segreto di Susanna) is a stylish and wryly observant comedy of marital misunderstanding. Directed by Tom Creed (Deep – Kilkenny Arts Festival 2014), with Andrew Synnott conducting the OTC touring ensemble, this is a rare opportunity for opera lovers to see this classic short work, and a perfect introduction to opera for newcomers.
Duration 60 mins approx.
WATERGATE THEATREADMISSION €16/€14
the finest Toumani collaboration since his classic work with Ali Farka TouréThe Guardian
Toumani & Sidiki Diabaté Mali
Toumani Diabaté is a superstar of African music and “the Hendrix of the kora” (The Sunday Times), the elegant and beguiling 21-stringed harp played for centuries at the Malian court. The 71st generation in an unbroken line of musicians stretching back 700 years, Toumani has done more than any artist to bring this instrument to the world, recording a string of Grammy-award-winning albums and collaborating with everyone from Taj Mahal to Björk. His son Sidiki is one half of Mali’s most successful hip-hop group, and a dazzlingly talented kora player in his own right. Together, father and son produced one of the most acclaimed albums of 2014, and this concert in
the Set offers a rare, intimate opportunity to hear two generations of this extraordinary family playing with dazzling virtuosity and profound spirit.
Duration 80 mins approx.
SET THEATRE ADMISSION €27/€23.50
SAT
8 10PM
SPECIAL DEAL
FOR THIS EVENT
See page 58 SPECIAL DEAL
FOR THIS EVENT
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13
a smoking hot comedy
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Composed over 25 years towards the end of the composer’s life, the Mass in B minor (BWV 232) is the culmination of Bach’s spiritual journey and one of the crowning glories of Western music. The piece was last performed at the Festival some 30 years ago by Malcolm Proud and Maya Homburger’s Kilkenny Arts Week Baroque Ensemble: an early incarnation of Camerata Kilkenny. This year, in a unique collaboration for the Festival, Camerata Kilkenny joins forces with Chamber Choir Ireland – the country’s flagship choral ensemble – for a one-off performance of the Mass under the direction of Paul Hillier, one of Europe’s most distinguished choral conductors. From the dramatic Kyrie to the sublime Agnus Dei, this special performance by two world-class ensembles in St Canice’s is set to be a highlight of the 42nd Festival.
Duration 2 hrs approx. (including interval)
Presented in association with Chamber Choir Ireland
one of the leading choral practitioners in the world … singing of this standard is a rarityculturenorthernireland.org on Paul Hillier & Chamber Choir Ireland
ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH
THE MASS IN B MINOR
Chamber Choir Ireland Camerata Kilkenny Ireland
& Paul Hillier UK
ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL ADMISSION ZONE A PREMIUM €40/€35 ZONE B REGULAR €35/€30.50
SAT
8 8PM
1716
ST JOHN’S PRIORYADMISSION €16/€14FOR EACH CONCERT
Bach’s Cello Suites are among his best-loved compositions, a central part of the classical repertoire often featured in films like Bergman’s Autumn Sonata. Performed at the Festival over the decades by masters such as Steven Isserlis and Jean-Guihen Queyras, this year the complete cycle will unfold over the course of two lunchtime concerts by one of the rising stars of the classical world: István Várdai. From the sunny gigue of the first suite to the moody, dark prelude of the fifth, Várdai will explore the full range of these masterworks in the intimate atmosphere of St John’s Priory.
The Hungarian cellist István Várdai is one of the most exciting young musicians in the world, performing at major international venues to great acclaim and collecting numerous international prizes. Last year he won the ARD Cello Competition in Munich – the world’s leading such event – and earlier this year was awarded the Liszt Prize, Hungary’s highest classical music award.
SUN MON
9 10 1PM 1PM
ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH
THE CELLO SUITES
István Várdai celloHungary
PROGRAMME ISunday 9 August 1pmCello Suite no. 1Cello Suite no. 4Cello Suite no. 5
Duration 65 mins approx.
PROGRAMME IIMonday 10 August 1pmCello Suite no. 2Cello Suite no. 3Cello Suite no. 6
Duration 80 mins approx.
Tyrone Guthrie & The Shakespeare RevolutionChristopher Fitz-Simon Ireland
To Find a Heathen Place and Sound a BellBy Kerry Hardie and Olivia O’Leary
The Anglo-Irish director Tyrone Guthrie is recognised as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century theatre. Working on both sides of the Atlantic, he brought a revolutionary new approach to the classical repertoire and also to the design of theatres themselves. In this fascinating talk, Christopher Fitz-Simon, author and former director of
the Abbey Theatre, explores Guthrie’s world through his letters, which he is editing for publication. Addressed to his mother Norah and his sister Peggy, who married Hubert Butler, they feature searching observations on leading actors of the day, including Siobhán McKenna, Sybil Thorndike, Alec Guinness, John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier.
AD 591. Rome has fallen and Europe is in chaos. In Ireland, a handful of monks leave the austere rule of Comgall of Bangor. One of them, Fiachra, walks south to found a monastery at Ullard. Others, led by Columbanus of Leinster, set sail, carrying the teachings of the Celtic Church into the very heart of Europe…
Through a mix of poetry and music, To Find a Heathen Place and Sound a Bell tells the story of these monks.
Written by poet and novelist Kerry Hardie, with broadcaster Olivia O’Leary, and performed by musicians David Power and Ciarán Somers, and readers Barry McGovern, Olivia O’Leary, Alan Counihan and Eamonn Hunt, this unique and poetic work resurrects the forgotten story of Columbanus, a saint of the early Celtic Church and arguably one of the most consequential figures in European history.
Duration 60 mins approx.
PARADE TOWERADMISSION €12/€10
PARADE TOWERADMISSION €16/€14
SUN
9 11AM
SUN
96PM
Vivien Leigh, Tyrone Guthrie and Laurence Olivier
Duration 60 mins approx.
Director Sean HardieMusic David Power and Ciarán SomersReaders Barry McGovern, Olivia O’Leary, Alan Counihan & Eamonn Hunt
István Várdai is a special kind of geniusParlando
SPECIAL DEALS
FOR THIS EVENT
See page 58
18 19
William Christie is one of the greatest musical magicians of our time.
In the 36 years since founding Les Arts Florissants, Christie and his extraordinary ensemble have rediscovered the world of the French baroque, partnering with the world’s leading festivals and venues and making close to 100 recordings. Christie himself is feted as one of the most distinctive and compelling of artists.
More than two decades since their last Irish appearance, Christie and Les Arts Florissants make a long-awaited return visit with a trio of leading international soloists. Their programme ranges across some of Bach’s most playful works, including the ‘Wedding’ Cantata, the glorious Orchestral Suite no. 2 and the ‘Coffee’ Cantata, which pokes fun at the coffee-drinking craze of Bach’s own day and is the nearest he came to writing a comic opera.
This is set to be an unforgettable evening, and a very rare opportunity to hear these legendary artists in an intimate programme portraying Bach’s diverse genius.
ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH
CANTATAS
Les Arts Florissants France
& William Christie USA/France
ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL ADMISSION ZONE A PREMIUM €50/€45ZONE B REGULAR €44/€39
SUN
9 7.30PM
PROGRAMME ‘Wedding’ Cantata BWV 202Sonata in G for two flutes and continuo BWV 1039Cantata BWV 55 (Ich armer Mensch)Orchestral Suite no. 2 BWV 1067‘Coffee’ Cantata BWV 211
Duration 2 hrs approx. (including interval)
immaculately judged, wonderfully gracious and admirably sensuousThe Guardian
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Musical direction, organ & harpsichord William ChristieSoprano Rachel RedmondTenor Reinoud Van MechelenBass Andrew Foster-WilliamsMusicians of Les Arts Florissants
BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS 1, 2 & 4
Camerata KilkennyBojan Cicic director/violin
Croatia
ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH
Written for the Margrave of Brandenburg, the Brandenburg Concertos are some of the most dazzling classical pieces ever written. Bach set out to confound expectations, transcending concerto conventions and filling each piece with rich melody, virtuoso flourishes and astonishing shifts. For Eternal Harmony, Camerata Kilkenny, our ensemble in residence, expands to orchestral dimensions to present three of the larger-scaled ‘Brandenburgs’ in the magnificent surroundings of the Black Abbey.
Guest director and violinist Bojan Cicic is one of the rising stars of period performance in Europe. He leads both period and modern orchestras, including the Budapest Festival Orchestra, le Cercle d’Harmonie, the European Union Baroque Orchestra and Classical Opera Company, while recent projects have included a recording of the Brandenburg Concertos with Florilegium, Vivaldi’s Summer with the European Union Baroque Orchestra and his BBC Proms debut.
THE BLACK ABBEYADMISSION €20/€17.50
MON
10 7.30PM
it is striking how exclusive the Champions League of baroque violinists remains… Croatian baroque violinist Bojan Cicic stands on the threshold of that pantheonDe Standaard
PROGRAMME Brandenburg Concerto no. 2 in F major BWV 1047Brandenburg Concerto no. 4 in G major BWV 1049 Brandenburg Concerto no. 1 in F major BWV 1046
Duration 60 mins approx.
SPECIAL DEAL
FOR THIS EVENT
See page 58
20 21
a cooking live band from a dream dance clubThe Observer
MON
106PM
It’s more than 20 years since songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Chris Franck and DJ Patrick Forge joined forces and set about redefining Brazilian music, marrying samba rhythms to Nu Jazz to produce something stylish and irresistible. Blending their own original material with dazzling remixes of everyone from Bebel Gilberto to Sly and Robbie, Da Lata have been in a class of their own ever since. Four albums into a musical journey that has taken them through everything from Afrobeat to hip-hop, with a touch of electronica and house, they bring their pulsating live show to Kilkenny with six musicians, Latin tempos and irresistible grooves. Bring your dancing shoes!
PARADE TOWERADMISSION €12/€10
The Man Behind the Music Gerry Murphy Ireland
Orphaned at nine, left to fend for himself in his teenage years, widowed at 35 and losing many of his children, Bach nevertheless forged a calm, unruffled conviction of his musical destiny. In this fascinating talk, Gerry Murphy goes in search of one of the great minds of human history, uncovering the puckish humour, mordant wit and passion for excellence that runs through the great composer’s work.
Gerry Murphy is a composer and former Head of Music at Gonzaga College, Ranelagh. His latest composition premiered at the New Ross Piano Festival 2014, while the NSO performed his overture Good Friday-Belfast: 10-4-98 as part of this year’s season. Duration 60 mins approx.Duration 90 mins approx.
Da LataUK
SET THEATRE ADMISSION €20/€17.50
SUN
9 9.30PM
23
THE BLACK ABBEYADMISSION €30/€26
Grand master of the viol, Jordi Savall, is a global cultural citizen equally at home in Western baroque or the ancient music of Jerusalem, Istanbul or the Balkans.
Through more than 200 recordings and thousands of performances, both as a virtuoso solo artist and as conductor of his three celebrated ensembles, Savall has dedicated his working life to unearthing buried musical treasures and introducing audiences to lost worlds of emotion and beauty.
For this rare Irish concert, Savall presents a programme of selected works by baroque masters including Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe (father and son) and Marin Marais - whose work he has done so much to revive, not least through his soundtrack for Alain Corneau’s Tous les Matins du Monde.
It was Marais who first exploited the similarity of the viola da gamba to the human voice in Les Voix Humaines, one of the works that Savall will perform in Kilkenny. In a candlelit Black Abbey, the hushed whispers of Savall’s instrument will create an atmosphere at once intimate and profound.
Mr Savall, the least ostentatious of performers, seemed plunged in the emotion of performance and of lifeThe New York Times
MON
10 9.30PM
THE SPIRIT OF THE VIOL
Jordi Savall viola da gambaSpain
PROGRAMMEfeaturing selections from
MARIN MARAISSAINTE-COLOMBE LE PÈRESAINTE-COLOMBE LE FILSLE SIEUR DE MACHYJS BACH
Duration 75 mins approx.
THE ART OF FUGUE
James McVinnie organUK
GOLDBERG VARIATIONS II
Mahan Esfahani harpsichordIran
Composed in Bach’s final years and left unfinished at his death, The Art of Fugue (BWV 1080) is one of the most profound and significant works in musical history.
Turning his back on the dawning rococo era, the composer returned to the heart of the baroque and found exhilarating new possibilities within the fugal form, based on a single theme and increasing in complexity as the work progresses. The score of this late masterpiece did not specify instrumentation, and it has been performed on a startling range of instruments from viol consorts to brass ensembles; this solo performance on that ‘king of instruments’, the organ, is by a rising international star.
James McVinnie is internationally renowned both as soloist and ensemble player. Recent highlights have included concerts in the Salzburg Festival with Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, and the BBC Proms with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra. A strong advocate of new music, James collaborates with leading composers and artists including fellow members of the Bedroom Community collective Nico Muhly and Sam Amidon (one of our artists in residence in 2014).
ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL ADMISSION €16/€14
THE LONG GALLERYKILKENNY CASTLEADMISSION €20/€17.50
TUE
11 1PM
TUES
11 10PM
McVinnie dispatches his performances with great vitalityThe Telegraph
Duration 75 mins approx.
with an instinctive sense of rhythm and a gift for interpretation, Esfahani has firmly established himself as one of today’s most thrilling harpsichordistsGramophone
Duration 70 mins approx.
Bach described his Goldberg Variations as “prepared for the soul’s delight.” For Mahan Esfahani, they “stand out as an example of their creator’s total compositional originality.”
After an exuberant saxophone interpretation from Sax Allemande, this second of three performances of the iconic work is by the internationally acclaimed Iranian harpsichordist, one of the Festival’s artists in residence, following his interpretation of The Well-Tempered Clavier over the opening weekend. Esfahani’s musical interests are strikingly diverse, ranging from the renaissance to the present day, but Bach is his foremost passion. This late-night concert in the Long Gallery of Kilkenny Castle, one of Ireland’s most beautiful rooms, promises to be an unmissable experience.
The Goldberg Variations series is generously supported by Mrs Joneen Casey.
ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH 22
SPECIAL DEAL
FOR THIS EVENT
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SPECIAL DEAL
FOR THIS EVENT
See page 58
SPECIAL DEALS
FOR THIS EVENT
See page 58
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MARBLE CITY SESSIONS Martin Hayes & David Power Ireland
2524
ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH
CLAVIER ÜBUNG III (GERMAN ORGAN MASS)
Malcolm Proud organIreland
Clavier Übung III (often called the ‘German Organ Mass’) is one of the pinnacles of music written for the ‘king of instruments’. The work follows the form of the Lutheran mass, ranging across an astonishing variety of forms and styles to present a profound mediation on faith. Taking on this masterpiece is artist in residence Malcolm Proud, a regular performer at the Festival since its first edition in 1974. His interpretations of Bach have gained widespread acclaim, with his recording of this work hailed as “a major achievement” (The Organ Magazine).
For this special performance in one of the city’s most historic courtyards, Marble City Sessions host Martin Hayes teams up with his frequent collaborator David Power, a master of the uilleann pipes whose career has encompassed All-Ireland medals, membership of seminal ensembles (including Hayes’ own Masters of Tradition tours), Broadway productions and several critically acclaimed albums.
Duration 45 mins approx.
ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL ADMISSION €16//14
1710 COURTYARD AT SMITHWICK’S EXPERIENCE KILKENNYADMISSION €12//10
DUNMORE CAVEADMISSION €16/€14
WED
12 1PM
WED
12 6.30PM
WED
12 3.30PM
Duration 70 mins approx.
MARBLE CITY SESSIONS
CELTIC DIALOGUES
Jordi Savall Spain
Martin Hayes Ireland
& Friends
Jordi Savall testifies to a common cultural heritage of infinite variety. He is a man for our time.The Guardian
It was while appearing in the 1988 Festival that viola da gamba master Jordi Savall encountered Irish traditional music for the first time. Since then Savall has cemented his reputation as a musical polymath and a champion of early music in all its forms, but he remains captivated by Celtic musical traditions. For this opening concert in the 2015 series, Savall joins Marble City Sessions host Martin Hayes and fellow artist in residence Dennis Cahill to bring their collaboration to a new stage, further exploring the lost connections between the courtly elegance of early music and the old melodies of the Irish tradition. Featuring regular Savall collaborators Frank McGuire on bodhrán and Andrew Lawrence-King on harp, Celtic Dialogues promises to be an encounter to remember between legendary musicians.
Duration 2 hrs approx. (including interval)
ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL ADMISSION ZONE A PREMIUM €30/€26 ZONE B REGULAR €26/€23
TUE
11 7.30PM
In 1996, Robert Pinsky published what many consider to be the definitive modern verse translation of Dante’s Inferno. As poet in residence at this year’s Festival, Pinsky leads an audience down into Kilkenny’s Dunmore Cave - or Dearc Fhearna, the Cave of the Alders - for a one-off reading of excerpts from the work. This is an unmissable opportunity to experience Dante’s work in a spine-tingling setting, famous in ancient times as one of the three darkest places in Ireland.
Please note: Dunmore Cave is not wheelchair accessible.
Dante in Dunmore
Duration 60 mins approx.
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MARBLE CITY SESSIONS
Amjad Ali Khanwith Amaan & Ayaan Ali Khan India
One of Indian music’s greatest stars makes a very rare Irish appearance in what promises to be a Festival highlight. “There is no essential difference between classical and popular music,” Amjad Ali Khan has said. “Music is music. I want to communicate with the listener who finds Indian classical music remote.” For more than 50 years, Khan has done just that, breathing new life into the sarod – one of the most beguiling instruments in the world – composing new ragas, releasing a string of acclaimed recordings (including the Grammy-nominated Ancient Sounds), and collaborating with a breathtaking array of musicians, from the Britten Sinfonia to folk singer Carrie Newcomer. In Kilkenny, Khan joins forces with his sons, Amaan and Ayaan (both sarod masters in their own right), to explore the Indian classical tradition he has done so much to renew.
The finest living exponent of the sarod
The Guardian
SET THEATRE ADMISSION €27/€23.50
WED
12 9.30PM
Duration 90 mins approx.
ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH
GOLDBERG VARIATIONS III
Zhu Xiao-Mei piano China/France
IRISH DEBUT
The Tao of Bach
This third and final concert in our series of Goldberg Variations marks the Irish debut of an extraordinary artist. As a young woman, pianist Zhu Xiao-Mei was sent to a labour camp during Mao’s Cultural Revolution, where she nonetheless managed to continue her Bach studies in secret. Since emigrating to France 30 years ago, her interpretations of Bach (in particular) have become celebrated for their depth of understanding, and an approach that connects Bach’s musical philosophy with the ancient Chinese tradition of the Tao.
In her own words, “the Goldberg Variations is like the water in a river. At the end of the work, the water continues to flow. It is at once the same and not the same. You have lived, you’ve understood something, everything is over and at the same time everything can start again. That’s something that is much more than simply Chinese or Taoist. It is the expression of life itself.” Madame Zhu’s public performances are rare and carefully chosen, and she has decided to perform in Kilkenny the work that lies closest to her heart.
The Goldberg Variations series is generously supported by Mrs Joneen Casey.
Duration 75 mins approx.
Taoism, or Daoism, is an ancient Chinese religious and philosophical school of thought that emphasises living in harmony with the Tao, the ultimate creative principle of the universe. It has had a profound influence on Zhu Xiao-Mei’s relationship to music – and above all to Bach. In this intimate conversation, Madame Zhu discusses the ways in which Taoism has nourished and informed her artistic philosophy.
Duration 60 mins approx.
a pianist who goes right to the essence, ignoring fearLe Monde
THE BLACK ABBEYADMISSION €25/€22
ROTHE HOUSEADMISSION €12/€10
WED
12 7.30PM
TUE
11 6PM
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ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH
THE VIOLIN & HARPSICHORD SONATAS
Maya Homburger violinSwitzerland
Malcolm Proud harpsichordIreland
Bach’s six Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord are seminal works which point towards a new era in classical music. Moving from the older trio sonata to a form which assigns the three musical lines between the violin and the two hands of the keyboard player, these sonatas created a genre which Mozart, Beethoven and others would take to fresh heights. These two lunchtime concerts in St John’s offer a rare opportunity to hear the full cycle of these marvellous sonatas performed by Maya Homburger and Malcolm Proud, Festival artists in residence whose recording of the sonata cycle was released to great acclaim in 2008.
For our 42nd edition, the Festival welcomes one of the world’s finest writers as poet in residence. “Poetry,” Robert Pinsky has said, “is one of the most fundamental pleasures a person can experience.” In the course of an extraordinary 40-year career, Pinsky has brought that pleasure to countless readers through a series of acclaimed collections celebrated for their jazz-inflected sensibilities and their breadth of subject matter, from the history of the saxophone in ‘Ginza Samba’ to the impassioned political poems of Gulf Music.
Since serving three terms as US Poet Laureate, Pinsky has taken every opportunity to speak up for poetry in public, founding the Favourite Poem Project (see below), publishing guides for reading poetry, and becoming the first – and perhaps only – poet to appear as himself on The Simpsons. A skilled saxophonist, his collaborations with leading jazz musicians reveal the importance of sound and rhythm in his work, and his reading in the Parade Tower is a rare chance to encounter at first hand one of the finest poets of our time.
Join us at the Parade Tower to mark the publication of Kilkenny Arts Office’s Poetry Broadsheet, launched by former US Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky. The Broadsheet aims to give local writers a platform for their work, and this year poems were selected by 2015 guest editor Tony Curtis. A highly accomplished poet and winner of the National Poetry Prize, Tony’s has published nine collections including Pony and Folk. His latest collection, Approximately in the Key of C, is forthcoming from Arc Publications.
Duration 90 mins approx.
In this workshop for poets, Robert Pinsky hopes to find examples of the relation between sound and imagination, discovery and purpose — some of the quick, intuitive processes of poetry. Participation is by application: email [email protected] for further details. Places are strictly limited.
In partnership with Poetry Ireland
When Robert Pinsky was appointed US Poet Laureate, he invited ordinary Americans to read aloud their favourite poem for an archive at the Library of Congress. Almost 20 years later, the Favourite Poem Project has amassed an archive of 25,000 letters and spawned three anthologies. Now Pinsky brings the project to Kilkenny, where a select group of Festival artists and local students will read their favourite poem before a live audience, and explain why it means so much to them.
Duration 90 mins approx.
no other living American poet - no other living American, probably - has done so much to put poetry before the public eyeThe New York Times
SEE ALSO ‘DANTE IN DUNMORE’ P.25
ST JOHN’S PRIORYADMISSION €16/€14FOR EACH CONCERT
PARADE TOWERADMISSION €16/€14
THU FRI
13 14 1PM 1PM
FRI
146PM
PROGRAMME IThursday 13 August 1pmSonata no. 2 in A major BWV 1015Sonata no. 1 in B minor BWV 1014Cantabile ma un poco Adagio (movement from early version of Sonata no. 6)Sonata no. 3 in E major BWV 1016
Duration 60 mins approx.
PROGRAMME IIFriday 14 August 1pmSonata no. 4 in C minor BWV 1017Sonata no. 5 in F minor BWV 1018Sonata no. 6 in G major BWV 1019
Duration 60 mins approx.
Duration 60 mins approx.
Robert Pinsky USAIntroduced by Colm Tóibín
Kilkenny Poetry BroadsheetPoetry Workshop Favourite Poem Project
PARADE TOWERADMISSION FREE BUT TICKETED
THE HERITAGE COUNCILATTENDANCE BY APPLICATION
PARADE TOWERADMISSION FREE BUT TICKETED
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MARBLE CITY SESSIONS
The Cork Gamelan Ensemble Ireland
with special guestsColin Dunne, Kate Ellis, Julie Feeney, Martin Hayes, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Nick Roth, Duke Special & West Cork Ukulele Orchestra
In Javanese traditional music, a ‘gamelan’ is an orchestra composed of beautifully decorated, tuned percussion instruments. The brainchild of Mel Mercier, composer, performer and lecturer in Music at UCC, the Cork Gamelan Ensemble is a groundbreaking group that creates and performs a fresh, dynamic and enchanting repertoire of contemporary music.
Performing a programme of original compositions in collaboration with a mouthwatering assembly of Irish and international guests – including artist in residence Martin Hayes, chanteuse Julie Feeney, saxophonist Nick Roth, cellist Kate Ellis, West Cork Ukulele Orchestra, fiddle player Martin Hayes, the inimitable Duke Special and dancer Colin Dunne – the Cork Gamelan Ensemble promises an unforgettable evening of music (and dance) as you’ve never heard it before.
This performance celebrates the launch of the Ensemble’s first CD, The Three Forges.
Duration 2 hrs approx.
THURS
13 8PM
ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL ADMISSION ZONE A PREMIUM €27/€22ZONE B REGULAR €23.50/€19
ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH/ MARBLE CITY SESSIONS
Partitas & Potts Aoife Ní Bhriain violinIreland
ROTHE HOUSEADMISSION €16/€14
THU SAT
13 15 10.30PM 6PM
Very few musicians feel equally at home in both classical and traditional music, but Aoife Ní Bhriain is one. A virtuoso classical violinist, she is also the winner of no fewer than seven All-Ireland titles at the Fleadh Cheoil.
In these unique concerts Aoife explores her musical heritage on both sides, interweaving dance movements from Bach’s solo partitas and sonatas with tunes from the late fiddler Tommy Potts, whose album of radical reinterpretations of traditional airs, The Liffey Banks, is now regarded as a classic. Bringing together both Eternal Harmony and the Marble City Sessions in the 16th-century drawing room of Rothe House, Partitas & Potts charts the space between two very different forms of dance music.
Duration 60 mins approx.
the Cork Gamelan Ensemble’s synthesis of Javanese and Irish trad, and more, has been a revelationIrish Examiner
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3332
LIZ ROCHE COMPANY (IRELAND)IN A CO-PRODUCTION WITH THE ABBEY THEATRE AND DUBLIN DANCE FESTIVAL
Bastard Amber
WATERGATE THEATREADMISSION €20/€17.50
FRI SAT
14 15 8PM 8PM
Roche’s choreography is delicately woven but its threads possess an elusive tensile strength. Entrancing.The Times
Co-commissioned by Kilkenny Arts Festival, Bastard Amber is a major new work by leading Irish choreographer, Liz Roche. Moving her rigorous exploration of the body into the realm of the soul, this enthralling piece is partly inspired by WB Yeats’ seminal poem ‘Sailing to Byzantium’ and the meditative golden paintings of the late Patrick Scott.
A profound journey into humankind’s spiritual quest, Bastard Amber is filled with unforgettable imagery and stunning design, conjuring a lustrous Byzantine world of contradictory influences, a meeting place of East and West.
With a sublime international company of dancers performing alongside live musicians and featuring an original score, Bastard Amber is a provocative and haunting experience.
Co-commissioned by the Abbey Theatre, Dublin Dance Festival and Kilkenny Arts Festival. An Affiliate Event of Yeats2015, Ireland’s national celebration of WB Yeats.
Duration 70 mins approx.
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TWO LECTURES EXPLORING VISIONS OF BYZANTIUM
THE LOST MUSIC OF BYZANTIUMALEXANDER LINGAS (Canada/Greece)
YEATS’ BYZANTIUM ROY FOSTER (Ireland)
See page 39 for details.
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THE LAST SONATAS OF HAYDN, MOZART, BEETHOVEN & SCHUBERT
Sir András Schiff piano
Sir András Schiff is an artistic titan of our time.
Born in Budapest, for decades he has performed in the world’s leading festivals and venues, releasing a string of acclaimed recordings, receiving countless international awards and becoming not only a towering representative of Central European culture but also a vocal advocate for broader civil rights and freedoms.
Direct from the Salzburg Festival, Sir András comes to Kilkenny to perform works at the very heart of his repertoire: the last sonatas by the great masters of Viennese Classicism – Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. From Beethoven’s transcendent Sonata in C minor to Schubert’s otherworldly Sonata in B flat, Sir András takes us on a journey through the sublime, leavened with surprising touches of humour. This will be his first appearance in Ireland since 2011, and an unmissable chance to witness a master at work amid the splendour of St Canice’s.
FRI
14 8PM
Schubert’s last sonata took on a rare, devotional quality here ... Everything about this performance - from the music itself to Schiff’s own presence - felt transfiguredThe Sunday Telegraph
PROGRAMME
HAYDN Sonata no. 62 in E flat major Hob XVI:52
BEETHOVEN Sonata in C minor op. 111
MOZART Sonata in D major K576
SCHUBERT Sonata in B flat major D960
Duration 2 hours approx. (including interval)
ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL ADMISSION ZONE A PREMIUM €50/€45ZONE B REGULAR €44/€39
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MARBLE CITY SESSIONS
Brooklyn Rider USA
Martin Hayes Ireland
& Dennis Cahill USA
MARBLE CITY SESSIONS
The Brooklyn Rider Almanac USA
The Marble City Sessions storm into the final weekend with this mouthwatering collaboration between artists in residence Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill and one of New York’s hottest ensembles, Brooklyn Rider. This pioneering group is celebrated for its collaborations with leading musicians from jazz, traditional, indie rock and a wealth of non-Western forms, and tours globally with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble. Tonight these extraordinary artists come together for the first time in Europe on a new journey across musical frontiers.
Duration 90 mins approx.
Brooklyn Rider are one of the most adventurous string quartets of the 21st century. Named after the New York borough where they make their home, the quartet has spent the last ten years gleefully dissolving the boundaries between musical worlds and performing a repertoire that stretches from Bartók to contemporary composers like John Zorn, John Luther Adams and Philip Glass.
Making their Irish debut as artists in residence at the Festival, in this late-night concert Brooklyn Rider perform music from their new album, The Brooklyn Rider Almanac. Featuring compositions by members of the quartet and favourite collaborators including Bill Frisell and Wilco’s Glenn Kotche, The Brooklyn Rider Almanac ensures that “any previous notions you had of string quartet music will get shaken up and ultimately thrown out for good” (Times Union).
Duration 75 mins approx.
one of the wonders of contemporary musicThe Los Angeles Times
Maighread and Tríona Ní Dhomnhaill delivered from the get-go … theirs were voices of the gods, sent to elevate us allThe Irish Times
SET THEATRE ADMISSION €27/€23.50
THE BLACK ABBEY ADMISSION €22/€19
THE BLACK ABBEY ADMISSION €22/€19
SAT
15 10PM
FRI
14 9.30PM
FRI
14 7.30PM
MARBLE CITY SESSIONS
Maighread & Tr íona Ní Dhomhnaill& Friends Ireland
Maighread and Tríona Ní Dhomnhaill have been at the heart of the Irish traditional music scene for over 40 years. Born into a celebrated singing family from the Donegal Gaeltacht, the sisters (along with their brother Mícheál) formed the legendary group Skara Brae while still in their teens. Tríona went on to join The Bothy Band, one of the most significant groups in the history of Irish music, and it was not until the 1990s that the sisters began to work together again, producing the classic album Idir an Da Sholas/Between the Two Lights. Their live performances are heart-rending events, and the Black Abbey is the perfect venue for their spellbinding harmonies, with some special guests dropping by.
Duration 75 mins approx.
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GREAT CONCERTOS
Camerata Kilkennywith
Maya Homburger (Switzerland) director/violinRachel Beckett (UK) fluteClaire Duff (Ireland) violinMalcolm Proud (Ireland) harpsichord
This mouthwatering programme from Camerata Kilkenny features three of Bach’s greatest concertos. Malcolm Proud is the soloist in the Harpsichord Concerto no. 1 in D minor, a revolutionary piece with the expressive drama of Beethoven or Brahms. Two of Bach’s most popular creations follow: the sublime Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, with soloists Maya Homburger and Irish Baroque Orchestra leader Claire Duff; and Brandenburg Concerto no. 5, with Rachel Beckett joining Maya Homburger and Malcolm Proud as soloists.
THE BLACK ABBEYFREE AND UNTICKETED
SAT
159.30PM
A BACH MEDITATION: THE VIOLIN SONATAS AND PARTITAS
Maya Homburger
(Switzerland) baroque violin
For this free late-night event in The Black Abbey, distinguished violinist Maya Homburger, who has recorded the magnificent sonatas and partitas to great acclaim, proposes a radical new approach. Instead of a conventional concert, Homburger will play in one continuous flow, moving around the abbey in a remarkable, contemplative journey for performer and audience alike.
ST JOHN’S PRIORYADMISSION €16/€14
SAT
15 1PM
PROGRAMME Keyboard Concerto no. 1 in D minor BWV 1052Concerto for Two Violins in D minor BWV 1043 Brandenburg Concerto no. 5 in D major BWV 1050
Duration 60 mins approx.
PROGRAMME The Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, BWV 1001-1006
Duration 3 hrs approx.
ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH
The Lost Music of ByzantiumAlexander Lingas Canada/Greece
SPECIAL DEALS
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PARADE TOWERADMISSION €16/€14
PARADE TOWERADMISSION €12/€10
SAT
156PM
SAT
1511AM
Yeats’ ByzantiumRoy Foster Ireland
In the 150th anniversary of Yeats’ birth, Roy Foster discusses the background and meaning of the two famous poems about Byzantium. His talk traces some unexpected Irish inspirations and echoes, as well as exploring what the poems say about sex and death: the two topics (according to Yeats) “of the least interest to a serious and studious mood”.
Roy Foster is Carroll Professor of Irish History at the University of Oxford and a well-known cultural commentator, critic and broadcaster. His many books include the two-volume authorised biography of Yeats, a number of works on Irish history and literature, and the widely praised Vivid Faces: the revolutionary generation in Ireland 1890-1923, just published in paperback.
Duration 60 mins approx.
In parallel with the performances of Bastard Amber, co-commissioned by the Festival and inspired in part by Yeats’ great poem ‘Sailing to Byzantium’, two talks explore visions of that ancient city. In the first of these, Alexander Lingas uncovers the lost traditions of Byzantine music. When Constantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453, sacred Byzantine
chant (the eastern sibling of Gregorian chant) was lost and almost forgotten. Lingas – founder and Artistic Director of Cappella Romana, an ensemble celebrated for its recordings of this repertoire – takes us in search of the sacred music that was heard in Hagia Sophia, the great church built by the Emperor Justinian in the same century in which Canice founded his monastic settlement at Kilkenny.
Duration 60 mins approx.
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In 2010, The Cardinall’s Musick’s performance of works by Tallis and Byrd was one of the highlights of the Festival and, this year, the celebrated British ensemble makes an eagerly awaited return with two concerts. This first programme presents a selection of masterworks by Thomas Tallis, the great Elizabethan who wrote some of the most beautiful and profound music of the Renaissance. As a special addition to the programme, The Cardinall’s Musick joins forces with leading Irish choral singers to perform Tallis’ spectacular 40-part motet Spem in alium – one of the summits of choral music – in the glorious acoustic of St Canice’s.
Formed by Andrew Carwood in 1989, The Cardinall’s Musick has established itself as one of Britain’s foremost choral ensembles. Taking its name from Cardinal Wolsey, the group has developed an outstanding reputation in the music of the English Renaissance, winning no fewer than four Gramophone Awards for Early Music (including one for their recording of Tallis’ Ave rosa sine spinis), while also embracing a wide variety of styles and periods from Bach to world premieres by composers such as Michael Finnissy, Simon Whalley, Matthew Martin and Judith Weir.
the voices of Andrew Carwood and his eight cohorts could probably start a blaze in the Antarctic!The Times
PROGRAMMEVidete miraculumE’en like the hunted hindJesu salvator saeculiWhy brag’st in malice highGaude gloriosaMagnificat a 5Iam Christus astra ascenderatHomo quidam fecitHomage to Tallis (by Cheryl Frances-Hoad)Spem in alium
Duration 1 hr 45 mins approx.
THOMAS TALLIS: A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
The Cardinall’s Musick UK
SAT
15 7.30PM
ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL ADMISSION ZONE A PREMIUM €30/€26 ZONE B REGULAR €26/€23
THE MUSICAL OFFERING
Camerata KilkennyMaya Homburger (Switzerland) violin
Rachel Beckett (UK) flute
Marja Gaynor (Finland/Ireland) violin/viola
Sarah McMahon (Ireland) cello
Malcolm Proud (Ireland) harpsichord
In 1747, when Bach was finally admitted to the presence of Frederick the Great of Prussia, the king played a theme and commanded Bach to improvise a fugue, which he did in a manner that astonished those present. Bach followed this feat by composing one of the pinnacles of his art: The Musical Offering, a collection of works all based on that same theme. On the final day of the Festival, ensemble in residence Camerata Kilkenny perform this mysterious late masterpiece, which they recorded in 2011 to great critical acclaim.
THE BLACK ABBEYADMISSION €25/€22
SUN
163PM
BACH’S MOTETS AND THEIR FOREBEARS
The Cardinall’s Musick UK
Bach’s magnificent Motets look back to the composers who first merged the Renaissance motet with the German Lutheran chorale. For this final programme in the Bach series, The Cardinall’s Musick sets Bach’s work in the context of his forebears, combining the work of masters such as Heinrich Schütz with four of Bach’s six Motets, including Singet dem Herren, which features one of Bach’s most uplifting melodies.
ST JOHN’S PRIORYADMISSION €16/€14
SUN
161PM
PROGRAMME The Musical Offering for harpsichord and chamber instruments BWV 1079
Duration 55 mins approx.
PROGRAMME JS Bach: Lobet den Herren BWV 230JS Bach: Fürchte dich nicht BWV 228JS Bach: Komm, Jesu, komm BWV 229JS Bach: Singet dem Herrn BWV 225And works by Heinrich Schütz, Melchoir Franck and Johannes Eckard
Duration 80 mins approx.
ETERNAL HARMONY: THE MUSIC OF JS BACH
the best ensemble singing talent Britain can produceInternational Record Review
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No other composer has had so much of his music adapted, orchestrated, jazzed up or messed about as Bach – an indication of his continuing pre-eminence. As the Festival’s epic Bach series draws to a close, critic and broadcaster Ian Fox introduces and plays some of the most intriguing examples of the afterlife of the great composer’s music, from symphonic adaptations to jazz and electronics.
PARADE TOWERADMISSION €12/€10
SUN
1611AM
Airs on a Bach StringIan Fox Ireland
Duration 70 mins approx.
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PARADE TOWERADMISSION €16/€14
SUN
165PM
Jane Smiley USA
Since A Thousand Acres, her reworking of King Lear, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992, Jane Smiley has been feted as one of the great contemporary American novelists. A writer with Dickensian range, she has tackled everything from fourteenth-century Greenland (The Greenlanders) to contemporary Hollywood (Ten Days in the Hills), and she comes to Kilkenny with her most ambitious project yet. The 1,300-page ‘Last Hundred Years’ trilogy tells the multigenerational story of the Langdons, Iowa farming folk, from 1920 to 2019. Told from multiple points of view, with an unerring feel for the changing historical landscape and the tensions of family life, the trilogy is already being hailed as her finest achievement.
Duration 60 mins approx.
America’s TolstoyThe Guardian
MARBLE CITY SESSIONS
Festival Finalehosted by Martin Hayeswith Thomas BartlettBrooklyn RiderDennis CahillMaya HomburgerAoife Ní Bhriain Maighread Ní DhomhnaillTríona Ní DhomhnaillIarla Ó LionáirdRobert Pinsky
SUN
16 7.30PM
ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL ADMISSION ZONE A PREMIUM €40/€35 ZONE B REGULAR €35/€30.50
Last year saw the introduction of a new Kilkenny highlight: the Festival Finale, featuring a constellation of artists who were in residence during the Festival, plus special guests. Continuing the tradition of that sold-out, unforgettable night, this year’s Finale is again hosted by Marble City Sessions co-curator Martin Hayes, and features a wealth of performers not only from the Sessions but also from our Bach series, as well as poet in residence Robert Pinsky. This unique evening will also premiere some new collaborations and projects which the artists have been developing during the Festival. With special guests including Gloaming members Thomas Bartlett and Iarla Ó Lionáird, it promises to be a spectacular climax to ten days and nights of artistic adventures in the Marble City.
Duration 2 hrs 45 mins approx. (including interval)
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Secret Garden Music
Following a huge audience response to its introduction in the 2014 Festival, Secret Garden Music returns with a unique series of free, pop-up concerts, twice each afternoon, for audiences of all ages from 2 to 102. Major international and Irish musicians, many of them in residence at the Festival, perform in six of Kilkenny’s most beautiful historic city gardens. This year, the locations are expanding to include two new garden venues: the 13th-century Black Abbey, and the River Court on the banks of the Nore with a stunning view of the castle. Drop by each afternoon to discover who is playing and enjoy world-class music in these magical, hidden spaces.
Duration 15 mins approx.
Performances are subject to weather conditions.
SUN WED SAT
9 12 15 4PM 4PM 4PM HERITAGE COUNCIL GARDEN ADMISSION FREE
SAT TUES FRI
8 11 14 3PM 3PM 3PM BUTLER HOUSE GARDEN ADMISSION FREE
MON THU SUN
10 13 16 3PM 3PM 3PM RIVER COURT GARDEN ADMISSION FREE
SAT TUES FRI
8 11 14 4PM 4PM 4PM BLACK ABBEY GARDENADMISSION FREE
MON THU SUN
10 13 16 4PM 4PM 4PM ROTHE HOUSE GARDENADMISSION FREE
SUN WED SAT
9 12 15 3PM 3PM 3PM CASTLE ROSE GARDENADMISSION FREE
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A Festival PortraitMick O’Dea Ireland
Meta-Perceptual HelmetsCleary Connolly Ireland
Mick O’Dea is one of Ireland’s best-known artists, President of the Royal Hibernian Academy and a winner of countless awards, including the Arnotts National Portrait Award and the Ireland-US Council/Irish Arts Review Portraiture Award.
As both a portraitist and a landscape artist who thrives on working en plein air, O’Dea is uniquely placed to take on the role of visual artist in residence for the 2015 Festival. Throughout the ten days, O’Dea will portray key Festival artists, while also capturing the sights, sounds and atmosphere of the Festival, sketching performances and events as they happen.
Mick O’Dea’s studio will be located in Kilkenny’s historic James Stephens Barracks, home of the 3rd Infantry Battalion and just a few minutes’ walk from most venues. Festival-goers are invited to visit each afternoon from Sunday 9 August onwards (details below). Why not drop in and watch a great artist at work? And, as the Festival progresses, look out for completed paintings and sketches on display in a range of venues around the city.
Have you ever wondered how the world looks from the point of view of a hammerhead shark, with its hyper-stereo vision? How about a horse, which has exceptional peripheral vision? Or a chameleon, which can look backwards and forwards at the same time?
Now, thanks to artists Anne Cleary and Denis Connolly, you can find out. Cleary Connolly have developed a series of wearable sculptures called ‘Meta-Perceptual Helmets’ – helmets that enable you to see what an animal sees. Drop into Rothe House every day during the festival, where you can try on a range of helmets – for creatures both real and imaginary – and wander around the gardens, transforming yourself into a living, moving sculpture to see and be seen.
At once playful and serious, Meta-Perceptual Helmets is an innovative and interactive exhibition that meets art’s greatest challenge – to make us see the world afresh.
JAMES STEPHENS BARRACKSSUNDAY 9 – SUNDAY 16 AUGUST 2.30-4PMADMISSION FREE
Cleary Connolly’s meta-perceptual helmets ingeniously invite us to set aside our preconceptions and to experience things in ways quite different from the normThe Irish Times
ROTHE HOUSESATURDAY 8 - SUNDAY 16 AUGUST11AM-5PMADMISSION FREE
ARTIST’S TALKSUN
93PM
ADMISSION FREE BUT TICKETED
a master draughtsman and a painter who relishes the processes of image-makingIrish Arts Review
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Nine LivesCurated by Emmett Scanlon
Nine Lives is an exhibition showcasing the work of a new generation of architects who, together with curator Emmett Scanlon, were selected to represent Ireland at three international architecture festivals in 2015, as part of the New Horizon_architecture from Ireland initiative. These exciting young architects collaborate across disciplines to develop new modes of practice for the 21st century.
The exhibition presents extracts from the ongoing ‘life stories’ of nine rooms – stories that were made concrete through architectural design and continue to develop through occupation and use. Moments from each room’s story are presented here side by side, using photographs and drawings. Featuring the work of acclaimed architects TAKA, Clancy Moore, Hall McKnight, Steve Larkin, GKMP, A2, Ryan Kennihan, AP+E, Urban Agency and Emmett Scanlon, Nine Lives is a fascinating contribution to the ongoing story of how we design and use built space.
New Horizon_architecture from Ireland forms part of Irish Design 2015 (ID2015), a year-long initiative backed by the Irish government exploring, promoting and celebrating Irish design throughout Ireland and internationally.
NATIONAL CRAFT GALLERY, CASTLE YARDMON-SAT 10AM-5.30PM, SUN 11AM-5.30PM (EXCEPT FRI 14 & SAT 15 AUG: OPEN 10AM-4PM) EXHIBITION CONTINUES UNTIL 27 SEPTEMBERADMISSION FREE
OPENING SAT
8 4PM
National Craft Gallery InstallationThe Sky’s the Limitwith artists Órla Kelly and Deirdre Rogers
Children’s Workshops
Workshops are free. Book by calling the Festival box office from 6 July. Due to limited capacity, maximum of one workshop per child. Parents/guardians must stay in the Castle Yard area during workshops.
Build, make and explore a magical city using light, paper and fabric. Come on a creative journey through this magical handmade cityscape with artists Órla Kelly and Deirdre Rogers. ReCreate will supply a variety of unusual materials to make this a unique creative experience for the whole family. This is a drop-in activity for all ages.
Clay Skyscrapers with Maeve SookramThis experimental workshop invites children to construct a skyscraper using clay and an assortment of found objects. Create fascinating forms and see how you can build a tall structure with ceramist Maeve Sookram. Each child will have the opportunity to make a ‘mini’ skyscraper with air-dried clay that can also be taken home and painted.
Modular Towers with Billy McDonaldThe Modular Towers workshop gives children the opportunity to explore architectural design through the tactile process of model making. Participants will transform a simple cardboard box into an apartment unit, experimenting with form and texture. Each apartment will then be stacked to create a modular tower. This architectural experiment will encourage children to play with the process of design.
Building Patterns with Caroline RyanCreate unique patterns inspired by the architecture featured in the Nine Lives exhibition. Take a closer look at structure, explore lines and identify shapes and patterns through the medium of print. Each child will learn the skill of silkscreen printing and take home their own unique design.
NATIONAL CRAFT GALLERYCASTLE YARD SAT 8 & SUN 9 AUGUST 1PM–4PM
NATIONAL CRAFT GALLERY, CASTLE YARDTUES 11, WED 12 & THURS 13 AUGUST ALL OF THE ABOVE WORKSHOPS RUN AT 2PM, 3PM & 4PM DAILYAGES 5-13DURATION 45 MINS PER WORKSHOP
TALKGallery 1Tuesday 11 August, 5.30pm
Occupation and Craft in Architecture talk, followed by Q&A with curator Emmett Scanlon, Nathalie Weadick (director of the Irish Architecture Foundation) and selected architects from the Nine Lives exhibition. See www.nationalcraftgallery.ie for details.
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BUTLER GALLERY & CARTOON SALOON PRESENT
Song of the Sea: THE EXHIBITION
Butler Gallery, one of Ireland’s most vibrant contemporary art spaces, in collaboration with twice Oscar®-nominated Cartoon Saloon, presents an interactive, multimedia exhibition of original drawings, prints, storyboards, animation and scene realisation, revealing an insider’s view of Cartoon Saloon’s movie-making process.
The exhibition includes a timeline of the Song of the Sea history, from initial drawings to the delivery of a world-class animation film. Visitors will be able to create their own animations on-site while projections bring the gallery walls to life with music and image. With thanks to the exhibition funders: Arts Council, ID 2015: A Year of Design, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, Gorilla Creative Post Production, Grant Thornton, Allied Irish Bank, Kilkenny County Council, TV Paint, Wacom, Costellos Brewing Company.
Song of the Sea animator in residence Rory will invite participants to discover how simple shapes can create complex characters!
Accompanying adults may book a place to participate, or remain on-site for duration of workshop. Book via Kilkenny Arts Festival Box Office.
Song of the Sea, Acadamy Award® Nominee - Best Animated Feature, IFTA Award Winner - Best Film.
BUTLER GALLERY, THE CASTLE, KILKENNYTEL: +353 56 776 1106WWW.BUTLERGALLERY.COM
SPECIAL RECEPTION TO CELEBRATE KILKENNY ARTS FESTIVAL (FEATURING COSTELLOS BEER)SATURDAY 8 AUGUST 3PM - 5PM
EXHIBITION RUNS FROM 4 JULY TO 11 OCTOBER 10AM – 5.30PM DAILY
MUNIMENTS ROOM, KILKENNY CASTLE8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 AUGUST11AM - 12PM DURATION 60 MINSADMISSION €5 PER PERSONSUITABLE FOR AGES 6+
Shapeshifters:Character Design Workshops
BUTLER GALLERY
BUTLER GALLERY
BUTLER GALLERY
Susan Mosse
Violet Twomey
WH Good Ltd
FRIEND
Cllr David Fitzgerald
Donohoe Town and Country
Florence Ryan
The Gourmet Store
Jim Ryan
Kilkenny Crafts
Cllr Malcolm Noonan
Cllr Michael Doyle
Mocha’s Vintage Tea Rooms
Cllr Peter Cleere
Rudolf Heltzel
Three Sixty
5352
PATRON
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Michael D. Higgins
President of Ireland
Emer Foley (Chair), Fergus Cronin,
Orla Kelly, Maureen Kennelly,
Conor Langton, Anna O’Sullivan,
Michael O’Toole, Thomas O’Toole,
Isabell Smyth, Bill Whelan
FESTIVAL TEAM
Festival Director Eugene Downes
Festival Producer Olga Barry
Festival Administrator Valerie Ryan
Production Manager Aidan Wallace
Marketing Manager Nollaig Healy
Box Office Manager Cathy Hogan
Development Manager Siobhan Donohoe
Artist Liaison Cornelia McCarthy
Artist Liaison Assistant Hazel Doyle
Programme Editor Alistair Daniel
Marketing ConsultantAnnette Nugent
Publicity Gerry Lundberg PR
Graphic Design Íde Deloughry
Web Design Pixel Design
Official IT Provider BITS
THE GREGORY WALKERS (IRELAND)
The Isle is Full of Noises, Sounds and Sweet Airs
PAUL CURLEY (IRELAND)
Bake!
From Othello to The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare’s plays are full of references to music and popular songs. But how did they actually sound? In this delightful programme for the whole family, strolling players The Gregory Walkers perform a collection of popular Elizabethan tunes, from timeless folk songs like ‘Greensleeves’ to fashionable dances like the volta.
Duration 50 mins approx.
Become a Festival Friend!Help make Kilkenny Arts Festival one of Europe’s finest artistic celebrations. For over 40 years we’ve brought a host of the world’s best artists to the beautiful surroundings of Ireland’s medieval city, showcasing Kilkenny on the global stage each August and generating more than €5 million per annum for the city and county. Making this possible is the support of dozens of local businesses, hundreds of local volunteers and thousands of loyal Festival-goers from near and far.
As an individual or business, you’ll find a range of Friend options and benefits available, from complimentary tickets and discounts to Festival Club membership and special events. Friends membership starts at just €95 (€50 for under-35s). To join, call the Festival Office on 056 7763663 or visit kilkennyarts.ie/support-us to find out more.
PATRON
Reidy & Foley Solicitors
BEST FRIEND
Boland & Company Solicitors
O’Reilly’s Wallpaper, Paints & Gifts
SPECIAL FRIEND
Allens
Ann Phelan TD
Aut Even Hospital
Beatrice Ryan
Bluett O’Donoghue Architects
Butler Court Guest House
The Butterslip
Countrystyle Foods
Dores Nostalgia Café - Michael Dore
Edward Hayden’s School of Cookery
Folkster
Happy Times
Haven Pharmacy O’Connells
John’s Green Medical Centre
Kilkenny Castle Tea Rooms - Michael Dore
Kilkenny Modern Printers Ltd
Mary Mahony & Jimmy Lenehan
Michael Hutchinson
Moth to a Flame
Mugshot Café
Murphy Jewellers
Murphy Stuart Insurance
Newpark Pharmacy
O’Brien Butchers
Patrick M Farrell Accountants
Patrick O Byrne
Petronella’s Restaurant
PWC
Stonehouse Books
It’s Prince Fredrik’s ninth birthday, but who will bake the royal birthday cake? As things heat up in the busy kitchen of the queen’s palace, young apprentice baker Madeleine attempts to prove herself to her father.
A delightful new theatre experience for young audiences performed by Paul Curley, designed by Ger Clancy and directed by Philip Hardy, Bake! invites you into the action of the royal palace. Get stuck in, but be warned: things could get messy.
Duration 40 mins approx.
PARADE TOWERAGES 5+ADMISSION €7
BARNSTORM THEATREAGES 4-6 ADMISSION €7
Bake! takes the familiar ritual of a birthday party and turns it into something extra specialThe Irish Times
Street Entertainment Street entertainment around Kilkenny City each weekend!
SAT 8 AUGUSTCANAL WALK 1PMMacDONAGH JUNCTION 3PM
SUNDAY 9 AUGUSTMacDONAGH JUNCTION 1PMTHE PARADE 3PM
SATURDAY 15 AUGUSTMacDONAGH JUNCTION 1PMTHE PARADE 3PM
SUNDAY 16 AUGUSTTHE PARADE 12PMCANAL WALK 4PM
SAT SUN
8 9 12PM & 3PM 12PM & 3PM
SUN
161PM & 2.30PM
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CULTUREFOX.IE
NEVERMISSOUT
The Arts Council’s new, upgraded CULTUREFOX events guide is now live. Free, faster, easy to use – and personalised for you. Never miss out again.
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2015 New Ross Piano Festival
Celebrating our 10th Festival
FINGHIN COLLINS / ALEXEI GRYNYUKOLGA SCHEPS / CÉDRIC TIBERGHIENDARIA VAN DEN BERCKEN / FIDELIO TRIO RTÉ CONCERT ORCHESTRA
ROS TAPESTRY SUITE VI TO X
Thursday 24 – Sunday 27 SeptemberSt. Mary’s Church, New Ross, Co. WexfordBooking: 051 421255 • www.stmichaelsnewross.com [email protected] • www.newrosspianofestival.com
WEXFORDCOUNTY COUNCIL
NEW ROSS PIANO FESTIVAL IS SUPPORTED BY
NEW ROSS
FESTIVALPIANO
Discover the past. Build the future.
22nd-30th Augustheritageweek.ie
Coordinated by
Callsave1850 200 878
Great Places to Stay
Great Places to Eat
Great Places to Drink
For best rates book your accommodation at kilkennyarts.ie
Special Festival menus available
Sol Bistro056 776 4987
The Springhill Court Hotel 056 772 1122
Kilkenny River Court Hotel056 772 3388
Matt the Miller’s Bar & Restaurant056 776 1696
Rive Gauche056 775 0016
Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel 056 775 0200
Newpark Hotel056 776 0500
Statham’s Bar & Grill 056 778 3500
The Blue Bar 056 777 1888
Hotel Kilkenny056 776 2000
Anocht 056 772 2188
Brewery Corner056 780 5081
Bridie’s056 776 5133
The Club House056 772 1994
Kilkenny Pembroke Hotel 056 778 3500
Ristorante Rinuccini056 776 1575
Zuni Restaurant056 772 3999
Campagne056 777 2858
Cleere’s Bar056 776 2573
Langton House Hotel 056 776 513
Lyrath Estate Hotel056 776 0088
Paris Texas056 776 1822
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19
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Matt the Miller’s Bar & Restaurant056 776 1696
Left Bank056 775 0016
Marble City Bar056 776 1143
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Langton’s056 776 5133
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Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny tells the story of Ireland’s most popular ale, and was recently included in ‘New In Travel’, one of the top 26 hottest new attractions in the world to visit in 2015, by The Lonely Planet. Located in the heart of Ireland’s Medieval Mile, it is a must-see for all visitors to Kilkenny.
58
Special Ticket Deals
Kilkenny City Map
59
Great Places to Stay
Great Places to Eat
Great Places to Drink
CASTLECOMER ROAD
MICHAEL STREET
WOLFE TONE STREET
DUBLIN ROAD
JOHN
ST
UPPE
R
JOHN
ST
LOW
ER
MAUDLIN STREET
To LyrathEstate Hotel
DEAN STREET
VICAR STREET
ST CANICE’S
PLACE IRISH TOWN
ABBEYSTREET
NEW BUILDING LANE
BLACK MILL STREET
PARLIAMENT ST
THE PARADE
JAMES STREET
CHAPEL LANE
COLLIER’S LANE
WILLIAM ST
FRIARY STREET
ORMONDE STREET
PATRICK ST
ORM
ONDE
ROA
D
PARNELL STREET
LOWER NEW STREET
JOHN’S BRIDGE
GREEN’S BRIDGE
ROSE
INN
ST
CASTLE ROAD
ST KIERAN’S ST
St Canice’s Cathedral
Kilkenny Castle
To Newpark Hotel
To HotelKilkenny
To The Springhill Court Hotel 1 inch = 400 feet approx.
2cm = 100m approx.
MacDONAGH JUNCTION
TRAIN STATION
HIGH STREET
Rive Gauche
AnochtRistorante Rinuccini
LEFT BANK
Club House Hotel
Zuni
NATIONAL CRAFT
GALLERY
PARADE TOWER
SET THEATRE
Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel
Sol Bistro
Cleere’s Bar & Theatre
Brewery Corner
Langton House Hotel
Langton’s
Bridie’s
The Blue Bar
Campagne
BUTLER GALLERY
LONG GALLERY
BARNSTORM THEATRE
The Black Abbey
Castle Yard
KILKENNY CASTLE
PARK
KILKENNY CASTLE ROSE
GARDEN
Butler House
Matt the Miller’s
Marble City Bar
Paris Texas
KILKENNY RIVER COURT HOTEL
RIVER COURT GARDEN
Pembroke HotelStatham’s Bar & Grill
St John’s Priory
HOLE IN THE WALL
WATERGATE THEATRE
1710 COURTYARD,SMITHWICK’S EXPERIENCE
JAMES STEPHENS
BARRACKS
Rothe House
BOX OFFICE
BUTLER HOUSE GARDEN
BLACK ABBEYGARDEN
ROTHE HOUSEGARDEN
HERITAGE COUNCIL GARDEN
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Three Epic Nights See the epic DruidShakespeare (p.4) over two nights (Wed 12 & Thurs 13) and the opening night of Bastard Amber (Fri 14, p.32) for €55 - save up to @12
Byzantine TrioThree events inspired by the ancient city of Byzantium: Bastard Amber (Fri 14 or Sat 15, p.32), The Lost Music of Byzantium and Yeats’ Byzantium (both Sat 15 & p.39) for €35 – save up to @13
The Cardinall’s DoubleBoth choral concerts by The Cardinall’s Musick (Tallis on 15 August, p.40, and Bach’s Motets on 16 August, p.41) for €45 - save up to @11
Fathers & SonsTwo legendary world musicians performing with their sons: Toumani & Sidiki Diabaté (Sat 8, p.13) and Amjad, Amaan & Ayaan Ali Khan (Wednesday 12, p.27) for €45 – save up to @10
Brooklyn Friday Night A double bill on Fri 14: Brooklyn Rider Almanac (p.36) and your choice of either Maighread & Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill (p.36) or Bastard Amber (p.32) for €32 - save up to @13
Three GoldbergsAll three performances of Bach’s Goldberg Variations (pp 8, 23 & 26) for €52 – save up to @13
Bach TrioAny three lunchtime concerts for €35 – save up to @15
Bach QuintetAny five lunchtime concerts for €54 – save up to @30
Complete Bach At Lunchtime All ten lunchtime concerts for €99 – save up to @70
Grand Masters From The EastA double bill of two grand masters of music: Zhu Xiao-Mei (p.26) and Amjad Ali Khan (p.27), on Wed 12 for €39 – save up to @14
Opera Weekend See both The Human Voice (p.7) and Susanna’s Secret (p.12) (your choice of dates) for €25 – save up to @8
Baroque Double Bill Two classic concerts in the Black Abbey on Mon 10: Jordi Savall (p.22) and Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos (p.21) for €40 – save up to @11
Marble City SessionsEight concerts (including your choice of either performance of Partitas & Potts [p.31], but excluding the Festival Finale) for €130 – save up to @60
60 Kilkenny Arts Festival 2015 Schedule
Set Theatre
Rothe House
FREE EVENTS
James Stephens Barracks
Butler Gallery
National Craft Gallery
Friday 07 Saturday 08 Sunday 09 Monday 10 Tuesday 11 Wednesday 12 Thursday 13 Friday 14 Saturday 15 Sunday 16
Watergate Theatre
St John’s Priory
Black Abbey
St Canice’s Cathedral
Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1/I 1pm, p.6
Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1/II 1pm, p.6
Bach and the Chain of Being 4.30pm, p.6
Bach: Cello Suites I 1pm, p.16
Bach: Cello Suites II 1pm, p.16
A Festival Portrait Mick O’Dea studio2.30-4pm, p.46
A Festival PortraitMick O’Dea studio2.30-4pm, p.46
A Festival PortraitMick O’Dea studio2.30-4pm, p.46
Song of the Sea: The Exhibition10am-5.30pm, p.50
Song of the Sea: The Exhibition 10am-5.30pm(reception 3pm), p.50
Song of the Sea: The Exhibition10am-5.30pm, p.50
Song of the Sea: The Exhibition10am-5.30pm, p.50
Song of the Sea: The Exhibition10am-5.30pm, p.50
Nine Lives Opening 4pm, p.48
Nine Lives 11am–5.30pm, p.48
Nine Lives 10am-5.30pm, p.48
Nine Lives 10am-5.30pm (panel 5.30pm), p.48
Bach: Violin & Harpsichord Sonatas I1pm, p.28
Bach: Violin & Harpsichord Sonatas II1pm, p.28
Bach: Great Concertos 1pm, p.38
Bach: The Musical Offering 1pm, p.41
A Festival PortraitMick O’Dea studio2.30-4pm, p.46
A Festival PortraitMick O’Dea studio2.30-4pm, p.46
A Festival PortraitMick O’Dea studio2.30-4pm, p.46
A Festival PortraitMick O’Dea studio2.30-4pm, p.46
A Festival PortraitMick O’Dea studio2.30-4pm, p.46
Song of the Sea: The Exhibition10am-5.30pm, p.50
Song of the Sea: The Exhibition10am-5.30pm, p.50
Song of the Sea: The Exhibition10am-5.30pm, p.50
Song of the Sea: The Exhibition10am-5.30pm, p.50
Song of the Sea: The Exhibition10am-5.30pm, p.50
Nine Lives 10am–5.30pm, p.48
Nine Lives 10am–5.30pm, p.48
Nine Lives 10am–4pm, p.48
Nine Lives 10am–4pm, p.48
Nine Lives 11am–5.30pm, p.48
Parade Tower
Hubert Butler Lecture 6pm, p.9
Bach: Mass in B Minor 8pm, p.14
Bach: Les Arts Florissants & William Christie7.30pm, p.18
Bach: The Art of Fugue 1pm, p.23
MCS: Jordi Savall, Martin Hayes & Friends 7.30pm, p.24
DruidShakespeare (Full Cycle) 5pm, also Thurs 6 August 5pm, p.4
DruidShakespeare (Part 1)7.30pm, p.4
DruidShakespeare (Part 2) 6.30pm, p.4
Toumani & Sidiki Diabaté10pm, p.13
Da Lata 9.30pm, p.20
Meta-Perceptual Helmets11am-5pm, p.47
Meta-Perceptual Helmets11am-5pm, p.47
Cleary Connolly artist talk 3pm, p.47
Shakespeare & Ireland 4.30pm, p.4
Meta-Perceptual Helmets11am-5pm, p.47
Meta-Perceptual Helmets11am-5pm, p.47
The Tao of Bach 6pm, p.26
Guthrie & Shakespeare 11am, p.17
To Find a Heathen Place and Sound a Bell 6pm, p.17
Bach: The Man Behind the Music 6pm, p.21
Bach: Goldberg Variations I 9.30pm, p.8
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos 7.30pm, p.21
Jordi Savall: The Spirit of the Viol 9.30pm, p.22
The Human Voice 8pm, p.7
The Human Voice 3pm, p.7
Susanna’s Secret 6pm, p.12
Susanna’s Secret 3pm, p.12
Bach: Clavier Übung III1pm, p.25
MCS: Cork Gamelan Ensemble & Special Guests 8pm, p.30
Sir András Schiff: Last Sonatas8pm, p.34
The Cardinall’s Musick: Thomas Tallis 7.30pm, p.40
MCS: Festival Finale 7.30pm, p.43
DruidShakespeare (Part 1)7.30pm, p.4
DruidShakespeare (Part 2) 7.30pm, p.4
DruidShakespeare (Full Cycle)5pm, p.4
DruidShakespeare (Full Cycle)5pm, p.4
MCS: Amjad Ali Khan 9.30pm, p.27
MCS: Brooklyn Rider, Hayes & Cahill 10pm, p.37
Meta-Perceptual Helmets11am-5pm, p.47
Meta-Perceptual Helmets11am-5pm, p.47
MCS: Partitas & Potts 10.30pm, p.31
Meta-Perceptual Helmets11am-5pm, p.47
Meta-Perceptual Helmets11am-5pm, p.47
MCS: Partitas & Potts 6pm, p.31
Meta-Perceptual Helmets11am-5pm, p.47
Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet 6pm, p.29
Robert Pinsky 6pm, p.29
The Lost Music of Byzantium11am, p.39
Favourite Poem Project 3pm, p.29
Yeats’ Byzantium6pm, p.39
Airs on a Bach String11am, p.41
The Isle is Full of Noises 1pm & 2.30pm, p.52
Jane Smiley 5pm, p.42
Bach: Goldberg Variations III 7.30pm, p.26
MCS: Maighread & Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill & Friends 7.30pm, p.36
MCS: The Brooklyn Rider Almanac9.30pm, p.36
A Bach Meditation: Violin Sonatas & Partitas 9.30pm, p.38
Bach’s Motets and their Forebears3pm, p.41
Other Venues Diplomatic Coffee Club Hole in the Wall11am, p.9
Bake!Barnstorm Theatre12pm & 3pm, p.52
Secret Garden Music Butler House Garden3pm, p.44
Secret Garden Music Black Abbey Garden4pm, p.44
Imaginary Saloon Left Bank 4.30pm, p.8
Bake!Barnstorm Theatre12pm & 3pm, p.52
Secret Garden Music Castle Rose Garden3pm, p.44
Secret Garden Music Heritage Council Garden4pm, p.44
Secret Garden MusicRiver Court Garden3pm, p.44
Secret Garden Music Rothe House Garden4pm, p.44
Secret Garden Music Butler House Garden3pm, p.44
Secret Garden Music Black Abbey Garden4pm, p.44
Bach: Goldberg Variations II Long Gallery10pm, p.23
Secret Garden Music Castle Rose Garden3pm, p.44
Dante in DunmoreDunmore Cave3.30pm, p.25
Secret Garden Music Heritage Council Garden4pm, p.44
MCS: Martin Hayes & David Power 1710 Courtyard, Smithwick’s Experience6.30pm, p.25
Secret Garden MusicRiver Court Garden3pm, p.44
Secret Garden Music Rothe House Garden4pm, p.44
Secret Garden Music Butler House Garden3pm, p.44
Secret Garden Music Black Abbey Garden4pm, p.44
Secret Garden Music Castle Rose Garden3pm, p.44
Secret Garden Music Heritage Council Garden4pm, p.44
Secret Garden MusicRiver Court Garden3pm, p.44
Secret Garden Music Rothe House Garden4pm, p.44
Castle Park Mirazozo11am-6pm, p.10
Mirazozo11am-6pm, p.10
Mirazozo12pm-6pm, p.10
Mirazozo12pm-6pm, p.10
Mirazozo12pm-6pm, p.10
Mirazozo12pm-6pm, p.10
Mirazozo12pm-6pm, p.10
Mirazozo11am-6pm, p.10
Mirazozo11am-6pm, p.10
Bastard Amber 8pm, p.32
Bastard Amber 8pm, p.32
Castle Yard
WORKSHOPS
Shapeshifters: Character DesignMuniments Room, Kilkenny CastleSat 8, Sun 9, Wed 12, Thurs 13, Fri 14, Sat 15, Sun 16, 11am-12pmp.51
The Sky’s the LimitNational Craft GallerySat 8 & Sun 91pm–4pmp.49
Clay SkyscrapersNational Craft GalleryTues 11, Wed 12 & Thurs 13 2pm, 3pm & 4pmp.49
Modular TowersNational Craft GalleryTues 11, Wed 12 & Thurs 13 2pm, 3pm & 4pmp.49
Building PatternsNational Craft GalleryTues 11, Wed 12 & Thurs 13 2pm, 3pm & 4pmp.49
STREET EVENTS
Sat 8 AugustCanal Walk 1pmMacDonagh Junction 3pmp.52
Sun 9 AugustMacDonagh Junction 1pmThe Parade 3pmp.52
Sat 15 AugustMacDonagh Junction 1pmThe Parade 3pmp.52
Sun 16 AugustThe Parade 12pmCanal Walk 4pmp.52
Back Cover image: Ian Allen
ONLINE today at kilkennyarts.ie
BY PHONE from 6 July on +353 56 775 2175
IN PERSON from 6 July at the Festival Box Office14 John Street, Kilkenny
Weekdays: 10am - 5.30pm (closed Monday 3 August)During the Festival: daily 10.30am - 7.30pm
BOOKING TICKETS FOR KILKENNY ARTS FESTIVAL 2015