So, as you'll probably have noticed if you read regularly, I'm back in Ireland every second weekend (including this one) to visit my mother. And when I got an email from the University Concert Hall, Limerick to say that the Three Tenors were playing last night, I got straight on the phone to her - she's a big fan. She said yes, they still had seats in her favourite row (P, which has a rail in front that she can leave her coat on, and an aisle in front of that so she can stretch her legs). So I booked. Print-at-Home tickets, so it was a relief when the website finally worked, on the day I wanted to print 'em!
And, typically for events in the UCH, we ate across the road, in the Castletroy Park Hotel - the bar food does us just fine. We got a parking space decently close to the entrance, and battled our way in against blustery winds and drizzle - it was cold enough, too, and the warm blast of air as we reached the lobby was very welcome. The bar is just to the right as you enter - there were still some tables, that early, and we grabbed one and were served nice and promptly. I still remember the bad old days when eating here took forever, which made it a bad option for pre-show dining.
The only menu we were handed was a lunch menu - now, it wasn't that early in the day! but the choices still seemed to be valid. I had some very tasty soup, accompanied by absolutely delicious brown bread, and followed by what I would describe as a medium curry.. just about as hot as I could handle, but some of the rice was undercooked, and they must've given the last of the poppadums to the lady on the next table; mine came without! Still, it was, again, tasty, and we were well fed (my mother, of course, had salmon). The wine was lovely, and the bill not excessive - we decided that since all we wanted for dessert was ice cream, we were as well off getting that at the concert hall.
Nice and early there too, we got parking decently close, and made our way to Cafe Allegro, beside the concert hall, in time to grab one of their only two remaining sofas. On our way in, we espied many uniformed schoolchildren - probably part of the show, and probably also the reason why the ice cream and sweets stall was open so early. Convenient - we got a couple of ice creams, and sat down to people-watch.
Unusually, there was no announcement when the doors to the concert hall opened, and we only got a clue from the sudden movement of people from the cafe. Our seats were in the middle of Row P, and we discovered ourselves bang slap in the middle of what looked like an old people's outing - two of them suggested we swap with them, taking their seats and they'd take ours, right beside theirs. I think they wanted to be with their friends - anyway, it worked out handier for us, as our (booked) seats were right behind the sound desk.
This was an indication of the general demographic of the audience. A slightly tough crowd, at least at the start - no applause when the pianist and violinist came on, none even when the Three Tenors themselves skipped on, starting with a traditional number - Courtin' in the Kitchen. Mind you, this wasn't an indication of their repertoire - the trad stuff wasn't heard again until a medley at the beginning of the second half, and they ranged through opera, popular music, and songs to please the local crowd: Limerick, You're a Lady and Stand Up and Fight (anthem of the Munster rugby team) featured.
The quality of the musical performances can't be doubted. Mind you, I did find some of the numbers overproduced for my taste. Still, this became less of a problem later on, and the sheer variety of the repertoire was terrific. My personal highlight was one of my favourite songs - Run, by Snow Patrol, and deliciously unexpected. Yes, the kids were part of the show - actually, we got to see two very accomplished primary school choirs, who performed with the Three Tenors, and also on their own. And the local soprano, Sinead O' Brien, took part - complete with no fewer than two costume changes.
So yes, I did enjoy myself - despite worries about over-production, they won me over. And certainly, everyone around me enjoyed it! Currently on tour around Ireland.
When we went back outside, the night had gotten even colder - and there was a layer of ice on the car! Well, it didn't take too long to defrost, and we hurried home - no time to blog, though, since I had to be up to take her to Mass this morning. In fact, I'm lucky to get a chance to do this now - the internet's been dicey all day!
Not flying back until tomorrow - which is a bummer, because (forgetting my travel dates) I'd booked a ticket for the Crick Crack Club. And now it turns out the London European Club are going as well - so that'd have been a good night. Can't be helped - I'd never be back in time.
I am with the London European Club on Tuesday, though, for a talk on Theatre and Language: Samuel Beckett "Waiting for Godot". Taking place at the Museum of London, it's a talk about the play, rather than a performance of the play itself. But I love Beckett, so that should be interesting. And since it starts so early, that's definitely a work-from-home day..
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