Hundreds pack cathedral for ‘best concert ever’

A PACKED Carlow cathedral was the setting for a spectacular performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah on 12 June when Carlow Choral Society joined forces with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra for what has been hailed as one of the choir’s finest ever performances.

Over 500 people filled the cathedral for the evening concert, conducted by Blánaid Murphy – choral director of the RIAM Chorale at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and director of the Palestrina Choir at Dublin’s Pro-Cathedral – who drew an extraordinary performance from all involved.

The evening featured an impressive line-up of soloists: soprano Katy Kelly, mezzo-soprano Raphaela Mangan, tenor Conor Prendiville and baritone Benjamin Russell in the title role of Elijah. The members of Continuum Youth Choir provided the boy soprano voice, while organist Yvonne Collier rounded out the ensemble, drawing on the full power of the cathedral organ.

Fr Conn of Carlow College was among those moved by the occasion. “He told us it was absolutely majestic and dramatic and that the whole setting of the choir and the orchestra in the cathedral was absolutely amazing,” said Stephen Harland, choir spokesperson and a member since 1989.

Mr Harland also described the reaction of conductor Ms Murphy, who, he said, is not known for easy praise. “She said: ‘That was the best concert Carlow Choral Society has ever performed in. You’ve been great all through the years, but this one topped everything. Not only are you one of the top choirs in the country but one of the top choirs in the world’.” 

The choir had prepared intensively for the performance, travelling to RTÉ the day before for a run-through with the concert orchestra, followed by a final rehearsal in the cathedral on the morning of the concert, including vocal workshops in the lead-up.

On a more practical note, Stephen raised concerns about the choir’s longer-term rehearsal situation. The 97-strong group has used the facilities at Carlow College for the past 40 years, with the choir’s piano on-site for 23 years – a piano the college helped the choir fundraise for. With the announcement of the closure of the college in the next two years, there is now a degree of uncertainty.

“We’re okay for the next two years, but after that we don’t know because Cobden Hall is the only place we can rehearse,” he said, adding that while St Mary’s also generously offers space, the choir cannot all be seated together there.

For now, however, it is the triumph of the June concert that is uppermost in the choir’s minds and audiences can look forward to a Christmas performance later in the year, with details still to be announced.