A couple of years ago I interviewed Mairead Carlin from Irish band Celtic Woman. It’s been a little while since we chatted so I asked Mairead about her previous experience of Australia, remembering her Sydney harbour cruise.
Mairead tells me that not only did she enjoy a Sydney harbour cruise on that occasion but she also climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Mairead says the climb helped her get over her fear of heights. This time however, Mairead would like to stay closer to the ground and aims to indulge in one of her favourite things, exploring nature, in this case the stunning nature of Australia.
Another change this time round she says, is her continuing maturing of operatic technique. She describes her relationship with opera as ‘raw’ and ‘innate’. Celtic Woman perform an eclectic range of music but for Mairead, classically trained at the London Conservatorium, she wants to explore opera to a greater degree.
Last time we talked Mairead told me of her fairytale introduction to the Celtic Woman, how her album ‘Song Book’ so enthralled the other girls in the group they invited Mairead to join them.
In a twist from the usual process Mairead has done her solo work first and has progressed to be part of a group. In doing the solo work first Mairead has no desire to return to it, as she explains, performing and travel as a solo artist can be a lonely place and having the other girls around it like being with family.
Talking of family, Mairead is looking forward to the Celtic Women’s performance in Perth, with a cousin residing there. Mairead is eager to meet her cousin’s little baby.
It was always going to be music for Mairead, when she was younger her desire was always to be performing on stage, although she did think being a swim instructor was a possible career choice! Mairead would eventually like to open a performing arts school to help young people seeking a career similar to hers.
Mairead says fans can expect from the Celtic Women’s concerts a chance to be transported to a different place, a chance to forget about any daily woes and for the duration of the concert and after, to be uplifted by the beautiful music and spectacle.
You can see Mairead and her Celtic Woman co-stars around Australia at the following venues:
Thu 21 Sep
Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, WA
Sun 24 Sep
Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre, SA
Tue 26 Sep
Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, VIC
Thu 28 Sep
Darling Harbour Theatre at ICC Sydney, NSW
Fri 29 Sep
Newcastle Civic Theatre, NSW
Sun 1 Oct
Brisbane Convention Centre, QLD
Paula Xiberras
