Strictly speaking, it's not right now. But on Sunday afternoon, I was at a concert by the Ulster Orchestra (with singing on some pieces from Sinéad O'Kelly).
Here are some of the pieces they played (they didn't give out a programme, so I am doing this from memory):
Brahms - "Hungarian Dance #5"
Dvořák - "Slavonic Dance #8" (
video of them playing it at 2016 "Proms In The Park" concert in Belfast)
Grieg - "Morning" (from "Peer Gynt")
Grieg - "In The Hall Of The Mountain King" (from "Peer Gynt")
Bizet - "Habanera" (from "Carmen")
Bizet - "March Of The Toreadors" (from "Carmen")
Khachaturian - "Masquerade Waltz" (yes, I was picturing
Tanya and Max's 2013-14 SP in my head while it was being played!)
Piazzolla - "Libertango"
Rossini - "William Tell Overture"
And any classical music concert in Northern Ireland wouldn't be complete without our National Anthem, the "Londonderry Air" (don't like it).
I couldn't make out what the conductor was saying when he told us what the first piece they played was. And it is really annoying me, because I have wanted to know for years what it was.
For the simple reason that people outside Northern Ireland (and probably the South as well) wouldn't know what I was talking about if I referred to it as the theme from "The Kelly Show"! [Local chat show on Ulster TV, presented by Gerry Kelly]
There was also something from one of the members of the Strauss family. I remember the conductor cracking a joke that since we all know the "Blue Danube", they were going to play something else. But I can't for the life of me remember what it was that they did play!
It was an enjoyable concert, albeit a bit on the short side (barely 2 hours from start to finish, and that was including a 25 minute interval!
). And although I generally don't like female opera singers, Sinéad was actually quite pleasant to listen to.
Looking forward to my next bit of culture, whenever that may be! (It's a real pity I'll be away when the BBC NI "Proms In The Park" concert is held in just over 2 weeks. Especially since this year it is being held literally a stone's throw away from my Auntie's house!
)
CaroLiza_fan
EDIT: ...and then I go onto Facebook to look for
Sinéad's page, and I find that a week before the concert, she shared a post from the
Ulster Orchestra's page that gave the planned running order for the concert!
Suppé Overture: Light Cavalry
Brahms Hungarian Dance No.5
Mozart Voi che sapete (The Marriage of Figaro)
Dvořák Slavonic Dance No.8
Rossini Una voce poco fa (The Barber of Seville)
Strauss Tales from the Vienna Woods
*****
Grieg Morning (Peer Gynt)
Bizet Toreadors’ march (Carmen)
Bizet Habanera (Carmen)
Bizet Seguidille (Carmen)
Smetana Dance of the comedians
(The Bartered Bride)
Trad. arr. Harty The Londonderry Air
Piazzolla Libertango
Rossini Galop from William Tell overture
Source: https://www.facebook.com/ulsterorchestra/posts/2052776258081613
Although, there were some changes. For example, the "Masquerade Waltz" was added into the middle of the second half (so not an encore).
CaroLiza_fan
Fleetwood Mac!
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