Festive harmony and fun at Westport Town Hall Theatre this weekend
THIS weekend will see Westport Town Hall engulfed in Christmas spirit with two concerts and finishing with an afternoon of free festive fun with special guest Santa.
Internationally renowned mezzo soprano Anne Marie Gibbons is back for the highly anticipated Festive Harmony concerts in Westport Town Hall Theatre tonight (Friday) and Saturday, December 15 and 16, at 8 p.m. She will be joined by professional vocalists Ronan Egan and Ewa Cieslak, the Cresham Academy of Irish Dancing, the Mayo School of Ballet, Gaelscoil Raifteirí Choir, Castlebar, Brackloon and Carrakennedy school choirs, Féile Chois Cuain Youth Group, pianist Richard Lewis and some very special guests to present a varied programme.
Mayo-based Anne Marie Gibbons has performed all over the world in some of the most renowned theatres and concert halls. Such international credits include performances in Covent Garden, London, Paris, Madrid, Adelaide, Lausanne, New York and Sydney. In Ireland she has appeared with orchestras including the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Irish Baroque Orchestra and the Irish Chamber Orchestra.
Ronan Egan has come to prominence in the west of Ireland in recent years taking the lead male roles in a number of musical theatre productions including Fiddler on the Roof, South Pacific and more recently White Christmas, Annie and All Shook Up.
Ewa Cieślak is from Poland and graduated from the Academy of Music in Lódz. As a student, musical theatre productions included The Lion King, Evita and Dance of the Vampires. She recently joined the Castlebar Musical and Dramatic Society and played the role of Sylvia in its most recent production All Shook Up in The Royal Theatre, Castlebar.
Other soloists who will feature in the concerts include Emer Biggins, Nicole Fair, Patrick Ludden, Ava O’Malley, Anna Prendergast, Aimee McNamara and Hannah Sheridan.
SANTA
On Sunday, December 17, Westport Town Hall Theatre becomes the focal point for Spraoi na Nollag, organised by the team at the town hall and Westport Chamber of Commerce. Themed and decorated by Elsie Higgins, Westport Town Hall has been transformed with all the characters of Christmas and will have some great free entertainment on the day.
Santa will be catching a lift with Paddy Joe Foy in his Clew Bay Jarvey from the Mall at 12 p.m., transported in style to the town hall, led by Westport Town Band. Santa will then meet and greet children before inviting them into the auditorium for some free entertainment to include puppet shows and face painting and storytelling. Santa looks forward to meeting all the children with treats from Aunty Nelly’s Sweet shop. Westport Town Hall Community Choir will sing some festive favourites.
Seating for the auditorium shows will be on a first come first served basis with all the events free of charge.
Full details on https://www.westporttheatre.com/.