Kilkennyarts.ie Dreams and discoveries in Ireland's medieval city - 04-14 August 2022
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04-14 August 2022 kilkennyarts.ie Dreams and discoveries in Ireland’s medieval city
01
Welcome to eleven days of artistic adventures in Ireland’s medieval city… Introduction
We’re thrilled to welcome you to an exhilarating set of events and performances in the Marble City. Following two
years of adapted festivals, this summer feels both like a rebirth and a continuation of what lies at the heart of
Kilkenny Arts Festival: a desire to bring you artists that invigorate, intrigue and inspire.
While artists did all of these things and more in 2020 (KAFX) and 2021, live music was unavoidably rare. So it’s a
joy to return to a full programme of music featuring Anne Sofie von Otter, Brooklyn Rider, Irish Chamber Orchestra,
Irish Baroque Orchestra, Chamber Choir Ireland, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Carducci String Quartet, Malcolm
Proud, Ailish Tynan, Tara Erraught, the Rollercoaster Sessions, the Marble City Sessions with co-curator Martin
PHOTO PAT MOORE
Hayes and much more. We’re delighted to bring back the beloved Secret Garden Music series, free each day across
special spaces in the city.
New commissions come fully into being this year, from Roisín ReImagined with Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and ICO
to Linda Buckley’s new work for Liam Byrne and Crash Ensemble. Deirdre Gribbin’s new song cycle is premiered
by Sharon Carty and ICO, while poet in residence Theo Dorgan and Colm Mac Con Iomaire bring their ambitious
new bilingual work to the Watergate Theatre and Paula Meehan performs her response to Joyce’s Ulysses in the
centenary year of its publication.
Our new production of Handel’s Semele with Opera Collective Ireland, directed by Patrick Mason, comes from
the same creative team that wowed audiences with The Return of Ulysses in 2018; and Rough Magic bring their
special alchemy to the Parklands of Kilkenny Castle for a new production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest directed
Kilkenny (Cill Chainnigh or the Church of Canice) offers the visitor one of Ireland’s most memorable architectural ensembles, as a vibrant by Lynne Parker. Eszter Némethi’s Speak Like No One in Particular will challenge audiences to explore the ways
living city still laid out along its ‘medieval mile’ from the castle to the cathedral. Its history stretches back 1,500 years to the arrival of in which we ‘other’ each other, and in Callan we get a peek at the development of The Local, a major new site-
Canice and his fellow monks to found a new monastic settlement on the hill where St Canice’s Cathedral still stands. Few festivals in sensitive play from Asylum Productions, coming in 2023.
the world can boast such atmospheric ancient spaces, echoing their history but ideal for performance and embracing the visitors and
audiences of today. Following their groundbreaking production of Strauss’ Elektra last summer, Irish National Opera return to
Kilkenny to premiere a virtual reality opera, Out of the Ordinary, directed by Jo Mangan; and Luke Murphy/Attic
Projects see the River Nore become the stage for their new work, Slow Tide. Always a hit with Kilkenny audiences,
St Canice’s Cathedral, 13th century Kilkenny Castle, 12th century thrilling aerialists Loosysmokes bring their new show In Rhythms to an atmospheric warehouse in Callan. With
However special our musicians may be, there’s always an This imposing stronghold of the Ormondes and Chief Butlers Butler Gallery we present a set of intriguing retrospective multimedia works from Kevin Atherton, and the Festival
extra shiver down the spine when you hear their music of Ireland provides the Festival with a stunning space Gallery hosts an exhibition by the young artist Stephen Doyle whose work explores queer identity.
reverberate in the magnificent acoustics of the second for talks and conversation in the lofty Parade Tower. Its
Masha Gessen – who has written extensively on Russia, autocracy, LGBTQ+ rights, Vladimir Putin and Donald
longest cathedral nave in Ireland with its glorious timbered magnificent demesne, the Castle Parklands, is an oasis of
Trump, amongst others – delivers the 2022 Hubert Butler Lecture, and the Hubert Butler Essay Prize is presented
ceiling. St Canice’s has been at the heart of the Festival since calm for locals and visitors alike in the heart of the medieval
mid-festival amidst an exciting line-up of talks and readings at the Parade Tower.
our first edition in 1974. city, and also the location for many of our free performances
for all ages. From the castle to the cathedral, Cleere’s Theatre to Callan, the Marble City is the place to be this August.
St Kieran’s College, 19th century See you there!
Established in 1782, St Kieran’s College was the first Catholic St John’s Priory, 13th century
college in Ireland founded after Grattan’s Parliament had To step off busy John Street and into the intimate calm of Olga Barry
relaxed the penal laws. The magnificent neo-Gothic building the Priory (called ‘The Lantern of Ireland’ for its famous Festival Director
was completed in 1836 and its quad provides the perfect stained glass before Cromwell arrived!) creates the perfect
space for outdoor performances. atmosphere to discover music, whether much loved or never
heard before. Festival Team Patron
The Black Abbey, 13th century Festival Director Acting Festival Administrator/ Box Office Manager Publicity Michael D Higgins
Olga Barry Friends Manager Lilian Burke O’Doherty President of Ireland
Founded in the 1220s by a group of Dominican friars, the Rothe House, 16th century Céline Reilly Communications
Black Abbey takes its name from the black ‘cappa’ that friars The last remaining example in Ireland of a renaissance Festival Producer Development Officer
wore over their white habits in the middle ages. Converted to merchant’s townhouse is one of Kilkenny’s ‘must sees’. Marjie Kaley Marketing & Grace Kearney Graphic Design Board of Directors
Development Manager Íde Deloughry Emer Foley (Chair), Michael O’Toole,
a courthouse by James I, it was restored and reopened in the During the Festival it buzzes with energy, and this year Festival Administrator Digital Marketing and
PHOTO JOHN F KELLY PHOTOGRAPHY
Pat Carey Thomas O’Toole, Brian Fennelly, Lorelei Harris,
(Maternity Leave) Social Media Executive Web Design
nineteenth century and has hosted many memorable Festival includes performances in its beautiful 17th-century Valerie Ryan Producer Cathy O’Connor Path Christine Monk, Mairead Meagher,
performances over the years. merchant’s garden. Lisa O’Brien
Conor McAndrew, Cathal Smyth
Production Manager Programme Editor Official IT Provider
Aidan Wallace Alistair Daniel BITS
#IrelandsAncientEast
COVER IMAGE: THE TEMPEST, ROS KAVANAGH
BACK COVER: IRISH NATIONAL OPERA, OUT OF THE ORDINARY
02 03
For 49 years our funders and partners have played an invaluable role in helping Kilkenny Arts Festival to flourish.
We greatly appreciate their continuing support!
Check Out Our Friends!
PRINCIPAL FUNDER
Help make Kilkenny Arts Festival one of Europe’s finest artistic For more information you can call the Festival Office on
celebrations. As an individual or business, you’ll find a range 056 776 3663, email friends@kilkennyarts.ie or sign up
of Friend options and benefits available, from complimentary at kilkennyarts.ie/support
tickets and discounts to Festival Club membership and special
events. Friends membership starts at just €150.
PUBLIC FUNDERS
Kilkenny County Council
Comhairle Chontae Chill Chainnigh
HEADLINE EVENT PARTNERS PATRON SPECIAL FRIEND FRIEND
Anonymous Donor AOK Properties Áine Ní Fhoghlú
Ayrfield Medical Practice Aisling Breathnach
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Reddy Architecture & Urbanism Butterslip Anna O’Sullivan
Reidy & Foley Solicitors Caulfield’s Supervalu Loughboy Kilkenny Bluebird Care
Silvia & Jay Krehbiel Dore’s Nostalgia Café - Michael Dore Breda Whelan
Ella Dunphy of DNG Ella Dunphy Ltd. Brian Deering
Gilligan & Co Accountants CANICE Architects
Kilkenny County Council
Comhairle Chontae Chill Chainnigh BEST FRIEND Ina & Joe Sweeney Catherine Burke
Kathleen & Gerry Moran Christine & Noel Fahey
AIB Kilkenny Castle Tea Rooms - Michael Dore D Brennan & Associates
Ecopower Total Windfarm Solutions Kilkenny Modern Printers Dave Brown & Carmel Dwyer
James Harte & Son Solicitors Maire & Maurice Foley Dee & Harry Shine
MEDIA PARTNERS
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Market Cross Shopping Centre Michael & Zureena Hutchinson Florence Ryan-Downes
P McDonnell Michael Reilly Consulting Engineer Helen Costelloe’s The Cutting Vedge
Pat Nolan Irish Origins Research Moth to a Flame Candles Holland Condon Solicitors
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Prochem Engineering O’Brien’s Butchers Market Yard & Loughboy Jim Ryan
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SUPPLY PARTNERS Rudolf Heltzel Gold & Silversmith Patricia Tomasulo John Knox NT
Sheila O’Donnell & John Tuomey Property Partners Buggy Jones Business Systems
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SuperValu - Market Cross Mahony’s Pharmacy
Terence McCabe Mary Kelly
The Little Green Grocer Mr & Mrs John Grogan
White’s Pharmacy Paul Fahy
CULTURAL PARTNERS Sarah Phelan & Andy Ryan
The Gourmet Store
Tynan’s Bar Kilkenny
Yesterdays
We also acknowledge those Friends who have chosen to remain anonymous.
04 THEATRE a breathless Dream makes for a triumph THEATRE 05
Sunday Independent on A Midsummer Night’s Dream at KAF2018
a hugely enjoyable and timeless treat
Irish Independent on Much Ado About Nothing at KAF2019
SPECIAL
DEALS
FOR THIS
EVENT
See kilkennyarts.ie
PREMIERE
ROUGH MAGIC AND KILKENNY ARTS FESTIVAL Following acclaimed productions of A Midsummer Night’s Creative Team
IN ASSOCIATION WITH OPW Dream and Much Ado About Nothing, Rough Magic returns Director Lynne Parker
to Kilkenny with this fresh new take on Shakespeare’s lyrical Designer Alan Farquharson
The Tempest revenge fantasy.
Eleanor Methven, one of Ireland’s most celebrated actresses,
Lighting Designer Sarah Jane Shiels
Costume Designer Sorcha Ní Fhloinn
Sound Designer Denis Clohessy
takes on the iconic role of Prospero, the deposed ruler
By William Shakespeare turned elemental sorcerer. The storm Prospero conjures
hurls her enemies onto her shores, but it also brings a sad Cast
young prince, to the delight of her daughter Miranda. Is their Ariel Martha Breen
attraction a trick of fate, or the spectacle and sorcery of this Miranda Gillian Buckle
enchanted island? Caliban John Cronin
Ferdinand Rowan Finken
Rough Magic brings its trademark verve and invention Prospero Eleanor Methven
to Shakespeare’s dark comedy, filled with sorcery, music, Gonzalo Gina Moxley
mischief and romance, and told beneath summer skies in Stephano Rory Nolan
the equally magical surroundings of the Kilkenny Castle Alonso Arthur Riordan
Parklands. Trinculo Ankur Vikal
Duration 2 hrs approx. (including interval)
WED THU FRI SAT MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
3 4
8PM 8PM
5 6 8 9 10 11 12 13
8PM 8PM 8PM 8PM 8PM 8PM 8PM 8PM
PHOTO ROS KAVANAGH
PREVIEWS
KILKENNY CASTLE PARKLANDS Please note: this is an outdoor performance.
ADMISSION €28, €25, €80 FAMILY, €20 PREVIEW Please dress for the weather. No umbrellas allowed.
06 OPERA think of it as the musical equivalent of being fed by the OPERA 07
world’s best chefs using just a clutch of the finest ingredients
The Irish Times on The Return of Ulysses
PREMIERE
OPERA COLLECTIVE IRELAND & KILKENNY ARTS FESTIVAL
Handel
Semele
with Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
in partnership with Sestina
Artistic Team Four years ago Monteverdi’s The Return of Ulysses took the Festival by
Director Patrick Mason storm and this year we’re thrilled to welcome its creative team back to
Set/LX Designer Paul Keogan Kilkenny for an unmissable production of Handel’s Semele.
Conductor Christian Curnyn
Costume Designer Catherine Fay Tony award-winning director Patrick Mason, leading conductor
Head of Music Andrew Griffiths Christian Curnyn and world-renowned baroque ensemble Akademie für
Alte Musik Berlin join an exciting cast of young Irish singers, and the
Sestina Director Mark Chambers
dynamic choral ensemble Sestina, to present this tale of adultery and
revenge amongst the gods. With its mix of tragedy and comedy, lyrical
Cast arias and dramatic choruses, Semele is one of the richest and most
Semele Kelli-Ann Masterson compelling of all Handel’s operas, and this unique staging is one of the
Iris Jade Phoenix highlights of this year’s Festival.
Jupiter/Apollo Andrew Gavin
Juno/Ino Dominica Williams Duration 2 hrs 35 minutes approx. (including interval)
Athmas Gerben Van der Werf
Somnus/Cadmus Edward Hawkins
Chorus
Sestina
PHOTO MARSHALL LIGHT STUDIO
THU FRI SUN
WATERGATE THEATRE
4 5 7
7PM 7PM 3PM
ADMISSION €40/€35 (CONCESSION) /
€32 (BALCONY)
08 PERFORMANCE far stranger, far more demented, and far PERFORMANCE 09
more exhilarating than anything you could
possibly imagine
The Arts Review on Raven Eyed at KAF2017
LOOSYSMOKES
In Rhythms
PHOTO HOPE YOUNGBLOOD
Produced by Loosysmokes – the award-winning
Elaine McCague performance company at the forefront of
and Jonah McGreevy modern Irish art circus – has created some
unforgettable shows for the Festival over the
Created collaboratively with years, staged everywhere from the Castle Park
Craig Cox, Imogen Macrae, to Kilfane Glen, and this year we’re thrilled to
Conor McCague, Oliver Ryan, welcome them back for the first time since LUKE MURPHY/ATTIC PROJECTS
Slow Tide
Michelle Thoburn, Emily Kilkenny Roddy, 2018 with an astonishing new piece.
Dean Kavanagh, Angelique Ross
and Anja Mahler In Rhythms is both an explosive acrobatic
with support from spectacle and an expanded cinematic Performed by
Aoife Courtney and Millie Egan. dreamscape exploring the human mind, Hannah Rogerson & Diarmuid Armstrong
where our feral past meets our neon-muddled
Development supported by the present. Prepare to lose your grip on reality Alone while surrounded, confined in open air, two castaway figures explore a sea of
Gate Theatre artist-in-residency and enter a warped time and space where contradictions in Slow Tide. Stepping away from the controlled world of the theatre, Luke
programme, Circus Factory, Cork, gravity’s pull is forgotten. Murphy invites audiences to step into the open as two performers brave the world around
Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre them on the River Nore at the Abbey Quarter. A meditation on emerging, falling and
and Island Connect. Duration 50 mins approx. floating, creating an otherworldly physical poem around themes of time, place, isolation
and perseverance.
Originally from Cork City, Luke Murphy is a performer/writer/director and choreographer
working across various media in Europe, the UK and USA. His 2021 work Volcano won four
awards at the Irish Times Theatre Awards for 2020/2021.
Duration 20 mins approx.
FRI SAT SUN WED THU FRI SAT TUE WED THU FRI
THE WAREHOUSE, CALLAN
5 6 7 10 11 12 13 9 10 11 12
PHOTO OLGA KUZMENKO
VIEWED FROM
ADMISSION €20/€18
THE PEACE PARK
8PM 7PM 8PM 8PM 8PM 7PM 7PM TICKET HOLDERS WILL BE CONTACTED IN
2.30PM 2.30PM 2.30PM 2.30PM ADMISSION FREE
& 9pm & 9pm & 9pm ADVANCE WITH VENUE LOCATION DETAILS
& 4PM & 4PM & 4PM & 4PM o’neill foley
10 MUSIC MUSIC 11
PERFORMANCE PREMIERE
IRISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA &
MUIREANN NIC AMHLAOIBH
Róisín ReImagined
With special guests Co-commissioned by KAF and the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Róisín ReImagined
Cormac McCarthy director, piano is a stunning new collaboration that breathes new life into the sean nós
Dónal O’Connor solo fiddle & harmonium repertoire. Award-winning vocalist Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, ‘One of today’s
Darragh Murphy uilleann pipes great singers’ (Irish Echo), joins forces with the Irish Chamber Orchestra to
Catríona Frost percussion perform a range of classic sean nós songs, imaginatively arranged by six
Aisling Ennis harp leading Irish composers: Cormac McCarthy, Paul Campbell, Linda Buckley,
Sam Perkin, Niamh Varian-Barry and Michael Keeney.
Róisín ReImagined is replete with surprises
The project made its debut at last year’s Festival in the shape of a film
around every corner … Nic Amhlaoibh and Irish recorded behind closed doors and streamed online, and an album released
Chamber Orchestra have found the sweetest of earlier this year garnered rave reviews. Now, at last, Nic Amhlaoibh and the
spots in which to collaborate, always letting the ICO return to St Canice’s to perform these arrangements for a live audience. von Otter has honed the art of singing to such a point that she one of the wonders of
songs dictate the pace and mood, but opening Featuring fresh interpretations of timeless classics like ‘An Chúilfhoinn’ and
is purely expressive, no matter what she’s singing contemporary music
them up to new horizons ‘Róisín Dubh’, Róisín ReImagined offers a thrilling exploration of Ireland’s rich
musical heritage. The Washington Post NPR on Brooklyn Rider
The Irish Times
Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes including interval.
Anne Sofie von Otter
& Brooklyn Rider
Songs of Love and Death:
The Music of Franz Schubert and Rufus Wainwright
Mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter is one of the most acclaimed PROGRAMME
singers of her generation, a multi-award-winning performer and Rufus Wainwright
recording artist who over the course of four decades has been a Trois Valses Anglaises, arr. Rob Moose
luminous presence on the world’s major stages, performing leading (Irish Premiere)
operatic roles and shining in concert and recital. Franz Schubert
String Quartet no. 14, Death and the Maiden, D 531
Franz Schubert
Her repertoire embraces everything from arias to contemporary pop from Winterreise, D 911, arr. Osvaldo Golijov
songs, and her thirst for collaboration led her to Brooklyn Rider, the ‘Der Tod und das Mädchen’
adventurous string quartet with whom she has performed songs by ‘Der Wegweiser’
everyone from Caroline Shaw to Björk. ‘Die Nebensonnen’
‘Einsamkeit’
Now, we’re thrilled to welcome von Otter and Brooklyn Rider to Rufus Wainwright
Kilkenny with an unmissable new project. Songs of Love and Death Three Songs for Lulu, arr. Rob Moose
pairs Schubert with brand-new works by Rufus Wainwright, whose
modern-day operatic torch songs are the perfect complement to FRI ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL
12
Schubert’s exquisite lieder of love, death and despair. ADMISSION
WED ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL ZONE A €35/€33
Duration 80 mins approx. (without interval)
10 ADMISSION 8PM ZONE B €30/€28
ZONE A €35/€33
7.30PM ZONE B €30/€28
12 MUSIC MUSIC 13
Irish Chamber Orchestra & Sharon Carty
Shostakovich, Chamber Symphony in C minor, op. 110a Irish Chamber Orchestra
Deirdre Gribbin, The Stones of Life PREMIERE & Ailish Tynan
We’re delighted to welcome back the Irish Chamber Orchestra for their annual residency. This
series of concerts pairs Shostakovich’s hauntingly powerful Symphony in C minor with a specially
Opera Gala
commissioned new work by Deirdre Gribbin, one of Ireland’s leading contemporary composers.
Soprano Ailish Tynan is one of the finest Irish singers of her generation. Since
winning the Rosenblatt Recital Song Prize at BBC Cardiff Singer of the World in 2003
Composed in the shadow of Soviet oppression, Shostakovich’s symphony was ostensibly inspired
PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS she has performed concerts, recitals and operatic roles all over Europe, working with
by a visit to the ruins of Dresden, but in reality it’s a profoundly autobiographical work, rich in
Giuseppe Verdi countless leading orchestras, opera companies and pianists (including Iain Burnside,
allusions to Shostakovich’s other works, as well as pieces by Wagner and Tchaikovsky. A gripping
‘Desdemona’s Willow Song’ from Otello with whom she performed a selection of Schubert lieder at KAF2017).
portrayal of the brutality of conflict, its jagged, dynamic rhythms contrast with elegiac outer
movements that never fail to move the listener. Giacomo Puccini
‘Mi chiamano Mimi’ from La bohème For this eagerly anticipated concert, Tynan joins the Irish Chamber Orchestra,
Giacomo Puccini: conducted by Stephen Barlow, to perform a selection of popular arias, including
Deirdre Gribbin’s The Stones of Life is a song cycle based on the words of her son, Ethan Stein, ‘O Mio babbino caro’ from Gianni Schicchi works by Mozart, Verdi and Puccini.
a young poet with Down Syndrome, whose striking imagery is inspired by the standing stones Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
of Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides. Sung by celebrated mezzo-soprano Sharon ‘Una Donna quindici anni’ from Così fan Tutte
SAT ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL Stephen Barlow is the former resident conductor of English National Opera and has
Carty, The Stones of Life takes listeners on a musical journey into the world of this Franz Lehár conducted most of the major UK orchestras. He co-founded Opera 80 and is the
6
SPECIAL
ADMISSION remarkable boy who has, directly and indirectly, inspired much of her work. DEALS ‘Vilja’ from The Merry Widow
ZONE A €25/€23 FOR THIS
Tom Lehrer former Artistic Director of the Buxton Festival and Opera Northern Ireland.
5PM ZONE B €22/€20 EVENT
Duration 60 mins approx. (including interval) See kilkennyarts.ie ‘Poisoning Pigeons in the Park’
Pietro Mascagni
‘Intermezzo’ from Cavalleria rusticana THU ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL
Duration 1 hr 40 mins approx. 11 ADMISSION
ZONE A €35/€33
Irish Baroque Orchestra
(including interval) 7.30PM ZONE B €30/€28
& Tara Erraught
The Trials of Tenducci
Italian castrato Giusto Tenducci was an operatic superstar who
taught Mozart to sing and counted Johann Christian Bach and
Thomas Arne among his admirers. A regular performer on the music
scene in eighteenth-century Ireland, Tenducci formed close artistic
relationships with leading composers and popularized an array of
an immensely appealing recording - a gripping wonderful songs, all while conducting a scandalous personal life.
The Irish Baroque Orchestra comes to Kilkenny to perform modern-
story told with plenty of verve and style
day premieres of orchestral music, songs and arias associated with
Gramophone Magazine the legendary singer.
Conducted by Peter Whelan and featuring celebrated mezzo-
soprano Tara Erraught as Tenducci, and featuring works by JC
Bach, Pierre Van Maldere and Tommaso Giordani (the Italian
SUN ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL composer who taught John Field), The Trials of Tenducci throws a
7
8PM
ADMISSION
ZONE A €35/€33
ZONE B €30/€28
captivating spotlight on the colourful world of the Irish baroque.
Duration 1 hr 40 mins approx. (including interval)
14 MUSIC MUSIC: LUNCHTIME MUSIC SERIES 15
LUNCHTIME SPECIAL
PROGRAMME I, SATURDAY 6 AUGUST
String Quartet no. 1
String Quartet no. 2
MUSIC DEALS
FOR THIS
EVENT
Duration 65 mins approx. (without interval)
SERIES
See kilkennyarts.ie
PROGRAMME II, SUNDAY 7 AUGUST
String Quartet no. 3
String Quartet no. 4
Duration 65 mins approx. (without interval)
Carducci String Quartet PROGRAMME III, MONDAY 8 AUGUST
Shostakovich String Quartet no. 5
String Quartet no. 6
String Quartet Cycle Duration 60 mins approx. (without interval)
Since forming in 1997, the Carducci Quartet has Composed between 1938 and 1974, Shostakovich’s 15 string quartets PROGRAMME IV, TUESDAY 9 AUGUST
established itself as one of the world’s most constitute one of the great cycles in the medium. Forced for much of his String Quartet no. 7
String Quartet no. 8
accomplished string quartets, performing an career to celebrate the glories of the Soviet Union, Shostakovich used string
String Quartet no. 9
astonishing diverse repertoire, from Haydn to quartets to explore his most intimate ideas, and they overflow with melody, Duration 75 mins approx. (without interval)
leading contemporary composers, and garnering passion and boundless creativity.
countless awards. In this mouthwatering series PROGRAMME V, WEDNESDAY 10 AUGUST
of concerts they perform the complete cycle of The Carducci Quartet won a Royal Philharmonic Society Award in 2016 for String Quartet no.10
Shostakovich string quartets. their performances of the cycle, and we’re excited to welcome them to String Quartet no. 11
Kilkenny to present these great works in full. String Quartet no.12
Duration 70 mins approx. (without interval)
the Carducci players displayed a deep
and almost familial sense of unity in SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU PROGRAMME VI, THURSDAY 11 AUGUST
ST JOHN’S PRIORY String Quartet no. 13
Laoise O’Brien
everything they played… full of life and
vitality...extravagantly beautiful 6 7 8 9 10 11
1PM 1PM 1PM 1PM 1PM 1PM
ADMISSION €20/€18
FOR EACH CONCERT
String Quartet no. 14
String Quartet no. 15
The Washington Post Duration 90 mins approx. (including short interval)
For the Record
Professional recorder player Laoise O’Brien has spent 20 years championing
an instrument often unfairly perceived as an instrument of torture. The
particular sonority of small plastic recorders has left an unfortunate legacy
for an instrument once known as the ‘sweet flute’.
SPECIAL
DEALS
Malcolm Proud PROGRAMME I, FRIDAY 12 AUGUST
The Well-Tempered Clavier, Preludes and Fugues nos 1-12,
BWV 846-857
Join Laoise as she embarks on a journey to tell the story of the recorder and
FOR THIS
EVENT
See kilkennyarts.ie
JS Bach Duration 60 mins approx. (without interval)
its development through the ages. Part historical account, part personal The Well-Tempered Clavier, PROGRAMME II, SATURDAY 13 AUGUST
voyage, For the Record introduces the sizes and styles of recorder, the vast
repertoire spanning nine centuries, and explores the many different uses Book I The Well-Tempered Clavier, Preludes and Fugues nos 13-24,
BWV 858-869
to which the instrument was put, from dances on the village green to music Duration 60 mins approx. (without interval)
composed by kings.
It was an idea only Bach could have conceived: to compose a collection of
This interactive performance includes audio and visual elements, delivered preludes and fugues for keyboard, circling through all 24 major and minor keys
in Laoise’s inimitable style and suitable for all ages. in turn. He envisioned the book as a teaching aid ‘for the use and profit of the
musical youth’, but since then it has become one of the most influential works in
Duration 60 mins approx. (without interval) the history of Western classical music. For this year’s Festival, world-renowned
something of a musical visionary organist and Festival stalwart Malcolm Proud performs these masterworks over
FRI SAT ST JOHN’S PRIORY
The Irish Times two unmissable concerts in St John’s.
WED 12 13 ADMISSION €20/€18
FOR EACH CONCERT Malcolm Proud discusses Bach’s masterpiece in St John’s
10 PARADE TOWER 1PM 1PM
on Friday 12 August at 3pm. See page 32 for details.
ADMISSION €14/€12
5PM
16 MUSIC MUSIC 17
Chamber Choir Ireland
Conductor: Paul Hillier
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin Tchaikovsky, Liturgy of St John Chrysostom
Director/Leader: Péter Barczi SPECIAL
DEALS
Conducted by its Artistic Director, Paul Hillier, Chamber Choir Ireland returns to the Festival for a performance of
FOR THIS
An Evening with Handel & Friends EVENT
See kilkennyarts.ie
Tchaikovsky’s sublime large-scale work, the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom – so rarely heard in its entirety.
Best known for his romantic symphonies and ballets, Tchaikovsky was not devoutly religious, but he had a
The Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin is one of the world’s leading chamber PROGRAMME deep interest in the music of the Russian Orthodox Church and brought all his emotional frankness and talent
orchestras, celebrated for its authentic performances of baroque and Thomas Arne for expressiveness to sacred text, producing some of his most personal and moving music in his setting of the
classical music. In 2018 the orchestra’s programme Monteverdi’s Italy: Overture from The Judgment of Paris Liturgy of St John Chrysostom.
the Rise of Instrumental Music was among the highlights of the Festival, George Frideric Handel
and we’re thrilled to welcome them back this year for An Evening with Suite from the opera Ariodante, HWV 33 ‘As you can see, I am still bound to the Church by strong ties,’ he wrote, ‘but on the other hand I have long ceased
Handel and Friends, another unique programme exploring the vibrant George Frideric Handel to believe in the dogma … this constant inner struggle would be enough to drive me out of my mind were it not
musical scene in 18th-century London. Concerto Grosso in B-flat major, op. 3, no. 2, HWV 313 for music, that great comforter, the most exquisite gift Heaven has bestowed on a mankind living in darkness.’
William Hayes
Concerto for Strings & Basso continuo
Nowhere else in Europe did concert life flourish in the 18th century as George Frideric Handel With this work Tchaikovsky led the way in dismantling the Imperial Chapel’s censorship over the creation of
it did in London. Concerti grossi, the latest fashion from Italy, thrilled Concerto Grosso in G major, op. 3, no. 3, HWV 314 sacred music in Russia, with far-reaching implications for a generation of composers including Arkhangelsky,
audiences, and while Handel was quick to embrace the new taste, William Boyce Chesnokov, Gretchaninov, Ippolitov-Ivanov, and Rachmaninov, who would emulate not just the subject matter but
writing wonderful concerti and bringing Italian opera to the stage, Symphony in C major, op. 2, no. 3 his style and structure too.
his contemporaries like Thomas Arne and William Hayes made equally Francesco Geminiani
masterful use of the new forms. Concerto Grosso in D minor, no. 12, ‘La Follia’ (after Corelli) Duration 60 mins approx. (without interval)
This rich programme, filled with virtuoso pieces and exuberant
musical ideas, and led by acclaimed violinist Péter Barczi, captures the
dynamism of Handel’s milieu while performing some of the finest works SAT ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL THU
of the English baroque.
6
8.30PM
ADMISSION
ZONE A €30/€28
ZONE B €25/€22
11
9.30PM
THE BLACK ABBEY
ADMISSION €25/€23
Duration 75 mins approx. (without interval)18 MUSIC/ frighteningly good MUSIC 19
OPERA Irish National Opera GoldenPlec
Out of the Ordinary/As an nGnách
Nalva and her people are fleeing a land ravaged by
there hasn’t ever been an Irish rock band with such
a protracted level of style, substance, and smarts as ROLLERCOASTER
their own short-sighted actions, pursued by Daol, a
restless, unleashed spirit. Their search for sanctuary
takes them through dangerous waters and across new
Bell X1
The Irish Times SESSIONS
frontiers. But will they repeat the mistakes of the past?
Composer
Out of the Ordinary/As an nGnách is the world’s first
Finola Merivale
Director
Virtual Reality Community Opera, a radical approach
using VR to enable audiences to become Nalva as she
Bell X1 Keeley Forsyth
Jo Mangan flees her barren homeland. Exploring the climate crisis
and our search for solutions, Out of the Ordinary/As an and Dowry Strings
Text nGnách challenges our scorch-and-burn approach to
Jody O’Neill living in this world. Bell X1 have never been a band to rest on their laurels.
Soprano Out of the Ordinary/As an nGnách is realised by Since bursting onto the music scene more than two
Daire Halpin creative production studio Algorithm with support decades ago, the band’s appetite for restless invention
from Virtual Reality Ireland. has seen them embrace everything from indie rock to
Mezzo-soprano synth pop, new wave and electronica. Now Paul Noonan,
Naomi Louisa Duration 45 mins approx. Dave Geraghty and Dominic Philips have joined forces
O’Connell Please note: this is an immersive experience. with genre-hopping string quartet Dowry Strings to
See website for health guidance. reimagine their sound, creating fresh new arrangements
PHOTO SOPHIE J STAFFORD
that set each song against a backdrop of lush, gorgeous
VENUE TO BE ANNOUNCED strings. Mixing new songs with classic tracks from
TUE 9 – SUN 14 AUGUST their back catalogue, this spellbinding collaboration
12PM, 1PM, 3PM, 4PM, 5PM, 6PM showcases the lyrical playfulness and melodic brilliance
ADMISSION €7
that has made Bell X1 one of Ireland’s best-loved bands.
Duration 80 mins approx. Debris is an astonishing debut, not just for the
power of the songs, but for the journey they trace
FRI Uncut
Johnny Gandelsman 5 ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL
ADMISSION €35
Bach Cello Suites 8PM 20 years into a successful acting career, Keeley Forsyth
switched focus with astonishing results. Her debut album
Debris – written in collaboration with pianist and composer
Bach composed so many wonderful pieces PROGRAMME Matthew Bourne – revealed a singer-songwriter of startling
for violin that it’s rare for violinists to tackle Suite no. 1 in G major, BWV 1007 originality, unafraid to explore the darker corners of
works written for other instruments, but Suite no. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 domestic life through tales of freedom and entrapment.
Johnny Gandelsman is no ordinary violinist. Suite no. 3 in C major, BWV 1009
Debris was hailed as ‘one of the most remarkable [albums]
Whether performing solo or as part of the Suite no. 4 in E flat major, BWV 1010
Suite no. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011 in years’ (The Sunday Times) and Forsyth’s unique voice,
innovative string quartet Brooklyn Rider (see devastating and uplifting by turns, invoked comparisons
Suite no. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012
p. 11), the Grammy Award-winning violinist with everyone from Scott Walker to Beth Gibbons. With
has a restless appetite for invention, and a more expansive (but equally acclaimed) second album,
Duration 75 mins approx.
this year he returns to Kilkenny to perform Limbs, just released, Forsyth comes to Kilkenny to showcase
the complete set of Bach’s cello suites. her magnetic vocals and haunting brand of folk in the Set.
These works, supremely challenging to
play, lie at the heart of the cello repertoire, Duration 70 mins approx.
but in Gandelsman’s hands they are utterly WED
transformed. Don’t miss this chance to
experience Bach’s great cello works as you’ve 10
9PM
THE BLACK ABBEY
ADMISSION €25/€23
WED
never heard them before! SET THEATRE
10
9.30PM
ADMISSION €20
FULLY SEATED20 MUSIC: ROLLERCOASTER SESSIONS MUSIC: ROLLERCOASTER SESSIONS 21
PHOTO DAVID CLEARY
PHOTO STEVE BRUMMELL
Seán O’Hagan Howe Gelb
with special guest Howe Gelb has long been saddled with mantles such
Eileen Gogan as ‘godfather of alt-country’ and ‘elder ambassador of
Myles O’Reilly desert rock’, but in truth he can’t be categorised. For 40
years Gelb has carved his own unique path through rock,
One of the unexpected silver linings of the global pandemic is that it inspired Myles country, blues, punk, garage, lo-fi, jazz, gospel, avant-
O’Reilly to return to making music. For a decade, the former frontman of Juno Falls garde noise and flamenco gypsy music, singing songs
enjoyed a new career in photography and film, making music videos and documentaries an earful of earthly delights … compelling, filled with vivid imagery and dry observations in a warm,
for everyone from Villagers to Janelle Monáe. But the first lockdown inspired a creative idiosyncratic and quietly triumphant infectious drawl. In his early years he was compared
renaissance that has so far encompassed two minimalist ambient LPs and his latest The Irish Times on Radum Calls, Radum Calls to Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Captain Beefheart. These
project, an album of folk songs called Cocooning Heart. Gorgeously melodic, these richly SUN CLEERE’S THEATRE days, artists are compared to Howe Gelb. Don’t miss this
intimate songs are sure to weave a spell in Cleere’s Theatre.
7
9.30PM
ADMISSION €15
STANDING 30 years may separate Seán O’Hagan’s solo albums, but
chance to catch a true original.
Duration 70 mins approx. O’Hagan has never been less than busy. After forming Duration 70 mins
approx. FRI
Microdisney with the late Cathal Coughlan in the early 1980s, CLEERE’S THEATRE
the singer, songwriter, muti-instrumentalist and arranger
founded High Llamas, releasing a string of acclaimed albums
12
8.30PM
ADMISSION €20
STANDING
Dave Maija Sofia while playing keyboards for Stereolab and collaborating with
other leading musicians like Super Furry Animals and Paul
Holland In 2019 Maija Sofia’s debut LP Bath Time announced Weller. In 2019 his second solo album Radum Calls, Radum
Wicked Little the arrival of a supremely talented songwriter whose Calls drew all of O’Hagan’s disparate influences together,
deft lyricism and storytelling prowess set her apart. conjuring a delightful fantasy world filled with easy West
Atoms at the Coast sounds, quirky string arrangements and digital bleeps.
Infused with an atmosphere of nocturnal intimacy,
Edge of an Echo these timeless songs juxtaposed stories of real women For this gig in the Set, O’Hagan is joined by singer-songwriter
PREMIERE – from Bridget Cleary to Edie Sedgwick – with tales of Eileen Gogan, another recent collaborator and ‘one of
blossoming romance and sexual violence. Bath Time Ireland’s most underrated artists’ (The Irish Times).
Commissioned
garnered widespread praise and a nomination for Album
by Kilkenny of the Year at the Choice Music Awards. Sofia’s sound is
Duration 70 mins approx.
THU SET THEATRE
Arts Festival constantly evolving, invoking comparisons with Cate Le
11 ADMISSION €25 a thoughtful guy, who won’t press you into
PHOTO OMER KRESO
Bon, Shirley Collins and Kate Bush, and this gig, backed STANDING WITH LIMITED adoration, even when he deserves it
Wicked Little Atoms At The Edge Of An Echo is a by a full band, is the perfect opportunity to catch a 9.30PM SEATING UPSTAIRS
Pitchfork
sound installation composed of original tracks by singular talent as she breaks new ground.
local guitarist and vocalist Dave Holland. The music
is divided into four separate mixes that audiences Duration 60 mins approx.
encounter as they move through the space, creating beautifully fractured art-pop
their own bespoke listening experience. While the Bas Jan Mojo
installation runs throughout the day, in the evenings
Holland and a special guest will perform together in Since their first album, Yes I Jan, was released in
tandem with the installation, blending sound world and 2018, London-based ensemble Bas Jan have been
live performance. critically acclaimed for their idiosyncratic, playful
art-pop. Led by vocalist, harpist, bassist, keyboard
Duration 40 mins per cycle player and Jarvis Cocker collaborator Serafina Steer,
there is a timeless Bas Jan writes deliciously off-kilter songs about
quality to Sofia’s everything from politics to polygamy, packed with
MON TUE CLEERE’S THEATRE
songwriting style wry lyrics and leavened by Steer’s elastic vocals.
8 9 INSTALLATION:
5PM-9.30PM, FREE THU CLEERE’S THEATRE
that becomes
more crucial with
The band is often compared to post-punk legends
the Slits and the Raincoats, and Cleere’s Theatre is SAT
11
INSTALLATION & CLEERE’S THEATRE
PERFORMANCE:
10PM-10.45PM, €10 8PM
ADMISSION €15
STANDING
each listen
The Irish Times
the perfect venue to catch their unique take on pop.
13
9.30PM
ADMISSION €22
STANDING
Duration 70 mins approx.22
MARBLE CITY SESSIONS MUSIC: MARBLE CITY SESSIONS 23
Cormac McCarthy,
Ye Vagabonds Brothers Brían and Diarmuid Mac Gloinn have
been a staple of the live music scene in Ireland Nell Ní Chróinín,
for a decade, forging a distinctive blend of Irish
traditional music, Appalachian singing and the
1960s folk revival, all wrapped in rich harmonies.
Aoife Ní Bhriain
But it was their second album, The Hare’s Lament,
that catapulted them to fame, sweeping the
& Kate Ellis
boards at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards. Since then Kilkenny audiences have long been wowed by fiddle player Aoife Ní
they’ve gone from strength to strength, earning Bhriain, cellist Kate Ellis and singer Nell Ní Chronín, three musicians
rave reviews for their new album, Nine Waves, and who defy categorisation and who seem to grow with every
playing sold-out shows all over Europe, and we’re performance. For this eagerly awaited concert they join another
delighted to welcome them to Kilkenny for this musical chameleon – pianist and composer Cormac McCarthy – for
much-anticipated gig, backed by an all-star band an evening of music specially composed and arranged for them by
featuring Kate Ellis (cello), Caimin Gilmore (double McCarthy himself. At the heart of this concert is Macalla an Amhráin
bass) and Alain McFadden (harmonium). (‘echo of song’), a long-form piece that weaves instrumental music
and four sean nós melodies together into a breathtaking new work.
Duration 80 mins approx.
Duration 70 mins approx. Macalla an Amhráin was originally
commissioned by Islander for Quiet Lights 2021.
SUN
PHOTO RICH GILLIGAN
SET THEATRE
7
8PM
ADMISSION €25
SEATED
TUE
9 ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL
ADMISSION €20/€18
7.30PM
Maya Youssef a master of her instrument … the music
is sure to take possession of you Martin Hayes
Finding Home Songlines
& the Common Ground Ensemble
What does the idea of ‘home’ mean to a Syrian artist,
displaced by the war? This is the question that drives Martin Hayes has always delighted in the collision of musical worlds. As
Maya Youssef’s latest album. Since her first appearance co-curator of the Marble City Sessions, Hayes has spent almost a decade
at the Festival back in 2018, the ‘queen of the qanun’ – devising unique collaborations with musicians from all over the world,
the delicate, zither-like instrument popular throughout and his passion for innovation gave him an idea: what artists would he
the Arab world – has embarked on a profound spiritual choose to work with in an ideal world?
journey into the idea of belonging, and the result is
Finding Home, a rich set of tracks that explores the The Common Ground Ensemble answers that question, bringing together
sonic textures of the qanun. Accompanied by a full band, pianist Cormac McCarthy, cellist Kate Ellis, guitarist Kyle Sanna and
Youssef conjures beautiful, life-affirming music that Brian Donnellan on bouzouki, harmonium and concertina. Together these
offers hope and consolation in troubled times. extraordinary musicians span every musical genre from contemporary
classical music to jazz, but they unite around a love of traditional Irish
Duration 70 mins approx. music, their ‘common ground’. ‘I want this to be the most fun I can have
while I’m on stage,’ Hayes has said of his new project, and this concert -
graced by special guests from this year’s programme - promises to bring SAT ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL
MON
SET THEATRE
the Marble City Sessions to an exhilarating close.
13
8PM
ADMISSION
ZONE A €35/€33
ZONE B €30/€28
8
Duration 1 hr 40 mins approx. (including interval)
ADMISSION €25
8PM SEATED24 MUSIC MUSIC 25
PREMIERE
A Strange Beauty
venturers in the post-punk slipstream, weaving folk, improv, art pop and contemporary
The Music of Linda Buckley
classical into new material that is soft on the ear but tough as leather with Crash Ensemble, Liam Byrne & Fiona Kelleher
The Irish Times
Clang Sayne Credits
The Hildegard Project
Clang Sayne was founded by Irish composer Laura Hyland
Linda Buckley electronics, voice & flute
to channel her myriad musical influences. With a line-up
featuring Hyland on guitar and chimes (which she fashioned Fiona Kelleher voice
herself from scrap metal), Caimin Gilmore on double bass, Created by Linda and Irene Buckley
Carolyn Goodwin on clarinets and Matthew Jacobson with Fiona Kelleher
on drums, Clang Sayne create haunting, atmospheric Undersong by Linda Buckley
‘songscapes’, wrapped in gorgeous harmonies. Liam Byrne viola da gamba
Duration 60 mins approx. Crash Ensemble
Larissa O’Grady violin
PHOTO DYLAN MADDEN Maria Ryan viola
FRI
CLEERE’S THEATRE Kate Ellis cello
5 ADMISSION €15
SEATED
Caimin Gilmore electric bass
PHOTO OLESYA ZDOROVETSKA
9.30PM Brian Bolger electric guitar
Brian Duncan percussion
Visuals by Laura Sheeran
TOUCAN so much jazz and funk
energy you wouldn’t Buckley’s music traverses a fault line between discomfort and great beauty.
believe it. Incredible. The works on this album are captivating; I couldn’t tear myself away.
Vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter
Ear to the Ground BBC Music Magazine
Conor Clancy formed TOUCAN in 2018 but it was
their exhilarating debut Single, ‘We Fell for Miles’,
that launched the band on the world stage, leading Linda Buckley is ‘one of the leading figures in the thriving Irish new music scene’
to a sell-out tour, appearances on Other Voices (Tempo). Equally at home writing for orchestras, scoring films or collaborating with
and a guest spot with Nile Rogers and Chic. Pairing artists, dancers and writers, she melds her classical training with post-punk, folk
Clancy’s powerful vocals with exuberant slices of and electronica, creating music that’s raw, emotive and bold.
80s funk and soul, this is music tailor-made for
summer, and TOUCAN will have you on your feet Buckley has long been inspired by the points of contact between early and new
and dancing the August night away in the Set. music and this concert presents the fruits of that exploration, including the world
premiere of Undersong, co-commissioned by Crash Ensemble and Kilkenny Arts
Duration 70 mins approx. Festival, alongside reimaginings of the music of iconic medieval composer Hildegard
von Bingen. Performed in the Set Theatre, A Strange Beauty offers an enthralling
night exploring the sound world of a great Irish composer.
Duration 60 mins approx.
FRI SET THEATRE
12 ADMISSION €20
10PM STANDING
Crash Ensemble have commissioned video artist and filmmaker Jack Phelan SUN SET THEATRE
to create an installation responding to Barry O’Halpin’s groundbreaking
composition Wingform. See page 37 for details. 14
8PM
ADMISSION €22
SEATED26 LITERATURE/SPOKEN WORD/MUSIC OUTDOOR 27
PERFORMANCE
PREMIERE
Ériu and Amergín Secret Garden Music
Poem Text Theo Dorgan
Composer Colm Mac Con Iomaire
Narrators Aaron Monaghan & Bríd Ní Neachtain The ever-popular Secret Music Series has appeared online in
recent years, adapting to the ongoing pandemic. This year, we’re
delighted to bring back the original experience, live and in person!
As always, a stellar (but unannounced) line-up of musicians will
perform a series of short pop-up concerts in some of the city’s
most iconic spaces. If you’re out and about during the Festival,
why not come along and enjoy free performances from leading
Irish and international musicians?
Duration 15 mins approx. SAT TUE FRI GAZEBO
Please note: performances are subject to weather conditions. 6 3PM
9 12 BUTLER HOUSE GARDEN
ADMISSION FREE
3PM 3PM
In this eagerly anticipated collaboration, specially commissioned by Kilkenny Arts Festival, Musicians
poet in residence Theo Dorgan joins forces with composer Colm Mac Con Iomaire for a Colm Mac Con Iomaire violin
thrilling new work that transforms the story of how poetry in Ireland began. Dorgan’s Catherine Fitzgerald piano/keys
poem, Ériu and Amergín, explores the mythical encounter between Amergín Glúingel, a bard Alannah Thornborough harp
who took part in the Milesian conquest of Ireland, and Ériu, a Tuatha Dé Danann princess. Lorcan Byrne drums
Dorgan’s words, written in English and Irish and spoken by actors Aaron Monaghan and Ian Doyle guitar
Bríd Ní Neachtain, are set to an original score by Colm Mac Con Iomaire, performed live by Colm Quearney guitar/bouzouki
SAT TUE FRI SUN WED SAT
the composer himself and a six-piece ensemble. Filled with contemporary resonances, Ériu Fionn Ó hAlmhain uilleann pipes
and Amergín is a lyrical exploration of identity, heritage and migration, and the ambiguous 6 4PM
9 4PM
12 KILKENNY CASTLE ROSE GARDEN
ADMISSION FREE 7 10 13 BUTLER GALLERY
ADMISSION FREE
encounter between the foreign and the native. THU FRI 4PM 3PM 3PM 3PM
This project received a commission award from the Arts Council of Ireland.
Duration 60 mins approx.
11 12
7PM 7PM
WATERGATE THEATRE
ADMISSION €25/€22
Saíocht: a celebration of Ireland’s leading poets
and Irish traditional musicians SUN WED SAT MON THU STONE CIRCLE
7 10 13 ROTHE HOUSE GARDEN
ADMISSION FREE 8 3PM
11 BUTLER HOUSE GARDEN
ADMISSION FREE
4PM4PM 4PM 3PM
Hosted by renowned actor Stephen Rea, and featuring leading poets Emily Cullen and Gabriel
MON
Rosenstock, together with acclaimed Irish traditional musicians Louise Mulcahy, Michelle
Mulcahy and Neil Martin, Saíocht explores the fascinating artistic relationship between the
Irish literary tradition and Irish traditional music. Works by Kilkenny poets Emily Murtagh
8
8PM
ST JOHN’S PRIORY
ADMISSION €20
and Robert McLoughlin will also be performed during the show by Stephen Rea.
Full proceeds from tickets will go to Kilkenny Civil Defence Ukraine Appeal. MON THU SUN MOUNT JULIET
Duration 60 mins approx. Kilkenny County Council
Comhairle Chontae Chill Chainnigh 8 4PM
11 HERITAGE COUNCIL GARDEN
ADMISSION FREE 14 ADMISSION FREE
SPECIAL EXTENDED SGM
4PM 3PM28 SPOKEN WORD/ LITERATURE & TALKS 29
THEATRE
THE HUBERT BUTLER ANNUAL LECTURE
Eszter Némethi Masha Gessen
Speak Like No One Speak Like No One in Particular is a lyrical conversation about listening when Gessen speaks For many years, Masha Gessen
in Particular and finding a voice. about autocracy, has been one of the most
Tracing the path of her own voice as it travels across Europe, Hungarian you listen respected political analysts in
A project by Eszter Némethi theatre-maker Eszter Némethi’s deeply personal work investigates The New York Times the US. In 2020 their special ‘in
In conversation with Julia E Dyck, Rui Calvo, ‘emotional borders’ and the ways in which geographical and social conversation’ event about the
Fleur Khani, Anna Végh, Lili M Rampre, Esther hierarchies emerge within the spoken voice. Trump administration, streamed
Rodriguez Barbero, Jan de Stutter, Nuno Escudeiro online at the Festival, was
Audiences can participate in two different ways: by attending the essential viewing in the build-up
Outside eye Caterina Daniela Mora Jara
performance at St Kieran’s College – where Eszter will invite audience to the US elections. But Gessen –
Sound design Julia E Dyck
members to listen, or to lend their own voices by reading her words and a dual US-Russian citizen – is an
Spatial design Eszter Némethi
joining in the discussion – or by listening to a live radio broadcast of the equally incisive analyst of Putin’s
with the mentorship of Vladimir Miller
show. However you choose to join in, Speak Like No One in Particular regime and their book, The Future
Technical Manager Chamsedine Madec
creates a space for urgent conversation about the politics of listening is History: How Totalitarianism
Technical support Antoine Urban, Matthieu Vergez
and speaking, and explores what it means to belong. Reclaimed Russia, won a National
Carpentry Investigations Geometriques
Producer Niamh Moroney Duration 60-80 mins approx. Book Award in the US, among
many other accolades. For this
year’s Hubert Butler Lecture,
WED THU FRI SAT Gessen considers how Putin came
STUDY HALL @ ST KIERAN’S COLLEGE, VIA NEW ST to wage war in Ukraine, and how
10 11 12 13
8PM 8PM 8PM 4PM
ADMISSION €15/€12.50 (IN PERSON)
€4-€10 (IN BROADCAST)
much further he might go.
& 8PM SEE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS
Duration 60 mins approx.
ASYLUM PRODUCTIONS IN ASSOCIATION There’s 50p on the pool table, Sinead is ripping up the Pope, Feile’s going
WITH ONCE OFF PRODUCTIONS SUN The Hubert Butler Annual Lecture was established by the
AND KILKENNY ARTS FESTIVAL
to get messy and Ireland is on the brink of cataclysmic social change…
Set in August 1992 and co-written by Medb Lambert, Clare Monnelly and
7 ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL
ADMISSION €17/€15
Festival in 2007 to honour the Kilkenny writer, historian and
broadcaster whose remarkable consistency of vision and clarity
The Local Emma O’Grady, The Local is an exploration of the pub in Irish culture.
5PM
of mind made him unique among 20th-century essayists.
By Medb Lambert, Clare Monnelly Asylum Productions continue to develop their unique style with this
immersive site-sensitive project, bringing local actors, community groups
& Emma O’Grady and professional performers and artists together.
KILKENNY ARTS FESTIVAL IN ASSOCIATION WITH HEART PRESENTS
This work-in-progress offers a glimpse of what’s in store for audiences
when the full production hits an empty pub near you in 2023. The Hubert Butler Essay Prize 2022
Duration 50 mins approx. Organised by HEART London, the Hubert Butler Essay Prize
encourages the art of essay-writing across Europe. This year,
the Festival is delighted to be able to host the prize-giving
FRI THE STEPPES BAR, CALLAN SAT CLEERE’S THEATRE, KILKENNY ceremony in person for the first time. Join us in the Parade TUE PARADE TOWER
12
5PM
ADMISSION
FREE BUT TICKETED
13 ADMISSION
12PM FREE BUT TICKETED
Tower to discover the winners of this year’s competition,
who responded to the question: ‘In dark times, what can be 9
5PM
ADMISSION
FREE BUT TICKETED
done to resist the abuse of political power?’30 POETRY LITERATURE & TALKS 31
one of the great keepers of the Grail of Irish poetry
The Irish Times
Critical Voices
Theo Dorgan To mark its seventieth year, the Arts Council has commissioned Critical Voices 2022, a collection
of essays reflecting on the Arts Council’s history, the value of the arts, and the impact of 70
Poet in Residence years of public investment. This special bilingual event, produced in collaboration with Kilkenny
Arts Festival, brings together three of the essayists – visual artist Rita Duffy, poet Ailbhe Ní
Introduced by Liz Kelly Ghearbhuigh and artist and activist Sandy Fitzgerald – to read from and discuss their work,
offering their unique perspectives on the role of the arts in Ireland’s past, present and future.
Theo Dorgan is one of Ireland’s most accomplished poets. Over Topics for discussion include the relationship between various governments and the arts since
the course of a glittering career he has won numerous awards – the 1950s; arts and culture as common languages across the world; diversity and the role played
including the Listowel Prize, The O’Shaughnessy Award for Irish by the arts in celebrating contemporary Ireland; creativity as a positive force in the world;
Poetry and the Irish Times/Poetry Now Award – and translated ról agus tiomantas na Comhairle Ealaíon don Ghaeilge a mheasiú agus an ról is féidir leis na
the work of other poets, including Federico García Lorca. His healaíona a imirt chun forbairt na Ghaeilge mar theanga bheo labhartha a chinntiú.
Jason and the Argonauts was set to music by Howard Goodall as
a commission for the Royal Albert Hall, while Amergín and the Duration 60 mins approx.
Tuath Princess, his latest collaboration with musician Colm Mac SAT PARADE TOWER
Con Iomaire, has its premiere at this year’s Festival (see page
26). Also a novelist, prose writer, documentary screenwriter, 6
3PM
ADMISSION
FREE BUT TICKETED
broadcaster, editor and librettist, Dorgan’s list of achievements
is impressively diverse, and we’re delighted to welcome him to
Kilkenny to read from and reflect on his work.
Duration 60 mins approx.
Poetry Workshop
Kevin Atherton
Theo Dorgan leads this workshop for poets. Participation
is by application. Email info@poetryireland.ie for further
in conversation
FRI
details. Please note: places are strictly limited. with Sonia Shiel
ATTENDANCE BY APPLICATION
12
4PM
PARADE TOWER
ADMISSION €15/€13
Performance and new
media artist Kevin Atherton
joins artist Sonia Shiel to
Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet discuss his exhibition, The
Return, showing throughout
The Poetry Broadsheet gives local writers a platform to showcase their work. Join us at the Stephen Doyle the Festival at the Butler
Parade Tower to celebrate the publication of Kilkenny Arts Office’s Poetry Broadsheet #22, in conversation with Anna O’Sullivan Gallery (see pages 34-35).
launched by Theo Dorgan and Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet Editor Elaine Feeney. Duration 60 mins approx.
To mark the opening of his exhibition, Self Identity: An
Elaine Feeney is the author of three poetry collections, award-winning drama WRoNGHEADED Exploration (see page 36), artist Stephen Doyle discusses
and the novel As You Were, which featured in many Best of 2020 lists, won numerous awards his practice and delves into the themes of his work with
and was nominated for Irish Novel of the Year. She lectures at NUI, Galway, where she is a Butler Gallery Director, Anna O’Sullivan.
founding member of the Tuam Oral History Project.
SUN SUN PARADE TOWER
7
PARADE TOWER
7
PHOTO JULIA MONARD
THU ADMISSION ADMISSION
11 PARADE TOWER FREE BUT TICKETED 3PM FREE BUT TICKETED
12PM
ADMISSION FREE (TICKETED)
4PMYou can also read
