Cork music festival set to return

THE East Cork Early Music Festival is back next month, with four days of live events set to take place across Cork City and Kinsale from October 7 to 10.

This year’s festival, which celebrates historic music composed before 1750, will traverse tales of rivalry, secrecy, celebrity, and exploration, with songs from Handel’s adventures in Ireland, tales of rival Baroque opera houses, explorations of women’s influence, and cross-genre exploits.

Featured artists include harpsichordist Bridget Cunningham, mezzo Sharon Carty, and cellist Carina Drury.

“We’re so excited to be back in person; it’s been a long year without live music,” said artistic director Caitríona O’Mahony. “We’ve got some really great performers this year who will bring audiences into the past through amazing music performed in beautiful places around Cork.”

Galway soprano Aisling Kenny and renowned harpist Siobhán Armstrong will open the festival in Nano Nagle Place on October 7 with an exploration of women’s early music, from the songs of the secret Ferrarese Concerto delle Donne to music attributed to Anne Boleyn in captivity.

Cunningham will take on a solo recital in UCC’s Glucksman Gallery on October 8 and direct the Cork Baroque Orchestra with mezzo Sharon Carty and countertenor Francesco Giust in Kinsale Methodist Church on October 9. The Carina Drury Trio will also perform in Kinsale on the same day and Vlad Smishkewych’s trio will close out the festival at St Peter’s Cork on October 10.

“It’s going to be a really special experience for audiences. We focus on time travelling and stories and bringing people into history and I think people could use a little bit of escapism right now,” said Ms O’Mahony.

Tickets for the festival can be purchased from tomorrow at www.eastcorkearlymusic.ie.