Music group Celtic Woman is making a round trip to its Irish roots in America, including a stop in State College.
Celtic Woman - comprised of vocalists Chlo Agnew, Lisa Lambe and Susan McFadden, and violinist Mairad Nesbitt - kicked off an American four-month tour in February and will land at Penn State University's Eisenhower Auditorium on Wednesday, according to a Celtic Woman press release.
Formed in 2004, the group plays "Irish traditional music with memorable original compositions and contemporary pop standards," the release said. The concert will include fan favorites such as "You Raise Me Up" and "Orinoco Flow."
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Courtesy photo
Celtic Woman (from left) Susan McFadden, Lisa Lambe, Chloë Agnew and Mairéad Nesbitt) poses in front of their audience at a show.
Laura Sullivan, director of marketing at Eisenhower Auditorium, said Celtic Woman has appeared in State College before, but this is its first time at the auditorium.
"Celtic Woman is quite popular. The group has been named Billboard World Music Artists of the Year for the seventh time. They sell millions of records worldwide and are filling theaters and arenas regularly," Sullivan said.
"Since their March 2005 American debut on public television, this all-female, adult contemporary ensemble has gone on to achieve world renown success. public television specials, frequent touring and adoring fans have propelled the group to international stardom."
Fact Box
If you go
What: Celtic Woman
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Penn State University, Eisenhower Auditorium
Tickets: $99, $69 and $39. Tickets are available at www.cpa.psu.edu or by calling 863-0255 or 800-ARTS-TIX. Tickets will also be available at Eisenhower Auditorium, Penn State Downtown Theatre Center and Bryce Jordan Center.
The group recently completed their "A Christmas Celebration The Symphony Tour North America" last year, according to a Celtic Woman website. They will tour in Europe in October.
Audiences will see another side to the musicians who have made somewhat of a return to their roots with this tour, Agnew told the Mirror.
The show offers a "roller coaster" of music, she said. Tranquil moments during what she said is a "feel-good" concert include when it is only the vocalists in the group on stage singing "Danny Boy" with violinist Mairead Nesbitt.
Agnew said the show focuses mainly on vocals. It also has such elements as a band, a bagpipe player and an Irish dancer.
The concert, which celebrates Celtic life while including some world music, allows the audience to leave behind their troubles, Agnew said.
"Having sold nearly 3 million concert tickets worldwide, Celtic Woman has won a dedicated and loyal audience in America, where their elaborately staged, visually stunning concert tours consistently draw sellout crowds," the release said.
"Singing songs of love, loss, hope and inspiration, Celtic Woman celebrates the emotional resonance of Ireland's centuries-old musical and cultural heritage while taking advantage of the limitless options of state-of-the-art production. The result is a breathtaking musical and theatrical experience to be enjoyed by multiple generations of concert goers."
Those dedicated fans include ones from Pennsylvania, Sullivan said.
"The group has a strong Pennsylvania following and their national tour includes stops in Lancaster, Erie, Shippensburg, Scranton, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in addition to University Park," she said. "We are expecting a very enthusiastic audience here just three days after St. Patrick's Day."
Mirror Staff Writer Amanda Gabeletto is at 949-7030.
