PROGRAM NOTES

Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral (from ‘Lohengrin’)

In the mid 1800s, the heroes and villains of opera were the equivalent of today’s superheroes, avengers and mythical films. In fact, the Lord of the Rings franchise is dangerously similar to Wagner’s Ring Cycle of operas. Richard Wagner based his third opera on the story of Lohengrin, the mysterious knight (in shining armor), the Keeper of the Holy Grail, who comes to Antwerp, Belgium, in disguise, to rescue its inhabitants from barbaric invaders under the condition that the duchess (Elsa) marries him. Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral, underscores Elsa’s long and anxious procession to her wedding, after which audiences would hear Wagner’s famous Bridal Chorus.

Highlights from Riverdance

The premiere of Riverdance took place on April 30, 1994, during a seven-minute pause in the Eurovision Song Contest at the Point Theatre, Dublin. Thanks to 10,000 performances on four continents, TV audiences in the millions and sales of CDs and videos by the bucket-load, Riverdance has since become one of the most successful shows on Earth. As the second collaboration between Bill Whelan and Johan de Meij, Riverdance is a thrilling and captivating work that captures the energy and spirit of traditional Irish dance music. Commissioned in 1995 by the Dutch National Championships for Wind Orchestras, the medley includes Cloudsong, Firedance, Lift the Wings, Dance of the River Woman, and Riverdance.