By: Christi Geary

Allow me the pleasure of sharing my experience last evening at the Celtic Woman (pronounced Kel-tick) “Voices of Angels” show in Cincinnati, OH, with my two young daughters and my dearest friend. My intent was to share something wonderful with the special girls in my life and expose them to a medium that showcases some of Ireland’s most talented musicians, singers and dancers. My daughters are already huge fans, having watched performances on PBS and joined me last year for the Destiny Tour, which was also exceptional; but my friend has never heard them before and was excited to experience something new.  As said by the Japanese composer, Nobuo Uematsu, “There’s some familiarity in Celtic music, even if you’ve never heard that piece of music before.” This particular show, Voices of Angels, far exceeds the high expectations of those who are familiar and those who arrive with an open mind. A beautiful celebration of Irish heritage and culture, Celtic Woman’s angelic voices and dynamic performance transcends the music and becomes something more powerful that takes you on an emotional journey and never lets you forget the power of women (and girls).

To help you better understand the breadth and depth of this performance, here’s a little background. Celtic Woman is a global musical sensation that debuted in 2005 and has consistently delivered multi-platinum best sellers, Billboard awards and most recently, Destiny was nominated for Best World Music Album Grammy. They deliver a stunning ensemble performance that includes Irish dancers intricately woven into the pulse of the music, bagpipes that make your heart weep just a little, a strong supporting male choir group, visually stunning lights and images of Ireland, and a full band offering an array of instruments that range from traditional to the lesser known bouzouki and tin whistle.

But the true heart of the show is the vocal line-up of Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin, Éabha McMahon and new Celtic violinist and harpist Tara McNeill (this is the first time in 7 years that the harp has joined the show!). These beautiful and talented Irish women each bring unique talents that when performed solo are spectacular, but when united deliver a performance that reverberates throughout your entire being and deeply touches your heart and mind. Their enjoyment and empowerment of one another shines through every moment and is supported by their self-professed pre-show ritual of linking their baby fingers together while standing in a circle to symbolize unity and sisterhood, ensuring no one ever stands alone. For those of us paying attention, this performance is more than just an enjoyable evening of song and dance; it is a reminder of the importance of unity and the strength of women.

Photo Credit: Troy Fisher – Fisher Fotography
In case you need any more reasons to seek out and attend one of the “Voices of Angels” 91-city US tour, let me share some of our favorite songs and moments during the show. The entire performance delivers a cadence that hits all the correct notes, taking you high, low and everywhere in-between whilst engaging you in robust story-telling that brings each song to life in a way that stirs you own memories and emotions. The show catches you from the moment the lights go down and the twinkling of the chimes transport you to Ireland, kicking off with the powerful “Mo Ghile Mear” and then immediately capturing your heart with their live debut version of “My Heart Will Go On” (Titanic).

Photo Credit: Todd Kaplan
The latter was an emotional moment for me, as my husband and I saw that movie on our very first date almost 20 years ago and that song still takes us back. Two songs stood for their story-telling and powerful messages: “Isle of Hope” is told through the tale of a young girl and serves as an important and courageous reminder of freedom and the need to open our arms to other nations and “Óro Sé Do Bheatha ‘Bhaile” brings to life an Irish Pirate Queen with strong musical notes. Fan favorites “Danny Boy” and “Amazing Grace” were wonderful as always, and “The Kesh Inn” was pure fun as they transported us into an Irish Pub to enjoy a robust band performance.

That said, there were three songs that stood out for very different reasons: “Orinoco Flow” is simply one of my favorite songs and showcased their ability to seamlessly blend solo and group efforts, “Sean Nos Song” shared Éabha’s beautiful Irish heritage voice and made you feel as if you were sitting around a table in her town, and Tara McNeill’s violin solo in “For the Love of a Princess” (Braveheart) was heartrending and breathtaking beautiful. If the song list does not entice you enough, then the percussion solo and Irish dancing should tickle you fancy nicely. While I could talk more about each and every song performed, you will benefit more from going to see this magnificent performance and experiencing it for yourself.

Even with everything I have already shared, by far the most poignant song was ‘Walk Beside Me’. The lyrics are an ode to equality and strength, supporting a broader theme of women and friendship. When asked about the one song lyric they cannot get out of their head, Tara McNeill responded with the lyrics from this song “we were not born to follow; we were all born to lead.” The beauty of the song coupled with the importance of the message resonated with each of us, resulting in my friend calling that out as a highlight of the show, my ten-year-old saying it was her favorite and singing it non-stop, and my six-year-old chanting “girl power” on the way home.

Photo Credit: Todd Kaplan

For me, it was watching the light and awe in both of my daughters’ eyes throughout, seeing my youngest try to imitate the hand movements of the singers and whispering “I could be a Celtic Woman” (go for it baby!), and hearing them state emphatically that the show was even better because the boys and girls worked together. Celtic Woman is so much more than stunning vocals and a stirring performance, they are powerful role models for young girls and a reminder that we are all on the emotional journey of life together.

“There are no strangers here, only friends you have yet to meet.” – W.B. Yeats

Left to right:   Mairéad Carlin, Tara McNeill, Susan McFadden, Éabha McMahon
Photo credit:  Naomi Gaffey

Christi Geary is the proud mom of two feisty and fabulous girls (almost 7 and 10!), best friend and wife of her husband Brian, and an Associate Director at the Procter & Gamble Company focused on shopper insights and analytics. She is passionate about art of all kinds, feeds an insatiable curiosity for learning, pursues different forms of exercise when she can find the time, and delights in spending time with family and friends.