The Royal College of Music and Ensemble Emigre are to stage a unique concert with music composed on the Isle of Man.
This event will present music written by German and Austrian refugees in the WW2 internment camps on the island to cheer up themselves and their British hosts alike. The bilingual revue 'What a Life!' by Hans Gal, a moving and humorous piece of musical theatre inspired by real life in the camps, was performed to enthusiastic audiences in the Palace Theatre in Douglas in 1940 and can now be heard here again for the first time.
Made up of professional soloists and some of the brightest talent from the Royal College of Music, the group of 12 singers and instrumentalists led by German tenor Norbert Meyn also presents chamber music that evokes the beauty of the Manx countryside, including ‘Mooragh’ by Ramsey internee Peter Gellhorn and Manx Dance Tunes arranged by W.H.Gill, as well as popular Isle of Man tunes like I’m a Native of Peel and Has anybody here seen Kelly.
Tuesday May 16, 7.30pm ERIN ARTS CENTRE, Port Erin, ?10, (u18s ?2,-) call 01624 832662 to book.
Wednesday May 17, 7pm, THE STUDIO THEATRE, Douglas, ?12 (concessions ?10, ?5 under 16), book through Villa Marina hotline 01624 600555 or online at https://www.thestudiotheatre.im/what-a-life-music-from-the-isle-of-man.
The ensemble will be joined by talented students from the Isle of Man for this performance. Refreshments available for a donation.
This project is kindly supported by the IOM Arts Council, Culture Vannin and the Malcolm Scott Dickinson Charitable Trust.
Visit the Royal College of Music website for information about Emigre musicians in Britain. www.rcm.ac.uk/singingasong.
Video footage of some of the music to be performed here, includes Mooragh by Peter Gellhorn:
http://www.petergellhorn.com/performances
and What a Life! by Hans Gal:
https://youtu.be/QAFNn28lXWY
https://youtu.be/vdg1O0WS4gc
https://youtu.be/Jv6JY7MJ38U
