PortA07rev2 - Page: 1 of 1

Anthony and Patrick must have decided to test my loyalty as they
scheduled their first concert of the fall season in Port Angeles
on the same day as the Seahawks' game (they won!) and the final playoff
game between Boston and Cleveland (Boston is in the World Series!),
but I braved the football traffic to get to the ferry and drive on to the
Olympic peninsula and Port Angeles in time for the 3:00 kickoff, er,
start of the concert.

Anthony and Patrick made their entrance as dapper as ever. The program,
as promised, had many, many new songs, some of which I had not heard
before and had no idea what the names were. It was quite diverse.
He started off with the usual Irish ditties beginning with Farewell, Ireland,
The Ballynure Ballad, The Fairytales of Ireland, My Love Is Like a Red,
Red, Rose, Kitty from Kolrane.

Time for a break with Patrick. Patrick, bless his heart, had some old
stories and a few new stories ending with Galway Bay.

Anthony came back with two lyrical songs I knew not, I suspect they were
John McCormack songs, How Are Things in Glocca Mora from Finian's
Rainbow, Molly Bawn, Somewhere a Voice is Calling (I had to write
down the lyrics and then look them up on the Internet). As a real treat,
Anthony and Patrick sang the first of two duets from Gilbert and Sullivan
(yea) The Gondoliers. Finiculi Finicula came next.

As they first came onstage, there was a harp close to the piano,
which Anthony pantomimed playing, so we anticipated they would be
performing with the Port Angeles High School orchestra. Sure enough,
it was time for Younger than Springtime and Bring Him Home. With that,
came the interval and a chance to catch our collective breaths.

After the interval, Anthony started with La Donna e Mobile,
which was spectacular, standing ovation spectacular, an Irish tune
about a boy with a dilemma as to whether to marry pretty Kitty with
no dowry or Plain Jane with the promise of a prime heifer. The lyrics
and facial expressions alone were worth the price of admission. Next,
Snowy-Breasted Pearl, two songs in German, love songs I am sure, lol.

Time for Patrick with The Stately Homes of England by Noel Coward.

Okay, I know this one, Loveliest Night of the Year. I love a waltz. One
just has to marvel how Anthony and Patrick work so well as a team.
Next, G&S, Faint Heart Never Won Fair Lady from Iolanthe, which
he explained to the uninitiated (me) before singing; two French
love songs, beautiful; O Sole Mio; Patrick's Father's Prayer/Lullaby;
Friendship with all the nonsense that goes with that, the audience
was in stitches.

For the grand finale, the orchestra was back for Gounod's Ave Maria
with a harp and violin duet for the first part then joined by Anthony
and the full orchestra; If I Loved You from Carousel, and the grand,
grand finale, Ireland, Mother, Ireland. The audience was on their
feet in tribute for a wonderful 2 1/2 hours. Wait a minute! What's
wrong with this picture? Oh here they come back; sure enough,
one more song, What was missing? Danny Boy, of course. What
Seahawks? Boston who? There is no better way to spend a Sunday
afternoon than with two witty and talented Irishmen.

by Fay Loux