Richmondrev2 - Page: 1 of 1

While the weather in Richmond, Virginia certainly had a few tricks in store,
the treat part of the equation was brought forth at St. Bridget Catholic Church
on October 24th and 26th. Anthony Kearns and Patrick Healy showered the
audience with sweets and confections of the musical kind.

As most readers will know, this is not my first Kearns performance. I have
proudly promoted four concerts in Virginia and attended numerous others.
I must tell you that these two recitals were the very best I have experienced.
Yeah, I know, I say that every time! Mr. Kearns clearly just gets better and
better, and the two shows at Richmond were absolutely top-notch.

Anthony opened the evening with Farewell to Ireland, a beautiful and poignant
piece into which he put just perfect emotion and delivery. He followed with
The Ballynure Ballad and Fairytales of Ireland. The crowd was transported
to his homeland with loving care. My Love Is Like a Red, Red Rose gave us
a taste of Robert Burns and really showcased the control and command
that Anthony Kearns has of his craft. The set ended with the darling Kitty
of Coleriane which never fails to please an audience, and these folks
loved it as well.

It was now Mr. Healy’s turn to pass out the comedic and musical treats.
He regaled us with a story about a housekeeper who “smoked a clay pipe
and drank a wee drop of whiskey.” No one tells a story better than dear Paddy.
He then sang a very nice Galway Bay. On Friday evening, his microphone
apparently went out with the tide. Unflappable as ever, he held it in his
right hand when singing and played the piano with his left. He never missed
a note and only a few of us in front row seats even knew of the mishap.

Someday My Heart Will Awake opened the second set after which we
took a trip to check How Are Things In Glocca Morra and hear all about
Molly Bawn. I particularly enjoyed Somewhere a Voice Is Calling.
It amazes me how well suited the McCormack songs are to Anthony’s
voice, yet when he (Anthony) sings them they become new again and
are greatly enjoyed by today’s listeners. We were all delighted with
the Gilbert and Sullivan We’re Called Gondolieri duet from The Pirates
of Penzance. A fantastic Funiculli, Funiculla ended the first half of the program.

Anthony began the second half with a superb version of La Donna e Mobile
followed by the tragic My Snowy Breasted Pearl – goodness, the emotion
the man can convey! Just when we are all so sad, he brings us the story
of McBreen’s Heifer (or who’ll take the cow with the cow?) and the crowd
is in stitches. Then the song that Anthony Kearns does better than anyone,
Bring Him Home, by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It was fabulous! Two romantic
pieces by Robert Schumann, Du Bist Wie Eine Blum and Widmung were
enchantingly rendered in flawless German by our favorite tenor to end this set.

On Wednesday at this point, Patrick told us the story of a very dour
Yorkshireman who owned a Bed and Breakfast and had a bit of a
problem with his guests finding their way in the night. He then sang
the witty Stately Homes of England from Noel Coward. On Friday, he
gave us some impressions of Richmond and some wit and wisdom
from Winston Churchill. By special request, he sang his wonderful
A Modern Major General.

We are now in the home stretch and wondering, “Where did the evening
go?” Anthony’s first offering was The Loveliest Night of the Year and
certainly, his performance has made it so. If You Go In from Iolanthe
was a terrific duet from the dynamic duo. The harmony was wonderful.
A beautiful love song, Après Un Rêve, was sung by Anthony with such
expressiveness that one could understand the emotion without
knowing a word of French.

O Solé Mio is always well done by Mr. Kearns, and on both nights,
it was outstanding. The two songs written by Mr. Healy followed. A
Father’s Prayer took our hearts and our breath, and Friendship, the
tenor duet, delighted us and made us laugh.

Now we were at the end of the show and no one wanted them to stop.
The thunderous standing ovation was rewarded by a lovely Danny Boy,
which garnered another standing ovation. Anthony responded to this
with a fantastic La Mattinata, which left the crowd on their feet again.

These two concerts were a wonderful interaction between Anthony
Kearns and, with the exception of a very few, an audience which did not
know his solo abilities. His performance was the most assured and
comfortable that I have seen. The program displayed his talents to
their utmost and he performed it to the same level. He captivated
his audience at both performances and the rapport with them was
reflected in the smiles in many of our photos of these two fantastic
performers. Simply put, it was his best ever!

Now for the tricks: Friday night, while we were under the magic
spell inside St. Bridget, a fierce thunderstorm was raging on the outside.
When we returned to the hotel, we found it in nearly complete
darkness. Lightning had struck a nearby transformer taking out
power to our hotel and other buildings and traffic signals. We spent
the remainder of the night in dark rooms with pitiful little “light sticks”
which could show you the bed after you ran into it. I felt awful for our
guests’ safety and welfare. I need not have worried. Our wonderful
Irishmen took it all in stride. These two gems from the Emerald Isle
are genuinely fine gentlemen who are compassionate, kind, and caring.
It is a real pleasure to know and work with them.

by Ann Loker