Wiltonrev10 - Page: 1 of 1

The Wexford Tour was a grueling, albeit rewarding, undertaking, and Anthony
Kearns and Patrick Healy succeeded admirably. The Wilton concert was the
last concert of Anthony's fall solo tour, during which he also squeezed in
several Benefit concerts, in the US and Canada, solo, and with the Irish Tenors.
He has also been working on the role of Edgardo, in Donizetti's very famous
opera "Lucia di Lammermoor" for Opera Naples, in January, 2011. This role
is a killer role. And the tenor's music, while gorgeous, is very, very difficult.
Plus, the soprano (Lucia) is usually the star, and the tenor really has to work
to hold his own. Definitely not a piece of cake. Add to this, all the traveling
on planes, trains, and automobiles, and you still can't really comprehend
how tired both men must have been.

But Anthony has, besides the beautiful voice and solid vocal technique,
the stamina to undertake an itinerary such as this, and triumph. Which he
did on Saturday night. It was a well chosen programme, justifying its title-
"Songs of Broadway-Opera-Ireland."

There were many Irish songs, which pleased his audience, including two
of my favorites, "Sweet Vale of Avoca," and "Down by the Sally Gardens."
They were both beautifully sung, and very evocative of his home country.
There were other Irish songs, of course, like the wonderful patter song
"McBreen's Heifer," which is such a crowd pleaser. Also The Minstrel Boy,
with which he opened the concert, a hauntingly lovely "The Old House," "Galway
Bay," "How are Things in Glocca Morra?", and of course a marvelous "Danny
Boy." Broadway was represented with a song I had not heard him do
before, but it was a song which won him "Ireland's Search for a Tenner,"
in 1993, and began his musical career in a sense, because he began
studying with Veronica Dunne, and he met the extraordinary Patrick Healy.
Two luckier happenings, I couldn't even begin to imagine. The song was
"The Impossible Dream," from Man of La Mancha," and he sang it
with all the fervor and conviction of two Don Quixotes I heard in the
role -Richard Kiley and Jose Ferrer. The difference is, that Anthony sang
it magnificently. I would be remiss if I didn't mention one of the most
beautiful songs of the evening. It's the traditional Irish folksong "She
Mov'd Thro' the Fair." Anthony sang it exquisitely, and in an auditorium
so quiet, one could hear dust settle, his voice and the perfect diction
floated effortlessly in the air. Since Wilton was the only concert at which
he sang this, it was even more a treat. There were two other songs I had
not heard him sing, and they were absolute standouts. The first, "I'll
Be Seeing You," was written by Sammy Fain for a Broadway show
which closed after 15 performances. But the beautiful song has lasted
since 1938.

And the second was "If Ever I Would Leave You," from Lerner and Loewe's
"Camelot" It's a terrific song, and Anthony sang Alan Jay Lerner's
fabulous lyrics with a luminous voice. We also heard a gorgeous "Ave
Maria' by Gounod. And though there were no arias from the opera, there
was the incandescent "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz" (You Are My Heart's
Delight) from Lehar's operetta The Land of Smiles. There were two songs
in French, including Edith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose." And two Italian songs, "O
Sole Mio," and "Funiculi, Funicula," the latter made famous by Mario Lanza.
Many people mistakenly assume they are operatic arias, which they aren't.
And to finish the evening with a bang, we heard a ringing, powerfully sung
"Granada."

Patrick Healy was, as always, the perfect partner, as a great accompanist
should be. And at the tender age of 78, and with the same impossible
schedule, his fatigue must have been unfathomable. But he enchanted us
with "The Nine Penny Fiddle," and a lovely "Isle of Innisfree," from John Ford's
classic film "The Quiet Man," while recalling the recent 90th birthday of its
star, Maureen O'Hara. He also made us laugh with the story about a woman
who brings her dead duck to the vet, a husband who thinks his wife is
cheating on him, and the iconic letter of an Irish mother to her son,
which I haven't heard him do in years. He and Anthony sang "The
Bould Gendarmes," by Offenbach, and Patrick's own truly wonderful duet
for two tenors, "Friendship." Each time the men sing that delightful song,
they get hammier and hammier. Especially at the last concert of the tour.
There were snide looks, tongues stuck out, rolled eyes, whatever shtick
would make us laugh. And it worked like a charm. "Friendship" is yet
another example of Patrick Healy's talent. I know I've said this before, but
it bears repeating.....it couldn't be further from the truth, that Mr. Healy is only
along so our tenor can have some water, and rest his vocal cords, and
that he has no entertainment value whatsoever. Rubbish! We know it's
not true, Anthony knows it's not true, and I suspect, after all these years
of meeting people who absolutely adore him, Patrick Healy knows it's not true.

So one might say that The Wexford Tour was a "win-win" situation.
Anthony and Patrick did a lot of good for the Wexford Organization,
made a lot of new fans, and delighted their long-time fans. So to the
men of the night, after I say a heartfelt "thank you," I'll add, with pleasure
....."I'll be seeing you, in all the old, familiar places......."

Safe home, Gentlemen!

Berta Calechman