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<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>There
will be many performances of <em><i><font color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>Messiah</span></font></i></em> this year,
but only one that combines <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s
most dynamic orchestra with the country’s finest professional choir, and
a world-class line-up of soloists making this the one not to miss.<b><span
style='font-weight:bold'> </span></b>Since the <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>Irish Chamber Orchestra’s</span></b> first
performance at University Concert Hall in 1996, <i><span style='font-style:
italic'>Messiah </span></i>has seen the orchestra form a very fruitful
association with the <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>National Chamber Choir</span></b>,
a seventeen-piece choir which includes some of the country’s finest
voices. This year will further copper-fasten this association and
promises to be the best yet<i><span style='font-style:italic'>. <font
color=black><span style='color:black'>Messiah</span></font></span></i><font
color=black><span style='color:black'> has enthralled audiences the world over
since its première in <st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">Fishamble
Street</st1:Street>, <st1:City w:st="on">Dublin</st1:City></st1:address> in
1742. It is not just a favourite with audiences, but also with the
singers.</span></font><i><span style='font-style:italic'><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Owen Gilhooly</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>, a
classically trained baritone from Castleconnell began his training in the
Limerick School of Music and continued his studies at the National Opera Studio
in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">London</st1:City></st1:place>. He
has since appeared in many different roles in opera throughout the world. In
2007 he represented <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region></st1:place>
at the <i><span style='font-style:italic'>BBC Cardiff Singer of the World</span></i>
and most recently sang for Wexford Festival Opera. <font
color=black><span style='color:black'>Joining him for this year’s <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Messiah </span></i>are a host of Ireland’s
shining young stars on the brink of international success including <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>Sinead Campbell</span></b> (soprano), <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>Martha Bredin</span></b> (mezzo) and <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>Eamonn Mulhall</span></b> (tenor).</span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'> </span></font></span></font><font
size=2 color=black face=Arial><span lang=EN style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
Arial;color:black'>Making his ICO debut is <st1:country-region w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region></span></font><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span lang=EN style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
Arial;color:navy'> conductor</span></font><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
lang=EN style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>Jonathan Cohen</span></b>, who is rapidly developing a
reputation as one of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Britain</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s
finest and most versatile young musicians. </span></font><font size=2
color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:2.85pt;text-align:justify'><font size=2
color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'>Last remaining seats available on 061-</span></font><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>331549/314314 <font
color=black><span style='color:black'>for this year’s performance at
University Concert Hall, <st1:place w:st="on"><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Limerick</span></b></st1:place>
on Friday <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>18 December.</span></b>
<i><span style='font-style:italic'><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><i><font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black;
font-style:italic'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:2.85pt;text-align:justify'><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Don’t miss
this festive treat!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:2.85pt;text-align:justify'><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Charlotte Eglington</span></font></b></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Press Officer</span></font></b></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Irish Chamber Orchestra</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Tel: 061-202583</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Fax: 061-202617</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>email: <a href="mailto:charlotte.eglington@ul.ie">charlotte.eglington@ul.ie</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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