by Jim Beal Jr.
Special to the Express-News
Helen Reddy sang, "I am woman, hear me roar."
If the Celtic Woman troupe needs a catchphrase, it could be, "I am woman, hear me soar."
Ah, but Celtic Woman no longer needs any sort of hook. A bona fide international multimedia phenomenon that grew out of a PBS TV special, Celtic Woman has spawned a big selling DVD, a smash hit CD and a successful touring show.
Celtic Woman will stop at Trinity University's Laurie Auditorium at 8 tonight. Tickets cost $50-$65 through Ticketmaster.
"It's absolutely flying," said harpist/vocalist Orlagh (pronounced Orla) Fallon from a Minneapolis tour stop. "The CD has gone gold in South Africa, gold in Japan; the DVD has gone platinum. The response has been magnificent. We're totally blown away."
Celtic Woman features vocalists Fallon, Chloe Agnes, Lisa Kelly and Méav, plus fiddler Máiréad Nesbitt. They're backed by a five-piece band and an eight-voice choir, all directed by David Downes.
"We all come from different backgrounds," Fallon said. "I come from a traditional family that still speaks Gaelic. Lisa does the ballads, Chloe the classical, Méav the great songs like 'Danny Boy,' and Máiréad is an incredible fiddle player."
Fallon hails from Knockananna, a village in southeastern Ireland.
"I've been singing as long as I can remember. I grew up loving music and horses. I was mad into ponies," she said, laughing. "First and foremost I'm a singer. I sang before I could talk. If my family was driving for 200 miles I'd sing for 200 miles unless I fell asleep.
"I'm a harpist when I'm doing music. I won't say either one is my favorite. My favorite thing is singing with the harp."
Fallon went to a boarding school in Dublin. One of her music teachers, a nun, was a friend of Derek Bell, the storied harpist who worked with the Chieftains until his death in 2002.
"She had so many gorgeous tunes that I had heard the Chieftains do," Fallon said. "I was fortunate that she took me on as a student. She would teach us by ear. I hero-worship the Chieftains. They're so adventurous. I love the way they bring things together, and they have such a love of what they do."
The Celtic Woman repertoire is also adventurous. It ranges from "Danny Boy" and Enya's "Orinoco Flow" to traditional selections such as "Siúil A Rún (Walk My Love)" and "Last Rose of Summer."
"I think it's important to experiment," Fallon said. "I know there are people who say, 'Oh, God, here we go again - 'Danny Boy." But it's all about how you treat the songs. You have to give them the respect they deserve. The Chieftains experiment with songs that are hundreds of years old. You have to be true to the song and be true to yourself."
Variety figures into the Celtic Woman show, but so does ensemble work.
"We all have a distinctive style," Fallon said. "Part of the magic is we're all so different but we blend so well and have a great time on stage. The two hours we're on stage are the best two hours of the day."
Fallon has more than one opportunity to be true to songs and to herself. Her latest CD, "The Water Is Wide," on the Manhattan label, features 11 traditional songs. It hit No. 9 on the Billboard World Music chart. This Celtic Woman tour ends in early May. After that comes the recording of a Christmas album and then a fall tour.
"I have a lot of songs I've written that I'm dying to record," Fallon added. "It's wonderful to have a platform for our individual songs and then have the opportunity to come together in a group that has great dynamics and is really busy."
There's plenty to be said for soaring.
jbeal@express-news.net
Online at:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/music/stories/MYSA041406.WK.celticwoman.16e718fb.html