Celtic Woman tour brings sound of ‘Hope’ to North America

The newest players in the Celtic cultural phenomenon, vocal group Celtic Woman has announced plans for an extensive tour of North America in 2009. The 72-city Isle of Hope Tour will span 20 weeks, from the February 13 opening show at the Theatre at Xcel in St. Paul, MN, through the July 1-2 closing performances at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO.

Nearly 20 venues will host two-night stands during the course of the trek, including a February 17-18 run at Chicago Theater in Chicago, IL, March 13-14 sets at Radio City Music Hall in New York, NY, and June 17-18 performances at the Performing Arts Center in Nashville, TN. A couple three-night engagements are also booked for March 20-22 at the Citi Performing Arts Center in Boston, MA, and May 15-17 at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, WA.

Tickets for most dates of the trek are available beginning December 15. However, public on-sales for the latter half of the tour, starting with the May 27-28 shows in Fort Myers, FL, will not be available until March 16 in many cases.

Celtic Woman’s lineup has changed over the years as various vocalists departed temporarily for personal or professional reasons. The lineup to be featured on most dates of the upcoming North American tour includes Chloe Agnew, Mairead Nesbitt, Lynn Hilary, Lisa Kelly, as well as an accompanying choir and band lead by Composer and Musical Director David Downes. According to the Celtic Woman Web site, Alex Sharpe will join the group as a fifth Celtic Woman for nearly 40 shows, from the March 24-25 shows at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, GA, through the three-night run in Seattle, WA.

“They are the songs, in many cases, and are the reason for any Celtic Woman music to happen,” Downes said of the vocalists on the group’s site. “Their voices and music bring that sound together, bring it to life.”

Ensemble tours featuring traditional Irish song and dance mixed with contemporary overtones have become increasingly popular in the last decade, beginning with the emergence of Riverdance in the mid-1990s. Irish step dancer Michael Flatley’s offshoot Lord of the Dance and male vocal group Celtic Thunder have been some of the latest additions to the craze, selling out numerous shows around the world.

Celtic Woman itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)