The Show Must Go On as Offaly festival to stream concerts online in September

The future of the Arts in Ireland remains uncertain as we continue to navigate the realities of continued COVID-19 restrictions and their long-term impact. The sector has been dramatically affected since March with venues closing their doors, and performances and events cancelled.

But, another Birr Festival has been busy behind the scenes over the summer months finding a new way to deliver some of its planned events in 2020. Birr Festival of Music, which was due to take place over the May Bank Holiday but was cancelled due to public health guidelines, will now stream some of its planned events online from 11-13 September. 

These specially recorded performances were filmed at Birr Castle and Birr Theatre & Arts Centre with thanks to the Birr-based film team at Hello Camera. Music in Birr Castle will feature Galway’s Rachel Goode on Friday September 11 and Birr’s Ann Hogan on Saturday, September 12 with both accompanied by Dearbhla Collins and streaming at 8.30pm.

The Trench Award 2020, the cornerstone of Birr Festival of Music, has also been captured at Birr Theatre & Arts Centre with six of the region’s young classical singers and musicians performing for the valuable bursaries which will support them in their pursuit of further study at home and abroad. It will stream on Sunday September 13 and feature adjudicators Bruno Caproni and Julian Evans, joining virtually from their base in Italy.

Speaking ahead of Birr Festival of Music Online, director of the Festival Maureen de Forge said: “With the performance careers of all musicians and singers devastated by the current pandemic, the continued support of all our funders is crucial to assisting both established and up and coming Irish artists in their futures. Birr Festival of Music is deeply grateful to be able to channel this support to artists, as they enhance our lives with their wonderful talent. We will continue to seek new and exciting ways of presenting their performances live and online.”

Birr Festival of Music is the third Birr Festival to go virtual in 2020 with SCRIPTS Ireland’s Playwriting Festival and Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival also hosting virtual events amidst the lockdown measures. The town’s other festivals, OFFline Film Festival and Hullabaloo! Children’s Arts Festival are also preparing for live and online events in the coming months.

For more details on Birr Festival of Music Online, 11-13 September, visit www.birrtheatre.com or find them on Facebook and Twitter. Birr Festival of Music is kindly supported by the Trench Trust, Arts Council of Ireland, Offaly County Council, Offaly Local Development Company, Birr Lions Club and Birr Theatre & Arts Centre.