Shackleton’s Endurance Centenary Performance
Shackleton’s Endurance Centenary Performance
A musical suite for Uilleann pipes, whistle and orchestra.
Composed by Brian Hughes.
Narration by John MacKenna
Graphics / images by Craig Blackwell
Dominican Church Athy. 25/10/15.
2014 to 2017 marks the centenary years of the Endurance expedition, the greatest survival story ever told. In 1914, Ernest Shackleton and Endurance left Europe literally to the sounds of the outbreak of the First World War. Shackleton the CountyKildare, born South Pole explorer and his crew hoped to achieve one of the last great challenges by crossing Antarctica from coast to coast. What followed was one of the most daring and adventurous escapes from the clutches of oblivion.
This is the first ever Multimedia Performance of original work celebrating the centenary of the Endurance Expedition, 1914 to 1917. This unique and innovative Performance will, for the first time, tell Shackletons Endurance story through the evocative medium of words, music and visuals. Recognition of the centenary is international and Ireland’s contribution to Polar exploration is an occasion of national pride, and this composition articulates this to the highest degree.
Much work was carried out to analyze the story and to separate the many aspects of the expedition into its principal movements – the optimism of departure, the devastation of losing the ship, the hopelessness of drifting on an ice sheet lost to the world, through to the daring voyage of the James Caird and the rescue of the crew. From early on, it was clear that the music and narrative would translate dramatically to the stage. An astonishingly moving and beautiful work composed and played on uilleann pipes and whistle by Brian Hughes, along with the emotionally written narration by John Mackenna, this performance will celebrate Shackleton’s achievement. Accompanying the performance on stage is the Co. Kildare Orchestra, the male section of the Monastervein Gospel Choir, and other local musicians, David day on percussion, James Kelly on guitar and Vincent Crowley on piano. The visual element was created by Craig Blackwell and will add another intriguing element to the performance. The Dominican church makes for the perfect backdrop for the incredible visual experience which brings to life actual images of the expedition itself.
The fact that Athy Heritage Centre Museum houses the only permanent exhibition to Ernest Shackleton, the composer Brian Hughes is from Athy, writer John MacKenna is from Castledermot, and the CD was recorded at Paul Moore’s studio in GrangeMellon, a stone’s throw from Shackleton’s birthplace brings a local empathy to the work – given that Ernest Shackleton was born and spent his early years in Kilkea, Co Kildare.
Shackleton’s Endurance is a powerful, evocative, and sublime piece of work
It is a wonderful production. The music, narration, and images are breathtaking and emotionally gripping, and this performance in the Dominican Church Athy, is certainly not to be missed.
