Denvir’s to host Soup and Song series

Denvir’s to host Soup and Song series

24 June 2015

DOWN Arts Centre invites you to start the weekend with soup and a song and round it off with some poetry.

On Friday, Denvir’s Hotel will once more be the venue for the final lunchtime concert in the popular Soup and a Song series, which features two highly acclaimed musicians.

This last event of the season will star international opera singer Debra Stuart, in a recital entitled ‘Midsummer Melodies – Songs of Love and Love Lost’. She will be accompanied by Elizabeth Bicker.

Although originally from Scotland, and having travelled all over the world with her singing, mezzo-soprano Debra now lives just outside Killyleagh with her husband and daughter and is delighted to have the opportunity to once again appear locally.  

Debra studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama before starting her operatic career with Scottish Opera. She then continued her studies in London at the Guildhall School of Music, before being accepted onto the highly prestigious National Opera Studio.

Her career has seen her appear as a soloist in opera throughout the world, singing in the UK and Ireland as well as in Singapore, France, Holland and Prague.  

A hugely versatile singer with an engaging personality and warm humour, Debra is as equally at home on the operatic stage as she is singing songs from the shows and those from Ireland and Scotland. Debra recently recorded a CD of Scottish and Irish songs entitled ‘Where the Heart Is’ and some of these will be featured at the concert in Denvir’s, alongside a mix of operatic, classical and lighter favourites.  

Elizabeth Bicker’s career in music has been varied and always challenging. After four years’ study at the Royal Academy of Music London, she first became known as an accompanist, working with professional and amateur musicians, and with a special interest in mentoring  talented young musicians. Professional engagements have taken her to all regions of the British Isles as both accompanist and adjudicator and she has broadcast on BBC and RTE television and radio. Soup and a Song starts at 1pm.

On Sunday at 2.30pm budding readers, writers and singers are invited to join in celebrating the written word in all its forms at Poems on a Sunday Afternoon.

Offering a friendly space to read, it is hoped those gathered will join in by sharing a piece of their own work, or perhaps a favourite poem.

For the featured reader spot, Down Arts Centre is welcoming members of the Shalom Writers’ Group and Crescent Arts Writers to present a showcase of pieces from their recently launched joint poetry anthology, Between Light and the Half Light. 

This is a free event.

To purchase tickets for Soup and a Song (£10 / £8) and for further information on any Down Arts Centre events, contact the box office on 028 4461 0747 or visit www.downartscentre.com.