Invoking Power Of Poetry And Celtic And Turkish/Islamic Music, Loreena McKennitt Performs From Alhambra Palace, A UNESCO World Heritage Site

LOREENA McKENNITT: NIGHTS FROM THE ALHAMBRA premieres during March Pledge in 2007 on PBS (check local listings). [Tonight at 10 PM on WETA Television, in Nation's Capital.]

Join "eclectic Celtic" recording artist Loreena McKennitt in Granada, Spain, at the magnificent Alhambra Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as she presents highlights from a musical catalogue that has captivated audiences and sold more than 13 million records worldwide. Fueled by the virtuoso skills of a stellar band of performers, McKennitt invites the viewer to join her in an inspiring exploration of literary, historic, and spiritual themes. Weaving the majestic words of Shakespeare, Tennyson, and Sir Walter Scott into a rich tapestry of sonic imagery, her music is truly "once heard, never forgotten." GREAT PERFORMANCES is proud to offer an evening of unforgettable performances of Loreena McKennitt favorites including "The Mummers' Dance," "The Lady of Shalott," and "The Mystic's Dream," along with selections from her 2006 album AN ANCIENT MUSE.

Since her debut record, 1985's ELEMENTAL, the Canadian singer and composer has gained a worldwide following with her six subsequent recordings of Celtic-influenced music. McKennitt scored her biggest hit in 1998 with the single "The Mummers' Dance," from THE BOOK OF SECRETS. As a result of a personal tragedy in that same year, the singer has remained out of the spotlight until the release of AN ANCIENT MUSE, her first full-length studio album in nearly a decade. The CD and telecast feature McKennitt's trademark harp, accordion, and fiddles, along with the sounds of non-Western instruments like the oud, the Turkish clarinet, and the tabla. Find all the music included in the special, from the Palace of Charles V at the Alhambra, in the song list:
The concert was recorded live at the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain in September 2006.

"Mystic's Dream"
Music and lyrics by Loreena McKennitt

"She Moved through the Fair"
Traditional

"Stolen Child"
Words by W. B. Yeats
Music by Loreena McKennitt

"The Mummers' Dance"
Music and lyrics by Loreena McKennitt

"Marco Polo"
Music by Loreena McKennitt

"Penelope's Song"
Music and lyrics by Loreena McKennitt

"The Bonny Swans"
Traditional lyrics
Music by Loreena McKennitt

"Dante's Prayer"
Music and lyrics by Loreena McKennitt

"Caravanserai"
Music and lyrics by Loreena McKennitt

"Bonny Portmore"
Traditional lyrics
Music by Loreena McKennitt

"Santiago"
Traditional

"Raglan Road"
Words by Patrick Kavanagh
Traditional

"The Lady of Shalott"
Words by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Music by Loreena McKennitt

"Old Ways"
Music and lyrics by Loreena McKennitt

"Never Ending Road" (Amhrán Duit")
Music and lyrics by Loreena McKennitt

"Cymbeline"
Words by William Shakespeare
Music by Loreena McKennitt














Courtyard of Carlos V Palace [designed 1528; begun 1533; never completed] part of the Alhambra Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Photo credit: Wikipedia Commons. With thanks.

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UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain, European Union.