New England Celtic Arts will present The Barra MacNeil’s Cape Breton Christmas at Unity College Center for the Performing Arts in Unity on Saturday, Dec. 3 and at Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center in South Carthage on Sunday, Dec. 4. Curtain in Unity is 7:30 p.m. and at Skye is 7 p.m. Pre-show jam sessions at Skye and Unity start one hour prior to curtain.
Come and celebrate the joys and peace of Christmas, Cape Breton style, with the Barra MacNeil Family. Inspired and poignant renditions of the favourites.Once in Royal David’s City and O’ Holy Night are set beside jolly and spirited tunes, hymns and songs including a Galician Carol and a fiddle party in Washabuck, the MacNeil’s parent’s home place. One is left in the glow of the good fellowship that only a close family can generate.
In 2007 and 2008, the Sydney Mines, Cape Breton Island based family group, the Barra MacNeils, celebrated over 20 years in an outstanding recording and touring career. This was accented with a two CD special 20th Anniversary package covering the span of their entire career to that point, as well as live concerts reflecting the musical course of their career, from humble family beginnings to world wide acclaim. The concert touring in support of that project took the group to theatre and festival stages coast to coast across Canada, had them jetting across America from festival stage to theatre stage and beyond, as well as sending them to Ireland and Scotland for prestigious events across the Atlantic.
In 2010, the group has released two new live recordings intended to represent both sides of what the Barra MacNeils bring to stages the world over. The two live CD’s, In Concert and In Session, together cover the instrumental and vocal material the group performs in concerts regularly while also touching on lesser known material from their more formative years and more informal musical gatherings.
As a group, the six MacNeil siblings are widely regarded as one of the greatest live concert acts in the Celtic world. Hailing from Sydney Mines, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, the family group is deeply rooted in Celtic music, culture, dance, language and history. Their numerous critically acclaimed recordings have included their own original songs as well as tried and true standards, both instrumental and vocal. These two new live recordings are no exception and are a must have for any fan of their live shows.
Canada’s Celtic ambassadors, the Barra MacNeils continue to perform to sold out audiences throughout Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and Europe. From headlining major festivals, concerts, special guest appearances (Rita MacNeils CTV Christmas Special, performing with The Chieftains) television specials, film and television placement (Men with Brooms Soundtrack; Racket In The Attic) and their annual Christmas tour, they have set the course with a solid foundation for success.
The Barra MacNeils one-hour Christmas Television Special (2000) continues to be broadcast on Country Music Television (CMT) and on the Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) network in the United States. December 2007 saw the broadcast of a new Christmas Special which has become part of the holiday season for the last several years.
Skye Theater is located 3 miles West of East Dixfield village at 2 Highland Drive off Winter Hill Rd and US RT. 2 in South Carthage. UCCPA is at 42 Depot Street in Unity. Ticket price is $25 for adults and $12.50 for children 15 and under at the door. For reservations call Skye Theatre at (207) 562-4445 or UCCPA at (207) 948-7469. Reservations are strongly suggested at both venues. More information is available at: www.necelticarts.com
