Celtic Woman delivers Irish bliss to audience

Soft fiddle music played. The mostly adult audience sat quietly. White drapery hung from the ceiling. And with curly red hair and a twinkle in her eye, Celtic Woman smiled back at the audience.

The band took the stage. Bells rang, mist rose from the ground and the fiddler for Celtic Woman, Mairead Nesbitt, began to play. The four vocalists, Chloe Agnew, Lynn Hilary, Lisa Kelly and Alex Sharpe took the stage in jewel-toned dresses.

The ensemble played Sunday at the IU Auditorium as part of their “Isle Of Hope” international tour. The performance included both Irish music and covers of traditional classics.

The group began with the song “The Sky and the Dawn and the Sun.” Accompanying the band was a six-member backup group as well as musicians playing percussion instruments, acoustic guitar, piano and bagpipes.

The members of Celtic Woman sang together on some songs and performed solos for others. Nesbitt, the most visually spirited of the group, played fast fiddle solos, dancing along with the upbeat music. She skipped, hopped and threw her mane of blond hair back and forth.

Agnew sang “When You Believe,” from the movie “the Prince of Egypt,” and “Nella Fantasia.” The youngest of the group, she giggled after the audience applauded at the end of her solo.

The group sang songs from a variety of their albums, including ones from their 2005 “Celtic Woman” and their 2007 “A New Journey” album. The women performed “Dulaman,” “Orinoco Flow,” “Goodnight My Angel” and the Irish classic “Danny Boy.”

Bloomington resident Bill Muth said during the intermission that he thought the performance was “thoroughly enjoyable.” He said Celtic Woman’s performance of “Danny Boy” evoked some powerful emotion.

“All of them were fine, except Danny Boy,” Muth said. “Tears were running down my face.”

The group performed “Fields of Gold,” and the song from which the name of their tour originated, “Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears.”

Audience member freshman Taylor Fregeau said multiple aspects of the performance contributed to the total package.

“It’s magical,” Fregeau said. “Their voices are surreal. They blend really well together. I like all the other things that go into making the performance – it’s the whole presentation.”