Join us for some Christmas cheer in the AIHS with a charming selection of Irish poems and short stories, with favorite festive and classic Irish songs from Samantha Nahra, Keith Brown, and Joanie Brittingham. Reminisce about Irish Christmas traditions and celebrate community and togetherness while sipping eggnog or mulled wine, and admire the Christmas tree and holiday decorations in the Society, courtesy of The Dead, 1904.
This special evening will be a memorable glimpse into the enchanting spirit of Christmas, as the fantastic performers bring you on a fun-filled start to the holiday season of 2024.
Purchase Your Tickets Here for this special evening with the American Irish Historical Society.
About the Artists:
Samantha Nahra, Zwischenfach, has sung the roles of Miceala in La tragedies de Carmen, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Laetitia in The Old Maid and the Thief, Suor Dolcina in Suor Angelica and Bianca in La Rondine. She has covered the role of Arinyae in the premiere of A Metamorphosis with the Christman Opera Company and she has sang scenes from Tosca, Der Fliegende Hollander, and Die Walküre with the New York Dramatic Voices. She has been involved in Oberlin in Italy, CoOPERAtive, Operaworks, Sherrill Milnes VOICE Studio, Le Chiavi di Bel Canto, International Vocal Arts Institute, and Utah Lyric Opera program UVAA. She has received an honorable mention in NJS International Vocal Competition, was a finalist in the Elaine Malbin competition and a semi-finalist for the SAS Vocal Competition. She is the librettist and premiere singer of “A Dramatic Soprano Tries Cooking...The Opera” and “A Dramatic Soprano Tries Cooking...The Sequel” composed by Philip Wharton.
Samantha is also Buoy of Bubbles and Buoy, the operatic mermaid duo, who have been singing their siren songs since 2022. In 2023 they started performing their educational, family friendly show “Mermaid Melodies” with Opera on Tap NYC, Redivivus Opera and Cunningham Piano.
They are currently NYC DOT Public Realm Programming Partners for 2024-2026.
________________________________________________________________
Discovering a talent for music at a young age, Keith attended Western Michigan University and achieved his BFA in Musical Theatre Performance, displaying his talents for singing, acting, and guitar in productions of “RENT,” “Les Miserables,” and Bertolt Brecht’s “Mother Courage and Her Children.” As an adult, he’s been seen singing at the former Coney Island Brewing Co. and Paddy’s of Park Slope at their monthly Irish traditional session, the latter allowing him to explore his love of Irish culture and language in addition to the music. Christmas is one of his favorite times of year and his personal Christmas playlist is over five hours long. Nollaig shona daoibh, a chairde!
__________________________________________________________________
Joanie Brittingham is a soprano, writer, and the editor of Classical Singer Magazine. Praised for “dramatic versatility” (Opera News), “meltingly beautiful” interpretations (Forbes), “lovely soprano” and “lucid diction” (New York Times), “captivating stage presence” (New York Classical Review), and “full-bodied voice” (Tulsa World), all while demonstrating “strength and resistance” (Opera Wire) throughout “outstanding solo work” (New York Concert Review), Brittingham has performed at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, and Symphony Space and with Riverside Theatre, the New Ohio Theatre, Fresh Squeezed Opera, New Amsterdam Opera, Chelsea Opera, the New Works Festival with OPERA America, American Lyric Theatre, and VHRP Live, among others. Brittingham is the author of Practicing for Singers and has contributed to many classical music textbooks. Brittingham’s writing has been described as “breathless comedy” and having “real wit” (New York Classical Review). Brittingham is the librettist for the opera Serial Killers and the City, which premiered with Experiments in Opera, and will be a part of New Wave Opera's Night of the Living Opera. On Instagram and TikTok: @joaniebrittingham.