Pictured: George Hamilton and David Brophy in Der Musikmann on this Sunday's Lyric Feature
OPERA NIGHT WITH PAUL HERRIOTT
The Metropolitan Opera, New York presents Richard Strauss' Salome
Tonight straight from the Met Opera it is Strauss's white-hot one-act tragedy, which receives its first new production at the company in twenty years. Claus Guth, one of Europe's leading opera directors, gives the biblical story, already filtered through the beautiful and strange imagination of Oscar Wilde's play, a psychologically perceptive Victorian-era setting rich in symbolism and subtle shades of darkness and light. Headlining the new staging is soprano Elza van den Heever as the abused and unhinged heroine, who demands the head of Jochanaan, sung by celebrated baritone Peter Mattei. Tenor Gerhard Siegel is Salome's lecherous stepfather, King Herod, with mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung as his wife, Herodias, and tenor Piotr Buszewski as Narraboth. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus.
RTÉ lyric fm, Saturday 17th May, 7pm-10pm
Photo: Evan Zimmerman | Met Opera
VESPERTINE WITH ELLEN CRANITCH
To celebrate Norwegian National Day, a broad sweep of some of the amazing music that constantly pours from this highly creative musical nation. New releases from female vocal group Kvedarkvintetten, guitar pioneer Stein Urhem, multi-instrumentalist Erlend Apneseth and hardanger explorer Nils Okland. Plus jazz maestros Mats Eilertson, Eivind Aarset, Heidi Skjerve and Ellen Andrea Wang.
RTÉ lyric fm, Saturday 17th May 10pm-1am
VOX NOSTRA WITH VLAD SMISHKEWYCH
Swan songs and tragic tales: recalling the death of Anne Boleyn in 1536, Vox Nostra explores music written towards the end of the lives of notable figures and composers - sometimes the very end! We'll hear everything from a medieval swan song played on an actual swan bone flute, to the song attributed to the tragic English queen herself, Anne Boleyn, as she awaited execution. Tombeaux, lamentations, as well as a balance of uplifting works from Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque eras are all on offer this Sunday morning on Vox Nostra.
RTÉ lyric fm, Sunday 18th May, 7am-10am
THE LYRIC FEATURE
Der Musikmann
Irish music and musicians have captivated audiences across Europe for many years. To that illustrious list, we can now add the name of star Irish conductor David Brophy.Brophy, who took the baton at the WDR Rundfunkorchester in Cologne in late 2024, describes himself as a 'perpetual magpie'—happy to flit around and borrow music from everywhere.
This documentary, presented by RTÉ lyric fm’s George Hamilton, begins with George in Belfast and follows David Brophy’s progress over his first six months on his new podium in Cologne. Going behind the scenes, it observes the musical, cultural, and personal challenges this Irish conductor faces as he takes on one of the most prestigious positions in his field in Europe.
A musical journey that began in a rock band on Dublin’s northside, Brophy says he is ‘open to all sorts of music, energy, and communication.’ This Lyric Feature takes the listener into the life of Der Musikmann—an Irishman in Cologne!
Auf geht's! (Let’s Go!)
Produced by Michael O’Kane Presented by George Hamilton
RTÉ lyric fm, Sunday 18th May, 6pm-7pm
THE FULL SCORE WITH LIZ NOLAN
We're celebrating the RTÉ Concert Orchestra all this week on The Full Score and revisiting some of our favourite recent lunchtime concerts. Conductor Stephen Bell will be celebrating all things Strauss. Stephen says, '2025 marks the 200th anniversary of Johann Strauss II, surely one of the most popular composers of all time. To celebrate this milestone during our one-hour concert, I've tried to include as much variety of his output including waltzes, polkas and a rarely heard Romance for cello and harp.'
Liz Nolan presents a showcase of unabridged musical masterworks, featuring live recordings of Irish and international performers, plus selections from the latest CD releases.
RTÉ Concert Orchestra
Stephen Bell, conductor
Martin Johnson, cello
Geraldine O'Doherty, harp
RTÉ lyric fm, Monday 19th May, 1pm-4pm
NIALL CARROLL’S CLASSICAL DAYTIME
Niall Carroll plays music from the heart of the classical repertoire, with Sounds on Screen, a piece from the big or small screen each day at 11am, and each day at midday, one of Niall's Five of a Kind. This week Niall chooses five pieces by the Irish Victorian era composer William Vincent Wallace.
RTÉ lyric fm, Tuesday 20th May, 10am-1pm
LORCAN MURRAY’S CLASSIC DRIVE
Classic Drive brings you the perfect musical soundtrack, including Lorcan's Pick of the Week: Nobuyuki Tsujii's latest release, Beethoven, recorded live with Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The listeners choose the playlist with a themed midweek choice. And with news, weather and sports, Lorcan's with you all the way!
RTÉ lyric fm, Wednesday 21st May, 4pm-7pm
AEDÍN IN THE AFTERNOON
Aedín features music from three Icelandic composers and musicians, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Laufey and Hildur Gudnadóttir. Some very fine film tunes by Dario Marianelli and Alberto Iglesias and memorable songs from Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder and Noel Coward.
RTÉ lyric fm, Friday 23rd May, 1pm-4pm
RTÉ LYRIC LIVE WITH PAUL HERRIOTT
Join Paul Herriott live from the National Concert Hall in Dublin for a compelling and dramatic choral masterpiece - Haydn's The Creation. Celebration and wonder abound, as do dazzling depictions of the creation of light, the land and seas, birdlife, animals, and ultimately, man and woman. Listen carefully to see if you can pick out the melodic line from this great work which inspired the RTÉ lyric fm jingle!
National Symphony Orchestra
Peter Whelan conductor
Anna Devin soprano
Laurence Kilsby tenor
William Thomas bass
National Symphony Chorus
David Young choral director
RTÉ lyric fm, Friday 23rd May, 7pm-10pm
