MOVIES AND MUSICALS WITH AEDÍN GORMLEY
A real treat today as Aedín talks to Alan Menken, the multi-talented composer behind the much-loved Disney soundtracks for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin, Tangled, Enchanted and many more. Winner of eight Academy Awards, this makes Alan Menken the most Oscar award-winning living person. Ahead of his Dublin one-man show, he talks to Aedín about his long and varied career, the art of songwriting, and why he was born to be a composer.
RTÉ lyric fm, Saturday 31st January, 1pm-4pm
OPERA NIGHT WITH PAUL HERRIOTT
Metropolitan Opera New York presents Arabella by Richard Strauss
Strauss's elegant romance brings the glamour and enchantment of 19th-century Vienna to the Met stage. Compelling soprano Rachel Willis-Sorensen makes her role debut as Arabella, a young noblewoman in search of love on her own terms. Soprano Louise Alder makes her Met debut as her sister, Zdenka, and bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny is the dashing count who sweeps Arabella off her feet. Nicholas Carter conducts the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus.
RTÉ lyric fm, Saturday 31st January, 7pm-10pm
Photo: Marty Sohl | Met Opera
THE LYRIC FEATURE
Three Men Standing at the Met
Remembering the radio producer John Quinn who died in January 2026. John Quinn began working in RTÉ as Education Officer in 1975 and became a radio producer in 1977. For the next quarter of a century he produced and presented many memorable programmes for RTÉ Radio including the forward looking Open Mind series of interviews with prominent educators, philosophers, performers, scientists and leaders from various other walks of life. This week the Lyric Feature celebrates John's work as a radio documentary maker whose programmes across a range of topics achieve a rare authentic simplicity which belies the artfulness of their construction.
In Three Men Standing at the Met we find the writer Michael Coady listening to a broadcast of Verdi's La Forza del Destino from the Metropolitan Opera in New York in his home in Carrick-on-Suir Co. Waterford and reflecting on a November night in 1927 when his father and two uncles attended the same opera at the Met. Reconstructed in part from the émigrés letters and using Verdi's music as counterpoint the programme brings the real lived experience of emigration in the 1920s with a refreshing and engaging specificity.
RTÉ lyric fm, Sunday 1st February, 6pm-7pm
VESPERTINE WITH ELLEN CRANITCH
St. Bridget is named after the pagan god of fire, song, craftsmanship and poetry - so a perfect fit for Vespertine tonight. Her feast day also heralds the arrival of spring after a long dark winter, and Ellen will be celebrating tonight with music from Caitlín MacGabhann, Lina Andonovska, Mary Coughlan, Bridie Gallagher, Steve Cooney and Linley Hamilton. Welcoming the brighter days this weekend on Vespertine.
RTÉ lyric fm, Sunday 1st February, 9pm-12am
LORCAN MURRAY'S CLASSIC DRIVE
Classic Drive brings you the perfect musical soundtrack, including Lorcan's Pick of the Week: Acclaimed Swedish clarinettist and conductor, Martin Fröst is proud to announce his album, B.A.C.H. dedicated to the music of JS Bach. And with news, weather and sports, Elspeth Hanson is with you this Bank Holiday.
RTÉ lyric fm, Monday 2nd February, 4pm-7pm
NIALL CARROLL’S CLASSICAL DAYTIME
Niall Carroll plays music from the heart of the classical repertoire with Sounds on Screen, a piece from either the big or the small screen at 11am, and at midday each day Niall chooses his Five of a Kind. This week we'll hear five pieces composed by Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin.
RTÉ lyric fm, Tuesday 3rd February, 10am-1pm
THE FULL SCORE WITH LIZ NOLAN
Today's Full Score concert comes from the Castleconnell Concert Series as we hear two of Ireland's finest musicians, Ailbhe McDonagh and John O' Conor with works from Beethoven to Schumann. Liz Nolan presents a showcase of unabridged musical masterworks, featuring live recordings of Irish and international performers, plus selections from the latest CD releases.
Beethoven: F major Sonata Op. 5, No. 1
McDonagh: Valentia
Schumann: Fantasiestucke Op. 73
McDonagh: Skellig
Beethoven: A major Sonata Op. 69
Ailbhe McDonagh (Cello),
John O'Conor (Piano)
RTÉ lyric fm, Tuesday 3rd February, 1pm-4pm
MARTY IN THE MORNING
Join Marty as he takes the chill out of your early mornings with music, news, weather and travel updates.
RTÉ lyric fm, Wednesday 4th February, 7am-10am
CULTURE FILE PRESENTS: THE COMFORT ZONE
Luke Clancy and Colm Tóibín plus a new guest each week light out for the territories, culture-wise.
A Soundsdoable production for RTÉ lyric fm
Produced and presented by Luke Clancy
Associate producer: Niamh Daly
Subscribe to the podcasts available each Friday and Wednesday
RTÉ lyric fm, Wednesday 4th February, 9pm-9.30pm
THE FULL SCORE WITH LIZ NOLAN
Today's Full Score concert comes from the National String Quartet Foundation as we hear Sonoro Quartet perform music by Golijov and Shostakovich. Founded in 2019, Sonoro Quartet is one of the leading young string quartets of its generation. With members hailing from France, Ireland, and Belgium, their repertoire seamlessly blends classical masterpieces with contemporary works and commissions. Liz Nolan presents a showcase of unabridged musical masterworks, featuring live recordings of Irish and international performers, plus selections from the latest CD releases.
Osvaldo Golijov: Tenebrae
Dmitri Shostakovich: Quartet No.5 in B flat major Op.92
Sonoro Quartet
Marley Erickson & Jeroen De Beer, violins
Séamus Hickey, viola
Isaac Lottman, cello
RTÉ lyric fm, Thursday 5th February, 1pm-4pm
RTÉ LYRIC LIVE WITH PAUL HERRIOTT
Paul Herriott presents live from the stage of the National Concert Hall in Dublin for a concert featuring renowned conductor Diego Matheuz returning to conduct National Symphony Orchestra Ireland and joining forces with exciting young French pianist Mirabelle Kajenjeri for Ravel's Piano Concerto in G.
Gabriela Ortiz Kauyumari (Irish Premiere)
Ravel Piano Concerto in G
De Falla The Three-Cornered Hat Suite No. 2
Bartók The Miraculous Mandarin Suite
National Symphony Orchestra Ireland
Diego Matheuz (conductor)
Mirabelle Kajenjeri (piano)
RTÉ lyric fm, Friday 6th February, 7pm-10pm
