Product Details

• Format: Classical, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Music Matters
• DVD Release Date: October 24, 2000
• Run Time: 225 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004YZFE
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #154,156 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Television producers seeking to combine the twin phenomena of the original Three Tenors (Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, José Carreras) and Irish music (an international sensation fueled by Riverdance) came up with the Irish Tenors. The Essential Collection includes both their televised concerts from Dublin and Belfast, the first of which establishes the format: John McDermott, Anthony Kearns, and Ronan Tynan appearing on a small, plain stage and singing mostly traditional songs ("She Moved Through the Fair," "Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?") in both solos and trios with a full orchestra in front of an appreciative audience. These classically trained performers have strong voices, enthusiasm, and more than a bit of whimsy. The second concert provides more of the same, but is most notable for the debut of new tenor Finbar Wright after McDermott had taken leave from the group following the death of his mother. McDermott does make a brief but dramatic appearance, however, to sing "The Last Rose of Summer," as a tribute to his parents, then rejoins Kearns and Tynan for "Red Is the Rose." And of course both shows include "Danny Boy"--as inevitable a closer as "Nessun dorma" was for that other trio of tenors.

In generous bonus DVD segments (13 to 19 minutes each), Tynan, Kearns, and Wright (but not McDermott) each discuss their musical upbringing and a bit of background on some of the songs they sing. Tynan talks about the emotion of the plight of the disabled child in "Scorn Not His Simplicity" without bringing up his own disability (which is mentioned in the text biographies), and Wright, the newest tenor, admits the advantages and disadvantages of performing with the group and also cites influences as wide-ranging as Mario Lanza and Queen. This DVD is excellent value for the Irish tenor fan. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You get way more than your money's worth, October 29, 2000

By 

Harry G. Holstine "hotline1515" (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Irish Tenors - The Essential Collection (DVD)

A fantastic buy! Not only do you get two complete concerts, Dublin, with Ronan Tynan, Anthony Kearns and John McDermott, and Belfast, with Ronan, Anthony and Finbar Wright, and a guest appearance by John, but 49 minutes of great interviews.

The interviews really show each artist (Ronan, Anthony & Finbar), in a relaxed mood, as they talk about the songs they sing on the Belfast part of the DVD. As they talk, you can see them, in the background, on stage, singing the song in a soft tone. They are beautifully done, and a great way to get to know each of these talented artists. Ronan Tynan explains how the conductor, and musical arranger, Frank McNamara, speeded up the lively "Go, Lassie, Go," so it would fit their style and how the three tenors broke into an impromptu Irish jig, which triggered a standing ovation.

Finbar Wright tells about his biggest "gig," being singing before a million and a half people, when the Pope came to Ireland in 1979. This was before he became a professional singer. He was a Catholic priest at the time. Kearns, the youngest tenor, relates how he started his career by winning a telephone contest to find a new Irish tenor, and then studying with the same teacher in Dublin, that helped the other two tenors.

There is also a text bio on each artist, and one for the conductor also. Some of the highlights of the two concerts, are Ronan singing "The Town I Loved So Well", Finbar's rendition of "The Isle of Inisfree," from the movie "The Quiet Man," and Anthony singing a moving rendition of "Boulavogue." The three tenors, of course, sing the traditional "Danny Boy," and the new Irish fovourite, "Fields of Athenry."

We have videos of both of these concerts, but this DVD, with it's improved clarity and sound, and the fantastic extras, make it a must buy item for all Irish Tenor fans, and for those who simply enjoy great Irish music.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful; Emotional; Live Concerts and Interviews! Yes!!, October 10, 2002

By 

Ruth G. Hudson "RHudson; grateful gramma" (Warsaw, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Irish Tenors - The Essential Collection (DVD)

I just purchased this DVD last month as a little treat for our anniversary. We play the CDs of the Dublin and Belfast concerts in our car all the time; now we have experienced a closeup and delightful two evening concert in our own home! All of these four men are talented and enjoyable, along with the excellent arrangements and huge orchestras.

You must have a tissue box at hand when listening and particularly watching Ronan Tynan sing about "simple child" and the "town that I love". Each singer produced a favorite for us. The shorter folk songs, plus the more dramatic pieces, produced a fine variety of the music in these two programs that held our interest from first to last notes.

They're nothing quite as delightful as watching the facial expressions and a little teasing that went on here and there, plus the expressions of pleasure on their faces during the songs. We've yet to view all the interviews on this DVD, but then we just bought it recently. Truly love those Irish accents because it reminds me of my heritage!

I bought one of these DVDs for a gift, and will certainly purchase more now that Christmas and birthdays are coming up! Truly hope that these performers have more offerings in the future. You won't be disappointed with the pleasure of these two fine concerts and interviews! Yes! Yes!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A definite favorite, April 12, 2004

By 

Brian (Washougal, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Irish Tenors - The Essential Collection (DVD)

This DVD has become staple watching and listening fare in our household, from myself and my wife down through all the children to our four-year-old son, whose favorite song is now "Grace" and who runs around the house singing "...and we'll all go together, to pick wild mountain thyme" from "Go, Lassie, Go" at the top of his lungs.

It is fantastic to have both the Belfast & Dublin concerts together on one DVD with the live concert dead time (pardon the pun) between selections minimized. It is hard to imagine, from the robust and polished (virtually operatic, with the exception of John McDermott, whose presentation is much more suited to popular song than to opera or lieder), that in addition to the many traditional Irish songs, some of these are modern popular ballads. For example, I find Finbar Wright's rendition of the Isle of Inisfree vastly superior to (certainly much more classically styled than) the original version actually in the movie from which it was taken (The Quiet Man). This, of course, is testimony not only to the skill and training that went into developing these voices, but also to the skill and stylistic presentation of the arranger/conductor (Frank McNamara).

This is definitely a five-star production. I have to rate it four stars, however, only because the more I listened, the more I wished that the producers of the DVD (not the concerts) had included one or both of these two things: 1) a printed insert containing the poets' and/or composers' names, the stories behind the poetry, or at least the lyrics themselves or 2) the lyrics as optional subtitles on the DVD itself. I found myself searching the Internet for the lyrics to and stories behind almost all the selections. The interviews in the bonus material are a good start, but this is Irish music, after all, and every poem has a story that demands an emotional response in its own right, even setting aside the superb performances.

Besides all of this, it looked like the artists were just plain enjoying themselves; as much as I enjoy the original Three Tenors (Domingo/Carreras/Paverotti), I find this much more natural and fun.