Celtic Woman's 20th anniversary tour arrives in Montgomery on Sunday
Emma Warren was practically born to become a member of Celtic Woman. A native of Dublin, Ireland, with a singing father and a dancing mother, she took their skills and made them her own.
“I grew up always doing both, and listening to Celtic Woman, of course… I think every little Irish girl listens to Celtic Woman,” Warren said. “It was a dream come true to be a part of the group.”
She and the rest of Celtic Woman — Mairéad Carlin, Tara McNeill, and Muirgen O'Mahony — will be at the Montgomery Performing Arts Centre on Sunday at 3 p.m. as part of the group’s 20th anniversary tour.
“I’m so excited to perform in Montgomery and to get this show on the road,” Warren said. “I can’t wait to meet all the fans there. Everyone that I’ve met so far has been so lovely.”
Warren joined Celtic Woman in April of 2023, and while she’s been to the U.S. before, she’s never visited Alabama.
“I’m very excited… This will be my biggest and longest tour with the group, so I’m really looking forward to it,” Warren said.
She loves being able to sing about Irish heritage and history.
“We have a lot of the classics in there, but for this 20th anniversary tour we have some new music as well that we’re really excited to perform.”
Two of their new songs, released in January on their 20th anniversary album, are among Warren’s favorites to sing:
“Sionnan (Shannon)”: “I just think it’s so beautiful, and that it’s new is really exciting.”
“I Know My Love”: “I’m looking forward to doing that on the stage and dancing around with the girls.”
Along with singing, Warren brings her dance skills to Celtic Woman. She spent five years as a member of another famous Irish group — Riverdance.
“I do get to do a couple of steps in the show, which is really exciting,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity to get to do both.”
The first show Warren did with Celtic Woman was the 20th anniversary concert last August in her hometown at The Helix theater. That show also brought original members Lisa Kelly, Máiréad Nesbitt, Méav Ní Mhaolchatha and Chloë Agnew on stage for the song “You Raise Me Up,” which was a “pinch me moment,” Warren said.
“That was a bit of pressure on that one for my very first performance,” Warren said. “But I got to have all my family and friends come and watch and be in the audience, which was really special. So that settles the nerves.”
That performance was shown on PBS, and the concert recording is currently available on DVD at https://www.celticwoman.com/
Tickets for the MPAC show range from $39 to $150, and are available at mpaconline.org or by calling the MPAC box office at 334-481-5100.
When she gets to Montgomery, Warren is looking forward to taking in the local flavor — both the city’s Southern foods and its culture. At least part of that is Montgomery’s connection to country music icons like Hank Williams. Warren said her husband and his family are country music fans.
“I hope I get enough time to really sample it all,” Warren said.
More about Warren
She has recently returned from London's West End, performing at the Sondheim Theatre in “Les Misérables” after touring the world with Riverdance as their lead dancer for over 5 years.
Emma has a Masters in Musical Theatre (Distinction), from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
Her theatre work also includes: Lou-Ann in “Hairspray” (UK & Ireland Tour), Johanna in “Sweeney Todd” (RWCMD), “Tiger Bay The Musical” (Wales Millennium Centre), Jasmine in “Aladdin” (National Stadium, Dublin & Beck Theatre, London), Lead Dancer and Singer in Riverdance (Gaiety Theatre - Dublin, UK, North America, Australia/New Zealand, China and Japan Tours), Lead Dancer in Heartbeat of Home (Bord Gais Energy Theatre - Dublin, China and North American Tours), “Prodijig” (Sadler’s Wells Theatre & UK tour), Jill in “Jack and the Beanstalk” (Helix Theatre, Dublin), Cinders in “Cinderella” (Olympia Theatre, Dublin).
She performed at the St. David’s Day Gala celebration honoring Catherine Zeta Jones (Rainbow Room, Rockefeller Centre, New York), and at the Tribute Gala Concert to Dame Shirley Bassey (RWCMD).
Her television appearances include “Over The Rainbow” (BBC), “The One Show”, “The Late Late Show” and “Good Morning America.”
Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at sheupel@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Celtic Woman's 20th anniversary tour arrives in Montgomery on Sunday
