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Of Ladies Lost and Found is an exploration of love and loss by Karen Underwood as witnessed in the songs of artists such as Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Whitney Houston, Edith Piaf, and Amy Winehouse. It is directed and arranged by John O’Brien who was the inspiration behind Pagliacci (Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Opera 2012), Orpheus, and Der Vampyr.
Karen Underwood is Ireland’s very own diva. This time with Of Ladies Lost & Found, Karen and the acclaimed musician, John O’Brien, bring soul, bring blues, bring rock back home. Currently, Karen sings with The Booty Band, a Cork soul, jazz and funk band. She also wrote and performed in The Nina in Me which was produced by the Cork Opera House and directed and arranged by John O’Brien. In 2011, she wrote a second show Singing Nina, about the life and music of Nina Simone which toured internationally.
In 2012, Karen and John composed Of Ladies Lost and Found and premiered the production at The Everyman Palace in November that year for Bounce Back, a suicide prevention charity Karen founded in 2012. Her songs, lilting American voice and charming stage persona offers a concert that celebrates the lives of remarkable divas who left us too soon but whose music lingers on.
This lady is full of soul and skill.
John O’Brien is a director, composer and conductor based in Cork whose work has received considerable critical acclaim. His conduction, co-direction and arrangement of Pagliacci at the Everyman won Best Opera Production at the 2012 Irish Times Theatre Awards. More recently, John produced der Vampyr in association with The Everyman and Cork Operatic Society. John has performed in Canada, China, Hungary, Japan and the UK.
Reviews
“Karen Underwood’s powerful voice, warm personality and depth of feeling bring out the best in everything from jumping hard bop to poignant ballads.” IRISH INDEPENDENT
“John O’Brien plays piano with such brio, not merely in terms of colour or scoring but in accuracy, emphasis and sympathetic phrasing” IRISH TIMES
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13th January
John Field Room, NCH
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23rd of January
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24th of January
An Draiocht Blanchardstown
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