NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - November 8, 2010) - This holiday season, WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG welcomes Órla Fallon back to public television. Órla Fallon's Celtic Christmas premieres beginning Thanksgiving weekend, Thursday, November 25, nationwide on public television (check local listings) and features guest appearances by Órla's former Celtic Woman band mate, Méav, 2008 American Idol runner-up, David Archuleta, and country singer Mark Wills. Méav's appearance marks the first time she and Órla have performed together since their days in Celtic Woman. Órla also reunites with Anúna, the original choir from Riverdance who Órla sang with prior to Celtic Woman.
Órla Fallon's Celtic Christmas, taped at the beautiful James K. Polk Theater in Nashville, TN, features holiday classics including "Joy To The World," "I Saw Three Ships," "Do You Hear What I Hear," "The First Noel," "Silent Night," "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," and many more.
The companion CD and DVD will be released on November 16 nationwide by The Elevation Group. The CD includes duets with Méav and David Archuleta as well as a special version of "Little Drummer Boy," featuring a duet with 20-time Grammy Award-winner Vince Gill, and the beautifully arranged "Away In A Manger" with Anúna.
"I'm so excited about this TV special," said Órla Fallon. "I had such a wonderful time recording it. The audience was fabulous, the guests were fabulous... The choir, the band, the orchestra... It was a dream come true."
"This was my first TV Christmas special," stated David Archuleta. "Hearing these songs that you grew up listening to, love and hold close to you... with Órla's voice on them, the way she sings them, it felt very sincere."
"Our voices blend very well together," stated Méav. "It was really nice to perform with Órla again, it was just like old times."
"This has been a great experience for me," commented Mark Wills. "I've never done anything like this before and to sing with Órla and to be a part of this wonderful show was amazing."
To continue her long-standing support of public television, Órla is making tickets to her 2011 concert tour available to public television viewers first in more than 100 markets. Viewers who make a donation to their local public television station during broadcasts of Órla Fallon's Celtic Christmas can receive these tickets, the companion DVD and a public TV version of the CD, featuring six exclusive bonus songs including a special version of "Silent Night" featuring Grammy Award nominee Jim Brickman, as "thank you" gifts. Órla's corresponding 50-city tour will run in 2011 from late March through early May and again from late September through mid-November.
"We are pulling out all of the stops," said Fallon. "2011 is a big year for us and our fans and we look forward to seeing, speaking with and performing for as many people as possible... I plan to work very hard during my time in America to drive attention to public television and to generate funds for these great stations coast to coast."
"I have worked almost daily over the past 20 months with Órla," commented Elevation's Denny Young. "She is a wonderfully talented woman who wants nothing more than to bring joy and happiness to people through her music. She is focused, in great form and ready to go!"
The public television special was directed by Emmy Award-winner Dennis Rosenblatt. All music direction, production and arrangements for the program, CD and DVD were the work of Dan Shea. Michael McGlynn arranged "Away In A Manger," which was recorded by Brian Masterson.
Órla Fallon's Celtic Christmas is an Elevation Group Production and is a presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG -- one of America's most prolific and respected public media providers. The program is sponsored in part by Tourism Ireland.
Contact Information:
Press Contacts:
Patti Conte
Plan A Media
212.337.1406 ext. 16
patticonte@nyc.rr.com
Melani Rogers
Plan A Media
212.843.8032 ext. 18
melanirogersny@aol.com
Natasha Padilla
WNET.ORG
212.560.8824
padilla@wnet.org
Press Materials: wliw.org/pressroom