Abendlied

A evening chamber music recital with mezzo soprano Leanne Fitzgerald, pianist Adam McDonagh and violist Lisa Dowdall. Inspired by the theme of sleep, this programme is a beautiful collection of lieder and lullabies including 'Zwei Gesänge Op. 9' by Johannes Brahms and 'Three Songs, H.76' by Frank Bridge, both for voice, piano and viola. The programme will also include music by Benjamin Britten, Franz Schubert and Clara Schumann.

7:00pm in The Goethe-Institut, 37 Merrion Sq, Dublin 2.

Tickets are €20 or €15 concession (student/unwaged/OAP)

LEANNE FITZGERALD (MEZZO SOPRANO)

A 2024/25 Irish National Opera Studio artist, Leanne has been a frequent collaborator with the company since 2022. She performs regularly with the INO chorus and has had many featured roles including Giovanna (Rigoletto, Dec 2024), Ida (Die Fledermaus, Feb/Mar 2025), the Notary (Don Pasquale, 2022/23), and appeared as a soloist on the INO national tour of Music, Magic and Mischief (July 2025). This season with INO, Leanne will sing the role Clotilde in Bellini’s Norma (May/June 2026).Most recently, Leanne sang the role of Alto in Errollyn Wallen’s Cautionary Tales with Opera Collective Ireland (Sept 2025) and Mercedes in Bizet’s Carmen with Limerick Opera Festival (Oct 2025). Her previous stage credits include Maeve Shine in The Ballybruff Trilogy (Opera Workshop Limerick, 2024) Pitti-Sing in The Mikado (Cork Opera House, 2018).

Leanne is in demand as an oratorio soloist. Recent highlights include her solo debut with the Ulster Orchestra at the 2024 Derry International Choir Festival in Tippett’s A Child of Our Time, conducted by David Brophy, and her first appearance with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in Handel’s Messiah at the National Concert Hall with Our Lady’s Choral Society under Proinnsías Ó Duinn. Her wider concert repertoire includes major works by J.S. Bach, C.P.E. Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Duruflé and Rossini, with ensembles such as The Guinness Choir, Dublin City Choral Union, Christ Church Cathedral Choir, and Carlow Choral Society.

An experienced ensemble artist, Leanne spent five years with Chamber Choir Ireland under the direction of Paul Hillier. Internationally, she has performed at the Salzburg Festival with Utopia, the transnational orchestra and choir founded by Teodor Currentzis, in productions of The Indian Queen (Purcell/Sellars), Don Giovanni (Mozart/Castellucci), and concert performances of Mozart’s Mass in C Minor and Bach’s St Matthew Passion.

ADAM MCDONAGH (PIANO)

Irish pianist Adam McDonagh is one of the most versatile classical musicians of his generation. He is a multiple award-winning pianist, countertenor and conductor, sharing histime between performing as well as working as a répétiteur and vocal coach.

Adam graduated with a BMus (Performance) from DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, an MPhil in Music Studies from Cambridge University, and an MMus (Performance) in Répétiteur at TU Dublin Conservatoire supported by the inaugural Irish National Opera Répétiteur Scholarship. He is a Samling Artist and recently completed training as a Young Artist répétiteur at the National Opera Studio, London. He also received a scholarship this year for the prestigious Georg Solti Accademia répétiteur course in Venice. He has worked on opera productions for Buxton International Festival, Opera Collective Ireland and Irish National Opera. He will be répétiteur for INO’s upcoming production of Rusalka in 2026. He has also accompanied masterclasses with Tara Erraught, Elīna Garanča, Ryan Speedo Green, Stuart Skelton and Ailish Tynan.

Adam is also an emerging Irish countertenor, having recently made his role début as ‘Oberon’ in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Wexford Festival Opera 2025.

LISA DOWDALL (VIOLA)

An innovative and versatile musician, Lisa Dowdall has focused her career on chamber music in all its forms from early music through classical to hardcore contemporary, experimenting with new musical genres, art forms and venues.

Lisa has performed as a chamber musician, recitalist, and in chamber orchestras throughout Europe, the United States, South America, Australia and Asia. She has performed at The Edinburgh Festival, BBC Proms, Canberra International Music Festival, Ban on a Can Marathon, with residencies at Huddersfield International Contemporary Music Festival, Princeton University, Montclair State University and Aldeburgh Residencies. Performance highlights include performances in Carnegie Hall (USA), Kennedy Centre (USA), Barbican (UK) as well as live radio broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, Lyric FM, ABC and WNYC.

Since 2007, Lisa has been a member of the internationally acclaimed new music group Crash Ensemble, collaborating with composers and artists from all genres and disciplines, premiering works written for the ensemble by Terry Riley, David Lang, Michael Gordon, Nico Muhly and Donnacha Dennehy. Crash Ensemble can be heard on recordings by labels NMC, Cantaloupe, Nonesuch and Bedroom Community.

Lisa’s passion for authentic performance has led her to explore the world of the baroque viola and viola d’amore, performing and recording with the Irish Baroque Orchestra, Camerata Kilkenny, Ensemble Marsyas, Spackling Band, Sestina and Resurgam. On the viola d’amore Lisa has merged her baroque and contemporary experiences, collaborating with composers, improvisers, poets, dancers, singer song writers and film scorers.

In addition to her teaching position at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Lisa is an Arts Council Creative Associate and has taught on courses for the South African National Youth Orchestra, MA in Classical String Performance - University of Limerick, Trinity College Dublin and the Irish Youth Baroque Orchestra.