RIVERDANCE – THE FAREWELL TOUR

For the first time in nine years the pounding feet and swirling music of Riverdance, which has tapped its way onto the world stage thrilling millions of people around the globe will tour to Newcastle, Hobart and Adelaide from May 2012.
For those who have not yet experienced this joyous spectacle of Irish music and dance – and for diehard fans – this is your last chance to feel the thrill of Riverdance when the legendary show visits our shores for its farewell tour. And audiences will be able to experience the breathtaking energy and vitality of the show up close as Riverdance will be performed for the first time in an intimate theatre setting.
Of all the performances to emerge from Ireland – in rock, music, theatre and film – nothing has rivalled the energy, the sensuality and the spectacle of Riverdance. With its fusion of Irish and International music and dance, the show received unanimous critical acclaim and broke all box office records during its world premiere run in Dublin in early 1995.
When it transferred to London in June of that year, the audience response was so overwhelming that the original 10 performances had to be increased to 151 shows. Since then, it has packed theatres throughout North America, Oceania, Asia and Europe. Riverdance focuses on the evolution of Irish dance, capturing the imagination of audiences across all ages and cultures. It draws on Irish traditions and combines the richness of the music with the magic and sensuality of the dance.
With music and lyrics by Grammy Award winning Bill Whelan, produced by Moya Doherty and directed by John McColgan, Riverdance is the development of an original idea by Moya Doherty, which was initially performed at the Eurovision Song Contest held in Dublin in April 1994 as a seven-minute interval act. Its success has since become part of theatre history.
As Director John McColgan explains “There are now three companies touring the world. These companies, named after Irish rivers – The Moy, The Shannon and The Foyle – have become a kind of extended family, even a small village. The dancers, musicians and singers don’t simply perform together, they travel the world together, looking after each other, sharing their energies and aspirations, pushing each other to new heights and to the highest of standards.”
Each of the touring companies consists of 45 cast and crew members, with the remarkable Riverdance Irish Dance Troupe joined by the cream of Irish musicians in the Riverdance Band and a spectacular array of talent from around the globe.
riverdance.com