Danú vocalist Nell Ní Chroinin keeps our fond memories of live performing arts going strong

Penn Live Arts Recommends World Music

With only a handful of days left in May, it has now been about 10 weeks since we had to close our doors for the rest of the season. Before COVID-19, we were looking forward to announcing our 20/21 season in April and then finishing out the spring semester with a vibrant series of diverse, exciting performances. The annual joy of closing out one great season to then start another one feels like a distant memory now.

But it is times like this when we need artistic expression the most. That’s why today, we hope you’ll take a moment to listen to this reflective “lockdown” performance by Nell Ní Chroinin, vocalist from the traditional Irish band Danú. Our March 15 performance by Danú was one of our first events that was affected by the pandemic. We had to postpone some of our spring performances to next season and cancel several others altogether. We’re grateful that Danú is one we were able to reschedule to December 15.

In the video above, Chroinin sings “My Little White Horse,” a song written by a local man from her native Ballingeary in County Cork, Ireland. The song is a lament that reflects on the writer’s fond memories of his dear horse who passed away. As we listen, we reflect on our own memories of welcoming artists from around the world to our theatres. Our 19/20 season may have been cut short, but songs and performances like this keep our greatest memories alive as we look forward to a time when we can experience live arts together again.

Edit: As of July 2020, the rescheduled December 15 performance has been cancelled.