The restored Grand Salon in Powerscourt House, once one of the finest ballrooms in Ireland, is the palatial setting for an intimate evening concert performed by French harpsichordist Christophe Rousset. Tonight's concert is one of a series of organised as part of the Music in Great Irish Houses festival of chamber music, running from June 8th to 17th in some of the most historic houses around the country.
The guests arrive early, some bring picnics to enjoy while others take the chance to stroll around the splendid grounds of Powerscourt.
Destroyed in a fire, the ballroom where Queen Victoria was once a guest has been restored to its former glory and is the perfect venue in for an evening of baroque music. "This music makes me imagine the flouncy dress, powdered faces and elaborate hair of the 1760s, and that's just the men," muses John Holland, of Pianos Plus.
The Countess of Meath, vice-chairperson of the festival committee, is graciously throwing open the doors of her family home, Kilruddery House, in Wicklow, for two of the concerts during the festival, so is enjoying this evening as a guest. Castletown House and Birr Castle are also hosting evening concerts.
"Intense" is how Hugh Tinney, artistic director of the festival, describes the Frenchman's performance. Rousset performed with Daedalus Wind Quartet in the Chapel Royal in Dublin Castle one of the nights. Brendan Coyle, former chief executive of Dataproducts, and his wife, Olive, are passionate supporters of the festival and have attended every performance.
The festival is held in association with Lyric FM and the Office of Public Works. Mary Heffernan from the OPW informs us that another historic house, the former Guinness home at Farmleigh, will be ready to open in five weeks. Mark Byrne, financial controller of Brown Thomas, and his wife, Jackie, manager of Marks &Spencer on Grafton Street, singer Paul Kelly, James Conway from Opera Theatre Company and Deirdre Doyle, director of Dublin Masterclasses are among the audience.