Catriona Ryan, playing flute in Christmas Ballet at the Point
Don't ever ask, as I did, if Catriona Ryan has a day job as well as playing in the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. Thankfully, she's not too hard on me. "We get that all the time," she says, laughing. "It's funny that people think this could be anything other than a full-time job, but it's that kind of work: if we are doing things right it should appear easy, but the amount of work that goes into it behind the scenes is immense." Indeed, this week involves a busy schedule of rehearsals for The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty, with the Tchaikovsky Perm State Ballet.
Ryan joined the orchestra in 1993 and in May won the position of principal flautist. The orchestra loves the opportunity to perform the ballet. "We are at the National Concert Hall every Friday night, so getting out to the Point, where it's more casual, is a real break in routine for us. Having dancers involved who can take some artistic licence means the tempo changes from night to night. At concerts we normally only play the really well-known suites from a ballet, but here we get to play the whole piece, which is a great challenge. It's also a change that the orchestra is not the main focus of attention, so you can relax a little more than normal. The fact that there are children in the audience is really sweet. You don't get many at the NCH."
Being principal flautist in The Nutcracker means playing Danse des Mirlitons, or Dance of the Reed Pipes. "It's actually all three flutes played in very close harmonies. It's a piece we would be very familiar with from concerts."
Christmas spirit will abound. "We would always associate the ballet with Christmas, as our holidays are usually just around the corner. So everyone is in good spirits, and there might be some Christmas cards on your chair, that kind of thing. It's really nice."
Christmas Ballet at the Point: Sleeping Beauty, Thursday and Friday; The Nutcracker, Saturday and Sunday, December 14th-17th. See www.ticketmaster.ie or call 0818-220812 for tickets.