Operatunity brings When Irish Eyes are Smiling concert to Palmerston North

Tracey Collins (left), Karl Perigo and Kelly Lim Harris star in When Irish Eyes are Smiling.

The new concert When Irish Eyes are Smiling will bring much-needed fun and laughter to Manawatū seniors, the show promoter says.

Operatunity Daytime Concerts and Travel’s first concert tour of the year comes to Palmerston North on February 22.

“The tour is sure to bring much-needed fun and laughter to senior communities across New Zealand through Operatunity’s special brand of music, care, and camaraderie.”

When Irish Eyes are Smiling features The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand’s Top Male Artist for 2022, Karl Perigo; star of London’s West End, Russell Dixon, and soprano Kelly Lim Harris. Joining them are some of New Zealand’s finest instrumentalists - fiddler Marian Burns, piano accordionist Tracey Collins, and pianist Paul Carnegie-Jones.

Perigo, who was born in Feilding, has been a resident artist for Operatunity since 2016.

In 2018, Burns was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music.

“The show will be filled with toe-tapping tunes, beautiful ballads, dancing, virtuosic duelling from the fiddle and piano accordion, and, of course, many an Irish joke – to be sure, to be sure,” Operatunity says.

The show will include Irish favourites such as Danny Boy, Wild Rover, Irish Lullaby, and Fairytale of New York.

The show’s mission is to spread joy far and wide, and When Irish Eyes are Smiling will visit 22 centres from Whangarei to Invercargill.

“After a tumultuous few years, a feel-good show is just what the doctor ordered for New Zealand seniors celebrating being out and about and living again.”

The Details

What: When Irish Eyes are Smiling

When: Wednesday, February 22, 11am

Where: New Life, 590 Featherston St

Tickets: operatunity.co.nz or 0508 266 237