Christmas Celtic Sojourn

Christmas may provoke some tense reactions in some people. They may need a reminder about the warmth of the season -- and one way to jumpstart that is to catch the upcoming Christmas Celtic Sojourn shows at the Cutler Majestic Theatre over the next two weeks.
"These shows allow us to be sentimental. People look for the assurance of Christmas time,'' says producer Brian O'Donovan, who presents the Christmas Celtic Sojourn for the fifth straight year starting this Thursday, Dec. 13 and running to Dec. 22.
"There will be up to 17 musicians and dancers on stage at any given time,'' adds O'Donovan, who has a rotating cast each year. This year's program includes the renowned Solas, Aoife O'Donovan (Brian's daughter, who is also in the folk group Crooked Still that just sold out the Somerville Theatre), Dougie MacLean, Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas, Seamus Eagan, and Kieran Jordan and her troupe of four dancers.
"It's a very collaborative effort,'' says O'Donovan. "The group is chosen in April of each year and that's when the collaborative effort begins. There's a fair amount of interesting Christmas music and some music that would fit an old-fashioned kitchen party gathering.''
O'Donovan himself ties it together by providing thoughts, poems, and commentary, though the program's focus is on music.
"There a main female singer and a main male singer. Last year it was Karen Kasey and Robbie O'Connell. This year it's Dougie MacLean and Aoife,'' he says.
I caught the show last year and loved it. The formula has also been quite successful. Three of the previous years' versions have come out on CDs from Rounder Records and the first DVD, "A Christmas Celtic Sojourn, Live,'' has come out from last year's show.
For tickets, you can call 1-800-872-8997 or go online at www.maj.org./p2008/celtic.html.

(Steve Morse can be reached at spmorse@gmail.com)