Irish Tenors strike a high note in Lynn

LYNN – Traditional Irish music and Christmas songs came to a melodious merger in Veterans Memorial Auditorium at City Hall Friday night.The Irish Tenors delighted a near-capacity crowd with a 30-song set that honored their heritage and acknowledged the upcoming holiday.Ronan Tynan, Anthony Kearns and Finbar Wright performed jointly and individually, masterfully backed by a 25-piece orchestra conducted by Lloyd Butler of Ohio.The first part of the two-hour show was devoted to Irish ballads such as “The Old Man” and “Galway Bay” and crowd favorites including “Toora Loora Loora”and “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.”The red ties the tenors were sporting after intermission signaled what was to come – a variety of Christmas favorites including “We Three Kings,” “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Silent Night” (in multiple languages) and “Feliz Navidad.”When the trio returned for an encore, they offered a lively rendition of “Those Were the Days” before closing the show, appropriately, with “Danny Boy” to the delight of the crowd.The tenors first got together in 1998 for a PBS television special. They have since done five such specials and recorded eight albums. They typically tour twice a year, and headed to New Jersey for a show Saturday night and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut Sunday.