Orla Fallon, Meav, David Archuleta, and Mark Wills Bring a Celtic Christmas to Nashville

Orla Fallon, Méav, David Archuleta, and Mark Wills brought the Christmas spirit to Nashville on Thursday, September 2, 2010 for the upcoming PBS holiday special "Orla Fallon's Celtic Christmas" which will air Thanksgiving weekend on public television stations across the country. The Celtic Christmas concert, filmed at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center's Polk Theatre, brought Fallon together with another former Celtic Woman star, Méav, as well as pairing Fallon with "American Idol" finalist David Archuleta and country singer Mark Wills.

Nashville's TPAC Polk Theatre Decorated for Christmas for Holiday Special

The Polk Theater was festooned with Christmas lights, holiday wreaths, candles, and other holiday decor and combined with the Christmas garb provided a holiday ambiance. However, the real holiday treat was the music. Three passes were filmed at TPAC on Thursday, September 2. One pass earlier in the day had focused on the performers, and two were filmed that night to focus on the audience and the last one to provide additional footage of the Christmas concert. Guests were asked to wear Christmas clothing in keeping with the holiday theme.

Orla Fallon - Memories of Waiting for Santa

From the village of Knockananna in Co.Wicklow, Ireland, Orla Fallon came out wearing a form fitting gold brocade gown with a semi-mermaid skirt and train. She began the evening singing a blend of "Hark How the Bells" and "Ding Dong Merrily on High" in her lovely, lilting Irish voice. Greeting the audience warmly, Fallon said seeing the decorations and people in Santa hats brought back memories of waiting for Santa to come on Christmas Eve.

Orla Fallon & Méav

A penny whistle ushered in "I Saw Three Ships (Come Sailing In)," and then twinkling lights came out on the set's backdrop, as Fallon began singing "Do You See What I See." As she was finishing the first verse, she was joined onstage by Méav in a form-fitting blue gown, which marked the first time the two have performed together since they were in Celtic Woman. Seeing the two Irish divas together was one of the highlights of the night.

Orla Fallon & David Archuleta

Next, candles and a harp were set up for Fallon's duet with David Archuleta on "Silent Night" and "Noel." One of the night's "behind the scenes" moments was a TPAC staffer coming out to scrape the candle wax off the stage floor where the candles dripped.

Orla Fallon Does Peter, Paul and Mary

Fallon did a beautiful job on the Peter, Paul and Mary Christmas song "A' Soalin" with a little "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" woven in before performing "Joy to the World" with a chorus.

Orla Fallon & Mark Wills

Méav took the stage again to weave her crystalline vocal magic on "O Holy Night" before Fallon descended the stair with her train trailing behind her to sing "Little Drummer Boy" before performing a duet with country singer Mark Wills on "Peace on Earth."

Orla Fallon - "Bells of Christmas"

Although Fallon performed mainly traditional carols, she did introduce a haunting new Christmas song, "Bells of Christmas" which she said was written by her music manager.

Nashville and Belfast, Ireland - Sister Cities

Fallon pointed out that Nashville and Belfast, Ireland, are sister cities, before announcing she would be mixing the two cultures as she brought David Archuleta back out to sing "Silent Night" with Fallon singing her part in Gaelic and Archuleta in English. Archuleta followed the duet with an up-tempo version of "Pat-A-Pan" which Fallon called a "funky treatment of a French folk song," and then performed his own Christmas song, "Melodies of Christmas."

Orla Fallon's Celtic Christmas Coming in November on PBS

It was a magical evening of Christmas and Celtic music performed in the beautiful holiday setting that TPAC's Polk Theatre provided. "Orla Fallon's Celtic Christmas" airs Thanksgiving weekend on PBS stations across the country. For photos of Orla Fallon's Celtic Christmas, click on the photo above. Also see the photo gallery at Orla Fallon Celtic Christmas with David Archuleta: Exclusive pics.

* Please note: Article and all photos of "Orla Fallon's Celtic Christmas," Orla Fallon, Méav, and David Archuleta are copyright Kathryn E. Darden. All rights reserved. Please do not copy to other sites, boards, or blogs. Links are greatly appreciated.

Also see:

Diamond Rio makes Beautiful Mess at the Opry with Delilah and David Archuleta
Riverdance Taps into Tennessee Performing Arts Center for Last Tour
Orla Fallon Celtic Christmas Special filmed at Nashville's TPAC with David Archuleta: Exclusive pics