Ireland on Sunday, April 24, 2005
I probably spend the bones of six months every year in America between solo tours and concerts with The Irish Tenors. Florida is nice - you can relax by the pool between concerts - but for sheer magic, there's nowhere like Manhattan.
I went there first in 1995 to look for a singing teacher and was overwhelmed by the size of everything, from the buildings to the portions of food. Everyone there lives under the American flag, but they still embrace their ethnic diversity.
If you're like me and look for a home away from home, there's Fitzpatrick's Hotel, where I always stay. When you're living out of a suitcase and travelling with just an accompanist and an agent, it's great to see a friendly face and have a good Irish meal.
My singing teacher, Marlene Malas, works at the Julliard School of Music. I often head over to take a class with her.
I never get tired of the place. The sounds and smells of Manhattan are so unique: the honking horns, the fire engines, the yellow taxies, the food stalls on the streets.
But what I love most about it is that if you walk into a bar or a restaurant, you'll get chatting with somebody. It might be a barrister or a high-wire artist, but you'll end up having a great conversation.
Normally, I go to Central Park and stroll around. When I go to visit my accountant to hear the bad news of all the taxes I have to pay, I pass by Carnegie Hall.
The only thing I don't like to do is go shopping. It's like Christmas all year round and makes me claustrophobic!
