Limerick concert for Wilkinson

VETERAN Irish singer Colm Wilkinson will be at the University Concert Hall in Limerick on June 13 and 14.

In 1972 he was cast as Judas Iscariot in the Dublin production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar, a role he went on to reprise in London.
In 1976, he sang the part of Ché Guevara on the concept album for the musical Evita. Instead of auditioning for the role when the production was launched in London, he launched a solo career as a singer/songwriter.

At the time, Ireland wasn’t a regular last-place finisher in the Eurovision and in ’78, Colm represented the country, securing a very credible fifth place.
In 1985, he again collaborated with Andrew Lloyd Webber, originating the role of the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera at the Sydmonton festival.

The London production of Les Misérables opened in October 1985 and transferred to Broadway in March of 1987. Initially the American Actors’ Equity Association refused to allow Wilkinson to play the part of Valjean in New York but when Cameron Mackintosh refused to open unless Wilkinson was available, they relented.

He won numerous awards for his performance and was also nominated for a Tony.

In 1989, Wilkinson relocated to Toronto and has been based there since.  He featured on the original Jekyll and Hyde concept album released the following year.
Four years ago, he participated in Senator Ted Kennedy’s birthday celebrations at the Kennedy Centre in Washington. The highlight of the evening came when President Obama arrived on stage and together with all the performers sang Happy Birthday. Wilkinson was also asked to perform at the Memorial Service for Senator Kennedy in 2009, the evening before his funeral.