Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennitt brings a set that traces her path between Celtic roots, folk storytelling and the pull of distant horizons. The Canadian singer, composer and multi‑instrumentalist builds her concerts around an acoustic ensemble where harp, piano, strings and subtle percussion carry melodies and space for her voice. The program draws from The Visit, The Mask and Mirror and The Book of Secrets, and ventures into An Ancient Muse, Lost Souls or Under A Winter’s Moon, mixing traditional ballads, instrumental interludes and adaptations of poetry.

The journey moves from Irish and Scottish sources to echoes of medieval Spain, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Arrangements stay close to the grain of the instruments, with room for dynamics, silences and instrumental conversations. Between pieces, brief travel notes and texts anchor the repertoire without excess, keeping focus on the music and its stories. Loreena McKennitt is on stage on 21 October 2026 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.