The First Themed Compilation of the EXCALIBUR Series of Celtic Rock Albums The Ladies of the Lake – NOW AVAILABLE!

London – The Ladies of the Lake is the first themed compilation of the gold and platinum-selling EXCALIBUR series of Celtic Rock albums.

The creator of Excalibur, Alan Simon, said of the compilation: “Since for creation of the first Excalibur album, it’s been a privilege to work with so many strong ladies characters. I speak not just of Guinevere and Morgane, but also of the talented singers who have brought some of the roles to life.”

The compilation follows the re-release of the Excalibur Trilogy, and the recently released fourth album, Excalibur IV: The Dark Age of the Dragon.

Alan Simon continued: “The rock genre is often dominated by so many male musicians, but it shouldn’t be forgotten how much Moya, Jacqui, Maddy, Karan, Kohann, Nikki, Sonja, Siobhan and Maite have given of their unique musical talents. This compilation is a tribute to them. they are the Ladies of the Lake. the Ladies of Excalibur. Please enjoy :)”

The compilation features the guests:
Moya Brennan
Maddy Prior
Karan Casey
Kohann
Siobhan Owen
Jacqui McShee
Nikki Matheson
Sonja Kristina
Maite Itoiz

Tracks:
1) The Origins feat MOYA BRENNAN
2) Secret Garden feat MADDY PRIOR
3) The Girl & the Demon feat KARAN CASEY
4) Skye feat KOHANN
5) Calling For You feat MOYA BRENNAN
6) The Last Lament of a Fairy feat SIOBHAN OWEN
7) There is Someone feat SIOBHAN OWEN
8) Silver Moon feat MOYA BRENNAN
9) Yseult feat SIOBHAN OWEN
10) Sacrifice feat JACQUI MCSHEE
11) A Prayer For My Lover feat SIOBHAN OWEN
12) Morning Song feat NIKKI MATHESON
13) The Passion feat SONJA KRISTINA
14) Dreaming Again feat SIOBHAN OWEN
15) Dun Angus feat MAITE ITOIZ

To purchase:
Amazon CD: http://geni.us/ExcalA
iTunes: http://geni.us/ExcalAdig

EXCALIBUR IV – THE DARK AGE OF THE DRAGON The Rock Opera Album Featuring Members of Jethro Tull, Saga, Uriah Heep, Curved Air, Clannad, Supertramp and others! OUT NOW!

EXCALIBUR IV is the widely anticipated fourth NEW STUDIO ALBUM in the Celtic Rock Opera series, following on from the GOLD and PLATINUM selling original trilogy. EXCALIBUR IV was played live in its entirety to 12 ARENAS in Germany in December 2016 and will be touring again in 2018.

Released by Babaika Productions, via Cherry Red Records, the album features appearances by:
Alan Stivell
Michael Sadler (Saga)
Jesse Sibenberg & John Helliwell (Supertramp)
Martin Barre (Jethro Tull)
Moya Brennan (Clannad)
Roberto Tiranti (Labyrinth)
Bernie Shaw (Uriah Heep)
Siobham Owen
Sonja Kristina (Curved Air)
John Kelly (The Kelly Family)
Maite Itoiz (Elfhental)

Excalibur – the legendary rock opera is back!
After a thousand years of imprisonment, Merlin – the wizard – finally escapes from Morgana’s spell. Initially intrigued by the beauty of the new world that he returned to, he soon discovers the decay of knightly and sublime virtues, which once had been so bravely defended by King Arthur’s roundtable. An enraged Merlin casts his biggest spell over this world and brings the mighty dragon to life. An epic return of the legendary Celtic rock opera on to German stages, a new chapter in the saga around the sword Excalibur – this is “EXCALIBUR – The Dark Age Of The Dragon”.

A trailer for the album can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4rRmUpT3xs

Track List:

1. THE WINGS OF THE DRAGON
2. ALONE
3. STONEHENGE
4. I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE
5. CALLING FOR YOU
6. DON’T BE AFRAID
7. SILVER MOON
8. DREAMERS
9. THE LAST LAMENT OF A FAIRY
10. THE NEW TIMES
11. FORGET YOUR SORROW
12. THE FIFTH SEASON
13. THE PASSION
14. I WILL BE FOR EVER
15. BEHIND THE MIST
16. YOU DON’T KNOW
17. YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE
18. THERE IS SOMEONE
19. DUN AENGUS II

To purchase EXCALIBUR IV:
Amazon CD: http://geni.us/Excal4
iTunes: http://geni.us/Excal4dig

For more information:
Official Excalibur Facebook page: https://en-gb.facebook.com/Excalibur.The.Celtic.Rock.Opera/ ;
Alan Simon’s official website: http://www.alansimononline.com/eng.html ;
Excalibur is represented by Daniel Earnshaw of QEDG Management DANIEL@QEDG.CO.UK
Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Excalibur Set Sights On Germany For The Celtic Rock Opera Tour

Excalibur - The Celtic Rock Opera

There is a reason why Excalibur is visiting Germany in winter 2016. The heartwarming legend of knightliness and honor lightens up the cold months of the year and entwines the soul into the mythologies of the story. In the biggest venues of Germany you can listen – side by side with thousands of like-minded people – to the rock-opera-saga of the sword of swords, which destroys the darkness of late evening hours with Celtic sounds and roaring pyrotechnics.

 

A legend visits the federal republic

Even the start of the new show will be spectacular: From the moment of December 1st when the dragon illuminates the Olymphiahalle, Munich and enchants thousands of fans with the fight of Good and Bad. After the Excalibur shows in Basel, Nurenberg and Freiburg the rock opera even pays a visit to the highly modern convention centre of Erfurt, which is well known for its fabulous acoustics and wide array of international stars like Depeche Mode.

After Cologne, Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Dortmund, Excalibur finally – with one of the last shows during this fantastic journey – reaches the Mercedes-Benz-Arena in Berlin, our capital. The arena along the Spree river can hold up to 20,000 Excalibur fans and is sure to impress the audience with modern sound engineering, which will add to the show around King Arthur. After some more shows in Bremen and Hamburg the rock opera’s final curtain will fall in Leipzig with a fantastic finale and one final performance of the roundtable’s destiny.

On musical trails

Whoever feels called out to prove that the virtues of knightliness are still waiting for their awakening deep within the hearts of mankind, should book a ticket right away. The Celtic rock opera Excalibur brings the medieval myth with Merlin, Arthur and singing knights, to top notch venues around Germany and is a widely interactive show. You can make yourself a part of the saga. There is no doubt that this folk-rock-delicacy, led by the luminary Michael Mendl as Merlin, will stick in your mind for a very long time…

The Soloist

Moya Brennan (Clannad), Michael Sadler (SAGA), Eric Fish (Subway to Sally), John Kelly and Maite Itoiz (Elfenthal), Bob & Jesse Siebenberg and John Helliwell (Supertramp), Martin Barre (Jethro Tull), Maggie Reilly (Mike Oldfield), Dun Aengus (Roberto Tiranti), Siobhan Owen + Special guest and band and Michael Mendl as Merlin.

Michael Mendi – A Merlin like no other

Merlin smirks and mocks, considers and acts. He himself stands by the knights of the roundtable and supports their attempt to re-awaken the six virtues of knightliness. It’s not an easy task and therefore only Michael Mendl – one of the biggest character actors in the German drama and theatrical world – can become the great wizard of the rock opera Excalibur.

A life for the stage

In his early student times Michael Mendl, residing in Vienna and Essen at that time, studied theatre and drama play and soon after started his career as an actor at state- and national theaters throughout Germany, reaching from Berlin to Munich. In the 1970s and 1980s he began to engage his energetic acting with TV appearances and got discovered by a whole new audience.

Even back then his performances in “Derrick” and in the “Tatort” were honoured by newspapers, before he completely subscribed his life to film and television in the 1990s. He distinguished himself amongst others in “Kleine Haie” under the direction of Sönke Wortmann and keeps on delighting the public with character roles like in “Der Untergang” and “Soweit die Füße tragen”. His acting as the character of German chancellor Willy Brand in the documentary “Im Schatten der Macht” earned him a Goldene Kamera (German movie award) as best German actor.

A Merlin that nobody has seen before and that nobody ever forgets…

Michael Mendl’s wizard in Excalibur is not a passive spectator or even the wise guy in the back. Instead he is a very complex and active character, who can make you see into the depths of medieval soul at any time during his acting.

Mendl presents his character with energy and dynamic, without losing the gratitude and dignity of the legendary Celtic fairytale figure. It’s a great achievement that couldn’t be performed by any other actor than him. Excalibur is his story. It is the story of wizard and the knights of the roundtable. It is the story of the audience – and you will find yourself involved in the charming and frightening spells of an ancient world.

Orchestra and The Band in perfect symbiosis

As soon as Merlin and the knights of the round table enter the stage, in order to take away the audience to foreign lands of the Arthur saga, you will not only be taken through one of the biggest legends of all time with rock music, but also via the classic string notes of the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Martin Sanda. Where the rock music represents the harshness of the Celtic middle ages, the Symphonic Orchestra will enchant their listeners with the airwaves of myths and stories.

16 years of music

When the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra of Prague was founded in the year 2000, nobody knew what journey lay ahead of those educated, classic musicians.

From the beginning, the Orchestra has been able to prove their high standard of professionalism, with both the full cast of 70 musicians and a small chamber music ensemble.

The orchestra demonstrated their vast diversity in interests and their devotion to art by performing classical works from Mozart to Antonin Dvorak, with music of the Czech pop sensation Iveta Bartosova over to film- and gaming-soundtracks or musicals to stage adaptions of Jeff Waynes “War of the Worlds”.

The passion for rock music was demonstrated in the years of 2010 to 2015 with their engagement at “Rock meets Classic”, they had the chance to tour with the central masterminds of legendary rock acts such as Deep Purple, Status Quo or Alice Cooper. During that time they created breathtaking new interpretations of some of world’s biggest rock