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EXHIBITION Brian Eno – 77 Million Paintings 77 Mi
llion Paintings is Eno’s ‘generative art’ piece with endless variations and possibilities, hence the title. It is also one of the most calming experiences to be found in the city. You can sit on a sofa taking in his visual music whilst watching the barely perceptible shifts in shade and nuance in front of you. In some respects, 77 Million Paintings is reminiscent of the stained glass windows of Harry Clarke. An essential headspace time out if you can spare 30 minutes. RHA Gallery until Sunday February 24 FESTIVAL New Music Dublin This annual festival of “adventurous new music for curious ears!” returns with an array of exciting offerings including Irish premieres of major works by composers Kaija Saariaho and Louis Andriessen performed by the RTE Concert Orchestra. Central to NMD’s programme is the showcasing of 15 new works by Irish composers including the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra’s performance of David Fennessy’s Conquest of the Useless and Jennifer Walshe’s The Site of an Investigation. Cologne’s Ensemble Musik Fabrik will have their own inimitable take on the work of Frank Zappa, namely The Black Page which is known for being extraordinarily difficult to play. They will be joined by the renowned free jazz saxophonist Peter Brötzmann as they tease out hallucinatory improvisations of Zappa’s jazz rock National Concert Hall, Thursday February 28 to Sunday March 3 THEATRE The Country Girls It wasn’t the easiest of starts to 2019 for the Abbey crew. To have been unable to address, defuse or prevent the growing unease of 300 leading practitioners over employment opportunities, or lack thereof, was a tad embarrassing. There will be an air of relief then that at least the adaptation of Edna O’Brien’s seminal debut novel first published in 1960 is stacked with Irish talent such as Grace Collender, Muiris Crowley and Lola Pettigrew. Co-director of the Abbey Graham McLaren assumes the mantle of director for this one. If you listen closely you might hear a naysayer mutter the words ‘double-jobbing’ under their breath at the interval. The Abbey Theatre, Saturday February 23 to Saturday April 6, €17-€40 FESTIVAL Spike Dublin’s alternative cello fest will witness the bowing and plucking of strings across the city. Highlights include the premiere of an interactive piece by Claire Fitch, commissioned by Spike, which will call on two cellists to react to movements on a screen, as if playing a game, to create a piece of music. The festival opens with a special ‘Yocella’ session in the elbowroom. Other highlights include Jonathan Nagle’s The Curious Cello interactive installation in The Ark and a performance, as well as workshop, by Ernst Reijseger whose genres range from blues and jazz across minimalism and improvisation. Various venues, Friday February 8 to Sunday February 10 spikecellofest.com 86