June 1 marks the 100th birthday of legendary actor and singer Marilyn Monroe. In celebration, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra is performing some of her most famous pieces in a special event on Thursday, June 4.
The performance will showcase several accomplished creatives. It will be conducted by Stephen Bell, the Principal Guest Conductor of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. He has been described by International Record Review as “one of the most gifted younger British conductors”.
The singing will be performed by Katie Birtill. After initially studying medicine at Bristol, Katie followed her dream to become a performer by studying Musical Theatre at The Royal Academy of Music. Now, she performs internationally at jazz clubs, festivals and with orchestras.
The pair will be accompanied by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, as they perform classics from films that defined Monroe’s career, such as Some Like it Hot, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and There’s No Business Like Show Business.
Birtill will also be using her talents to perform sections from Monroe’s film catalogue, including from Niagara, Seven Year Itch, and Bus Stop. Attendees can also look forward to renditions of ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’, ‘I Wanna Be Loved By You’, and many more.
Monroe’s life was marked by a number of standout moments, including being the top-paid American actor for nearly a decade. Her films grossed the modern equivalent of over $2 billion by the time of her unfortunate death at 36 in 1962.
The silver screen star spent much of her early life in orphanages until she married 21-year-old James Dougherty at the age of 16. She was credited for pushing many of the boundaries around female expression at the time, especially when, later in her career, it came out that she had modelled for nude photographs before becoming famous.
This only boosted her notoriety. In 1953, Monroe was the cover star of the original Playboy magazine in her iconic rabbit costume.
However, she became frustrated with typecasting and underpayment, and went head-to-head with studio executives. This led to her negotiating better contracts and eventually starring in a role that would lead to her first Golden Globe award and BAFTA nomination.
Today, Monroe remains a pop icon legend, for her incredible musical performances, support of gay and women’s rights, and her overall influence on the acting and modelling worlds. Many album covers, characters, paintings, orchestras and more are still being inspired by the legend herself.
Marilyn Monroe 100 with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra will take place for one night only, on Thursday, June 4, starting at 8pm. Ticket prices range from €15 to €42.50 and are currently available for purchase here.
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This post is sponsored by RTÉ Concert Orchestra
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