Perry sings at the Point theatre, Dublin, Ireland, 1994

Perry Como's
Christmas Concert
1993

Performed and Recorded at the Point Theatre,
Dublin, Ireland, 1994 ( Christmas 1993 )
Guest Star: Adele "Twink" King
with The Glasnevin Musical Society:
Choirmaster Niamh McDonagh,
The Boys of the Palestrina Choir:
Director Ite O'Donovan,
The Artane Boys Band:
Musical Director Joe Lynch,
RTE Concert Orchestra: Leader Michael Healy
Music Director, Orchestra Conductor
and Arranger: Nick Perito
Choral Director: Dick Williams

In January, 1994, Perry Como traveled to Dublin, Ireland, for what would become an auspicious moment within his long career of more than 60 years. The year 1993 would have marked his 50th anniversary with the RCA Victor Records label, now owned and controlled by Bertelsmann and operated under the "BMG" logo, as well as his 45th year of television specials celebrating Christmas and its importance throughout the world to people of all faiths. Perry's very first Christmas television special was broadcast on Christmas Eve, 1948, a founding moment within the new medium and the beginning of one of television's most successful and enduring traditions. Within ten years of that first show, his contract with Kraft Foods for what became "The Perry Como Kraft Music Hall" entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest ever signed in the history of the new medium. His television specials would continue for the next thirty years, changing only from weekly to bi-monthly, then monthly followed by seasonal specials celebrating Easter, Spring, Thanksgiving and Christmas festivities, ending in 1987, from all parts of the world including England, Rome, Austria, France and many locations throughout North America. Perry's Christmas Concert in Ireland would be his final special and the last of his commercial recordings albeit not for his original label RCA Victor.

For those who have admired Perry throughout his long career, his final concert in Ireland is bittersweet. It's difficult for anyone to watch this touching performance and not be emotional, easily understood by anyone who has experienced the aging of a beloved father and grandfather. Added to all of this, Perry had difficulty with his performance, not feeling well and even losing his voice at one point throughout the long taping which began at 8pm Dublin time and ran well beyond midnight. His reputation of being unflappable and dealing with the normal adversities of 'live' performance, during the earliest years of his television career, served him well during what would have been a traumatic experience for an otherwise uninitiated performer. But Perry's class shines through the evening like a beacon as he completes his performance to the overwhelming applause and general understanding of everyone concerned. It's not uncommon to hear of people who were moved to tears as Perry turns the evening into a triumph. The professionalism of the Choirs and all who participated with Perry is simply remarkable but absolutely nothing could be as wonderful to observe as the energy and dynamism of Perry's longtime conductor, arranger and colleague Nick Perito. Mr. Perito handles the baton with aplomb and the true extent of his many talents is clearly evident.

Perry's Irish Christmas was produced for the American PBS public television system and was re-broadcast annually for many years beginning in 1994 continuing to this day. The performance is commonly available on VHS Hi-Fi Stereo format recordings, in addition to compact disc, audio cassette, a special CD-ROM Windows version, and in 2003 an unofficial DVD Audio has been pirated and sold with regularity. The program has yet to be transferred legitimately to high resolution DVD but this will no doubt happen in due course.

This final television special will be cherished by all who value the life-long contributions of this very special man.