LOREENA MCKENNITT RELEASES UNDER A WINTER’S MOON (ENCORES) INCLUDING STUNNING RENDITION OF “SILENT NIGHT”

LIVE IN MADRID ALBUM ALSO OUT NOW – LISTEN HERE

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21 NOVEMBER 2025 (TORONTO, ON) – Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Loreena McKennitt, who was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in May, releases an expanded edition of the album Under A Winter’s Moon today, including two encores – “Silent Night” and “The King.” McKennitt also launches Live In Madrid today, the first volume of a soundboard concert recording series.

LISTEN TO UNDER A WINTER’S MOON (ENCORES) HERE

LISTEN TO LIVE IN MADRID HERE

Under A Winter’s Moon (Encores) and Live In Madrid arrive ahead of McKennitt’s celebrated seasonal performances of Under A Winter’s Moon, which returns to the stage this December for six shows: in Toronto, her home base of Stratford, and in neighbouring London, Ontario.

The shows include two performances in Stratford on Wednesday, Dec. 10 and a sold-out concert Thursday Dec. 11 at Copperlight (formerly Knox Church), Friday Dec. 12 at Centennial Hall in London at 7:00 p.m., and at Toronto’s Koerner Hall on Saturday Dec. 13 at 8:00 p.m. and on Sunday Dec. 14 at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.

“So much of Christmas and the winter season involves rituals and traditions, marking the light and the way we gather together to eat, sing and tell stories. Performing Under A Winter’s Moon has become part of our own family tradition and we’re always delighted to bring this experience to others,” says McKennitt.

McKennitt first performed Under A Winter’s Moon in a historic church sanctuary in 2021, where it was recorded and later released as her 16th album in 2022. Dubbed ‘a love letter to the season,’ it’s an enchanting mixture of music and spoken word that weaves together Celtic, Indigenous and Welsh cultures.

Two songs, which were the encores at that original performance, were not included on the album. Today, they are released as a limited-edition seven-inch vinyl single featuring the popular hymn about love and global peace, “Silent Night,” and the rustic English song “The King,” which celebrates the New Year and is sung in wassail style, with the entire band joining in.

Under A Winter’s Moon performers include Cedric Smith, a Gemini Award-winning Canadian actor and musician who has a long and accomplished career in film, television, and theatre and is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Alec King in the popular series Road to Avonlea.

In McKennitt’s seasonal show, he performs, in six parts, A Child’s Christmas in Wales, by the late Welsh poet Dylan Thomas.

McKennitt will be accompanied for the December performances of Under A Winter’s Moon by Caroline Lavelle on cello and recorders and by members of the Celtic group The Bookends, with Errol Fischer on fiddle, Pete Watson on guitar and bouzouki, Cait Watson on Irish whistle, and Romano DiNillo as guest percussionist.

Today, McKennitt also releases Live in Madrid, the first volume of a soundboard concert recording series, captured in stereo directly from the mixing desk located in the venue front of house. “I’ve come to learn that many music lovers are curious to experience live performances in different dimensions,” says McKennitt.

Live in Madrid was recorded during McKennitt's 2024 summer, Mask and Mirror anniversary tour of more than 20 European cities across Spain, Greece, Turkey, Germany and Italy.

“I remember the night fondly— rich with the closeness of the enthusiastic audience and amazing musicians in the warm Spanish night air. Reconnecting with our special guest musicians Ana Alcaide (nyckelharpa) and Daniel Casares (Flamenco guitar) made the evening all the more memorable,” adds McKennitt.

Live in Madrid captures the complete 20-song performance in Madrid at the Noches del Botánico Festival, bringing listeners as close as they can get to the live performance as it sounded in the venue on that night. It is on sale through the artist’s store as a numbered limited-edition three-disc set and a limited-edition two-CD set.

McKennitt was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame on earlier this year at Studio Bell in Calgary where she joined fellow inductees Dan Hill, Ginette Reno, and Glass Tiger. The induction ceremony, which honoured her "astounding contributions to Canada's music history," was presented by Music Canada.

Earlier this month, McKennitt was one of the honoured guests at two events in London, United Kingdom recognizing the transformational power of words and stories, with reminders of their potential to elevate the human condition and bridge cultures.

On November 4, McKennitt was introduced to Her Majesty Queen Camilla during a reception for about 30 people at Clarence House, the private residence she shares with King Charles III. Hours earlier, Loreena was presented with a gold medal and the title of Honorary Life Patron by the London and Casablanca-based non-profit Scheherazade Foundation. Find more information here.

Loreena McKennitt (left) meets Her Majesty Queen Camilla (Clarence House, London) PHOTO: Theo Wood (The Scheherazade Foundation)

McKennitt’s eclectic Celtic blend of pop, folk and world music has sold over 16 million albums worldwide. Her recordings have achieved Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum status in 15 countries on four continents. She has twice been nominated for a GRAMMY® Award and has won two Juno Awards, as well as a Billboard International Achievement Award.

She has performed in some of the world’s most-respected and historic concert venues, from Carnegie Hall to the famous Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain and for dignitaries including the late Queen Elizabeth II and His Majesty King Charles III, and other heads of state.

In addition to her musical career, McKennitt has been recognized for a number of noteworthy philanthropic initiatives, including:

In 2004, McKennitt was awarded the Order of Canada and in 2013 was appointed Knight of the National Order of Arts and Letters of the Republic of France.

Under A Winter’s Moon Tour:
December 10 – Stratford, ON – Copperlight/Knox Church
December 11 – Stratford, ON – Copperlight/Knox Church
December 12 – London, ON – Centennial Hall
December 13 – Toronto, ON – Koerner Hall
December 14 – Toronto, ON – Koerner Hall (matinee and evening concert)