“Marble Halls” was made popular by Enya when she recorded the song for her 1991 album, Shepherd Moons. It had already been famous for over a hundred years, however, as it was a well-loved aria from the 1843 opera, The Bohemian Girl, by Irish composer and baritone Michael William Balfe.
The opera tells the story of a girl who had been born into a wealthy, noble family. As a child, she was kidnapped and raised by gypsies. When she grew up, she had only the vaguest of memories of her former life (hence the lyrics: ‘I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls…’). One day she was accused of stealing and was taken before the city’s governor, Count Arnheim, who happened to also be her biological father. He recognized his long-lost daughter, now a young lady, and they happily reunited. The Count gave his daughter his blessing to marry the man she had loved, Thaddeus, a nobleman and political exile.
The beautiful aria was familiar to Enya, and held sentimental meaning. Her mother had sung it in her younger years at boarding school and later, as she raised her family, would sing it around the house, Enya recalled.
In her notes for the Shepherd Moons Music Book, Enya’s primary lyricist Roma Ryan said, “Balfe was once complimented by Strauss as being the Master of Melody. The Bohemian Girl, and in particular this song, is a favourite of both Enya and her mother.”
Nicky Ryan, who produced Enya’s album, did an effective job of creating a majestic feel and acoustic environment that the song’s title suggests: “…in its very essence it suggests reverb to me — the fact that you are in the marble halls. You must have it.”
Enya’s “Marble Halls” contributed to the incredible success of her album, Shepherd Moons. Her song was also later featured on the soundtrack of Martin Scorsese’s 1993 award-winning film The Age of Innocence.