Large attendance at launch of Blackwater Valley Opera Festival
The Blackwater Valley Opera Festival (BVOF), which returns to the region from May 29 until June 5, was officially launched last week at Lismore Heritage Centre.
Centred around Verdi’s Macbeth at Lismore Castle, the 2023 opera festival is set to see 21 events take place across 12 venues and is expected to draw more than 4,500 visitors to the region.
Speaking with The Avondhu at the launch on Thursday last, Festival Director, Eamonn Carroll said that we was ‘delighted’ to see so many members of the community attending the launch, stating that he is ‘ looking forward to the festival’ again this year.
“We have 21 events in 12 venues all over the Blackwater Valley. The opera is in Lismore Castle which is our centrepiece event but we have events in Cappoquin, Villierstown, stretching out to Fermoy and Youghal. We were keen, when we were developing the festival, to bring music and events to different communities throughout the region and that’s what we’re trying to do,” Mr Carroll said.
'SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY'
Now in its 13th year, the BVOF programme includes opera, concerts, recitals, the involvement of schools and free events. This year, Mr Carroll noted, visitors to the festival will be arriving from as far as Chicago, Florida, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia.
“When the Opera started, I think it was in 2010, Helen Courtney from Lismore Castle and the team welcomed the festival in, it was built around the opera and the opera production. With Helen and her support, we have grown the Opera and we have a great production that we have every year," Mr Carroll said.
“With that (the Opera) as the centrepiece, we decided very early in our development that we wanted to bring in the wider community. The recitals and concerts for us all over the Blackwater Valley are a hugely important part of the festival and they provide an opportunity for people to come and experience music in a less formal way than the opera. We feel that opera is for everybody. We have 2,500 school children involved in the festival this year, between our work with Music Generation and we have over 400 children at the dress rehearsal.
“We have free events in Youghal, Fermoy, in the park in Lismore, in Dungarvan, and we think there is something for everybody. That community bit, in bringing music out to the region, is hugely important to us”.
'FLAGSHIP FESTIVAL'
Attending Thursday's launch were a host of representatives from the local communities, businesses and organisations including representatives from Lismore Castle, Foleys on the Mall, Fuller’s Bistro, Cairde Credit Union Dungarvan, Barron’s Bakery Cappoquin, Lismore Food Company, Ballyin House, Dungarvan Tourism Office, Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber, WP Cork, MCG Kayaks, St Declan’s Way, Towers and Tales, Munster Vales, Dromana House, Kilcannon House and Castlemartyr Resort.
Chief Executive of Waterford City and County Council, Michael Walsh, and Cllr Damien Geoghegan, deputising for the mayor, also attended the launch.
Last year, BVOF was designated as a ‘flagship festival’ for Waterford, securing its funding from the council going forward, something which Cllr Geoghegan said speaks of the ‘quality’ of the festival.
Mr Carroll thanked all the sponsors and donors, including the community, volunteers and ‘local heroes’ who support it year after year.
He also thanked Waterford City and County Council and the Arts Council for the designation as a ‘flagship festival’.
“That gave us great confidence, that what we’re building here is not just a festival for Lismore and for Waterford, but is an indication that we have matured into a festival now that is one of Ireland’s most important festivals and we couldn’t have done that without the support of the Arts Council and Waterford City and County Council have really gotten behind us and we’re very grateful for that support,” Mr Carroll added.
Blackwater Valley Opera Festival was honoured to be nominated in three categories at the Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards 2023 for Orfeo ed Euridice in 2022, with David Bolger winning Best Movement Direction for the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival production of Orfeo ed Euridice and Go to Blazes with Coiscéim Dance.
OPEN AIR FERMOY RECITAL
Kicking off on Monday, May 29 with the Opera Dress Rehearsal for Schools, the BVOF gets underway at Lismore Castle. Events then follow across venues at Villierstown, Tourin House, Dromore Yard, Lismore, Youghal, Dungarvan, Salterbridge House, Cappoquin, St Carthage’s Cathedral, Woodhouse Estate, Fermoy and elsewhere.
A number of free, open air lunchtime recitals are also to take place, the first of which occurs at Millennium Park in Lismore on Tuesday, May 30 at 1pm. Walton Park in Dungarvan will also host a recital on Friday, June 2 at 12pm, while another takes place in Youghal at Green Park on Saturday, June 3 at 12pm. Fermoy Town Park will also hold an open-air recital on Sunday, June 4 at 12pm.
With nearly 90% of tickets sold for this year’s festival, there are still a small number available, along with the concerts at Dromore Yard – featuring Ian Bostridge with Saskia Giorgini, Nadége Rochat and Judith Jáuregui, and Paula Murrihy with the Irish Baroque Orchestra and Peter Whelan. Tickets for the free openair recitals in Dungarvan, Lismore, Youghal and Fermoy should be booked in advance online at www.blackwatervalleyopera.ie or call the BVOF Box Office directly on 087 4079250.