ACCESS ALL ARIAS IN VALLEY OPERA FESTIVAL
The Blackwater Valley Opera Festival returns for seven magical days from May 31 to June 6. Highlights include the headline opera Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice with the Irish Baroque Orchestra and CoisCéim Dance Theatre and a new ‘Discover Singing’ programme. There will also be concerts in Dromore Yard, a James Joyce spoken recital, dance and orchestral collaborations, free openair lunchtime performances across Waterford and Cork, topped off with wonderful food.
This year’s festival, which attracts more than 3,000 people to Waterford and the Blackwater Valley region each year, is an even bigger celebration of opera, classical music, and the arts than ever before.
Selected as the flagship festival for Waterford in 2022, it is the only event of its kind making opera and classical music accessible to all. Artistic director Dieter Kaegi has developed a creative and imaginative programme for the festival’s 13th season. The event will showcase Irish and international artists at locations including Lismore Castle, Salterbridge House, St Carthage’s Cathedral, Villierstown Church and Tourin House along the beautiful Blackwater Valley.
Orfeo ed Euridice will run for four evening performances from June 1 – 5 at Lismore Castle, the heart of the festival. Gluck’s opera, first performed in Vienna in 1762, is a love story is based on the myth of Orpheus, a demigod with a talent for music. Directed by David Bolger and conducted by Peter Whelan, the cast features Wexford soprano KelliAnn Masterson, Meili Li, and Irish lyric-coloratura soprano Aoife
Gibney.
The opera will feature collaborations with the acclaimed Irish Baroque Orchestra, and dancers from CoisCéim Dance Theatre, alongside the festival chorus.
Other 2022 programme highlights include concerts at the breath-taking Dromore Yard, featuring Maurice Steger and
Friends: with Daniele Caminiti and Mauro Valli; and pianist Giovanni Bellucci. The Irish Baroque Orchestra will be conducted under the artistic direction of Peter Whelan, together with the acclaimed Nuria Rial and Juan Sancho. There will be four free open-air lunchtime recitals in Lismore, Youghal, Dungarvan and Fermoy. Advance booking is necessary.
New for 2022, is a ‘Discover Singing’ programme, in conjunction with Music Generation Waterford, for local primary schools. This is in addition to the ‘Discover Opera’ education programme trail for schools and the free opera dress rehearsal production for second-level school groups on May 31 at 8pm.
Festival dining includes preopera formal dinner options and gourmet picnics in the grounds of Lismore Castle by Eunice Power as well as Sunday Lunch or a Festival Finale Feast at Dromore Yard by chef Colin Hennessy. Wines and champagne are available at opera performances (pre-booking required).
The festival and the Royal
Irish Academy of Music have a new music prize to support two masters students each year at Ireland’s National Music Conservatoire.
The largest bursary of its kind in Ireland, the Next Generation Awards will select one vocal studies student and one instrumental student to receive €20,000 each.
■ Festival Tickets are available for purchase through the online booking system at blackwatervalleyoperafestival.com