Cork Opera House has announced its sophomore cohort of Cara O’Sullivan Associate Artists and its full Autumn/Winter Opera Season.
Mezzo-soprano Niamh O’Sullivan, soprano Kelli-Ann Masterson, tenor Dean Power, and bass-baritone Rory Dunne are among the brightest lights in Irish Opera today and will form the next quartet of Cara O’Sullivan Associate Artists from September 2023 to September 2025.
These performers will make their debut as Associate Artists at a special, free-to-attend Opera Gala, held in association with Irish National Opera on Tuesday, September 12. This Cork Opera House and Irish National Opera Gala will be free of charge to the public – a gift to the city, in Cara O’Sullivan’s name – and will feature the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra, conducted by INO Artistic Director, Fergus Shiel. The programme will feature many beloved arias and opera favourites such as the famous trio ‘Soave sia il vento’ from Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Nemorino’s wonderfully pensive aria ‘Una furtiva lagrima’ from L’Elisir d’amore by Donizetti, Dvořák’s ‘Song to the Moon’ and the exquisite ‘Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix’ by Saint-Saëns.
The Cara O’Sullivan Associate Artists will next perform a semi-staged and abridged production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute at Cork Opera House on Tuesday, October 10, 2023. All four will also feature in a semi-staged and abridged production of Peter Brook’s La Tragédie de Carmen, a rearrangement of Bizet’s score for a chamber ensemble, on Valentine’s Day, Wednesday February 14, 2024. The Cara O’Sullivan Associate Artists project is the brainchild of Cork Opera House CEO, Eibhlín Gleeson, who worked closely with the late soprano on many projects at the venue.
She said: “We are so excited to work once again with a cohort of such exceptionally talented performers. Through this programme at Cork Opera House, these artists will be allowed to develop their craft in a structured and safe way, allowing them to feature as leading artists in prominent productions. This Associate Artist Programme was established in 2021 in Cara O’Sullivan’s name to celebrate her incredible contribution to Opera in Cork, and to shine a light on the key role she played in supporting her fellow singers. We are delighted and honoured to welcome these incredible singers to be in residence at Cork Opera House in Cara’s name”
As Cara O’Sullivan Associated Artists, each performer will perform solo recitals at Cork Opera House throughout 2023-2025. Details of the times of the concerts will be available shortly at corkoperahouse.ie. Dean Power will perform the first of these solo recitals on Culture Night, September 22. These performances will be free to attend, but spaces will be limited and will be available to book through the Cork Opera House website and Box Office.
For further information / images / interviews please contact michael@corkoperahouse.ie
