Celebrating 15 Years in 2025

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival’s production of Verdi’s Macbeth – conducted by Killian Farrell, directed by Sarah Baxter and in artistic collaboration with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, was the headline event at Lismore Castle Waterford on 31 May, 2, 3 and 4 June 2023.

The first genuine masterpiece of Giuseppe Verdi’s career – and first of his three Shakespearean operas – Macbeth is a political thriller full of intrigues, murders, and passion. Verdi created this stunning musical portrait of opera’s most power-hungry couple with wonderful, unforgettable arias.

The BVOF 2023 production featured the legendary baritone Leonardo Galeazzi and baritone Vittorio Vitelli, alternating as Macbeth; Serenad Burcu Uyar as the fiendish Lady Macbeth, and world-renowned bass Gorán Jurich as Banco. The supporting cast included BVOF bursary winners John Porter and Rory Dunne; Emily Hogarty, Andrew Gavin and the Blackwater Valley Opera Chorus.

This spectacular arts and culture summer festival has developed its own distinctive voice within the opera world and live music circuit, bringing fresh vision and focus to Waterford tourism and Ireland’s Ancient East.

 

🎬 Video by Gansee Films

MACBETH CAST
Macbeth (31.05, 02.06, 04.06) – Leonardo Galeazzi
Macbeth (03.06) – Vittorio Vitelli
Lady Macbeth – Serenad Burcu Uyar
Banco – Goran Jurić
Macduff – John Porter
Malcolm – Andrew Gavin
Doctor | Servant – Rory Dunne
Lady in Waiting – Emily Hogarty
Herald | Messenger – Fionn Ó hAlmhain
Apparitions – Adam Cahill, Saoirse Casey McDonnell, Keelin Duggan,
Méabh Fenton, Emma Nathan, Áine Ní Fhoghlú, Síle Wall
Duncan – Philip McCloskey
Chorus – Blackwater Valley Opera Valley Festival Chorus
Sopranos & Mezzos – Aimee Banks, Anna Barry, Caroline Behan, Lucy Campbell, Áine Cassidy, Eilis Dexter, Emma Hils, Emily Hogarty, Laura Konrad, Sarah Luttrell, Hailey-Rose Lynch, Bláthnaid Nicholson, Clíodhna Regan, Anastasia Sereda
Tenors & Basses – Adam Cahill, Connor Campbell, David Corr, Keith Kearns, Boyu Liu, Rory Lynch, Patrick McGinley, Oisin Ó Dálaigh,
Fionn Ó hAlmhain, Stephen Walker

ORCHESTRAL – Irish Chamber Orchestra
Violin 1 – Nicola Sweeney (Leader), Emily Nenniger | Kenneth Rice | Cliodhna Ryan | Maria Ryan
Violin 2 – André Swanepoel | Oonagh Keogh | Louis Roden | Anna Mitchell
Viola – Joachim Roewer | Mark Coates Smith | Cian Ó Dúill
Cello – Aoife Nic Athlaoich | Richard Angell
Double Bass – Malachy Robinson
Harp – Richard Allen
Flute – Emma Roche | Kieran Moynihan
Oboe – Peter Facer | Matthew Draper
Clarinet – Hugo Lau | Neyire Ashworth
Bassoon – Íde Ní Chonaill | Éanna Monaghan
Horn – Liam Duffy | Henry Wright
Trumpet – Colm Byrne | Erick Castillo
Trombone – Michael Marshall | Ross Lyness | Paul Frost
Timpani – Jonathan Raper
Percussion – Richard O’Donnell

CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor – Killian Farrell
Director – Sarah Baxter
Set & Costume Design – Francis O’Connor
Lighting Design – Eamon Fox
Assistant Conductor – Karen Ní Bhroin
Wigs, Hair & Make-up – Maeve Readman
Costume Supervisor – Frances White
Festival Repetiteur – Frasier Hickland
Chorus Director – Bernie Sherlock
Chorus Repetiteur – Mairéad Hurley | Pawel Waleski

CREATIVE PARTNERS
Irish Chamber Orchestra
Chief Executive Officer – Gerard Keenan
Deputy CEO / Operations Manager – Cathriona Murphy
Marketing & Communications Manager – Charlotte Eglinton
Marketing Manager – Michelle Buckley

🎬Video by Gansee Films

ORFEO ed EURIDICE CAST

Orfeo – Meili Li

Euridice – Aoife Gibney

Amor – Kelli-Ann Masterson

Chorus – Blackwater Valley Opera Festival

Sopranos – Hannah Barrett | Tara McDermott | Blathnaid Nicholson

Mezzos – Clíodhna Regan | Fidelma Kelly

Tenors – Keith Matthews | Oisín Ó Dálaigh | Stephen Walker

Basses – Eoin Foran | David Mulhall | Fionn Ó hAlmhain

Dancers – Salma Ataya | Vitor Bassi | Justine Cooper | Mia DiChiaro | Jonathan Mitchell | Alex O’Neill | Donking Rongavilla | Rosie Stebbing Gatekeepers – Mya Morrissey | Daria Falcaru

ORCHESTRAL

Orchestra – Irish Baroque Orchestra Violin 1 – Claire Duff | Nicola Cleary | Leonie Curtin Violin 2 – Silvia Schweinberger | Rachael Masterson Viola – Elitsa Bogdanova | Martha Campbell Cello – Norah O’Leary | Alina Mayer-Whitla Double Bass – Alex Felle Flute – Elisabeth Vogel | Dora Ombodi Oboe – Alexandra Bellamy | Hilary Stock Horn – Patrick Broderick | Kate Goldsmith Trumpet – Nicholas Emmerson Timpani | Richard O’Donnell Harp – Siobhan Armstrong

CREATIVE TEAM

Artistic Director – Dieter Kaegi Conductor – Peter Whelan Director & Choreographer – David Bolger Set & Costume Design – Maree Kearns Lighting Design – Eamon Fox Wigs, Hair & MakeUp – Maeve Readman Chorus Director | Repetiteur – Mairead Hurley

CREATIVE PARTNERS

CoisCéim Dance Theatre CEO – Bridget Webster | GM – Sarah Latty | Irish Baroque Orchestra CEO – Aliye Cornish Moore | Orchestral Manager – Doireann Kelly

Following a year with no festival due to COVID-19 restrictions, Blackwater Valley Opera Festival presented Puccini’s comedic opera Gianni Schicchi in 2021.

Highlights from the 2021 recitals and concerts programme included two sold out performances of Anthony Kearns Gala Concert – A Tribute to Count John McCormack and a series of Bursary Recitals, with award winners from the BVOF Bursary, RDS Collins Memorial Award and Irish Heritage Bursary performing over the course of the festival.

Along with the opera, concerts and recitals, a number of outreach initiatives were developed for the 2021 festival. BVOF partnered with Music Generation to develop a new ‘Discover Opera Trail’ for local primary schools. The festival also included a number of Covid Care Concerts in partnership with the Mobile Music Machine, bringing classical music to care homes across the country. Another first for the 2021 festival was BVOF Open Air – a series of free open air lunchtime recitals bringing a taster of the festival to Waterford and Cork.

CAST:

Gianni Schicchi – Leonardo Galeazzi
Lauretta – Solen Mainguené
La Ciesca – Gemma Ní Bhriain
Rinuccio – John Porter
Gherardo – James Nelson
Nella – Sandra Oman
Gherardino – Darragh O’Connor / Senan Reade
Betto di Signa – Rory Dunne
Simone – John Molloy
Marco – Rory Musgrave
Zita – Bríd Ní Ghruagáin
Maestro Spinellocciom – Jakob Mahase
Ser Amantio di Nicolao – Fionn Ó hAlmhain
Pinellino – David Mulhall
Guccio – Tim Mays
Maid – Naho Koizumi

CREATIVE TEAM:
Artistic Director – Dieter Kaegi
Direcor, Set & Costume Design – Pierre- Emmanuel Rousseau
Conductor – Darren Hargan

Festival Director: Eamonn Carroll

In 2019 Blackwater Valley Opera Festival celebrated its 10th anniversary with a memorable production of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale at Lismore Castle. The story of Don Pasquale revolves around a classic comedic premise: a young couple in love schemes to thwart the inappropriate plans of a pompous old man, who wants to marry the girl himself. What makes the opera notable within this familiar genre is its emphasis on genuine human emotion. Donizetti’s score is graceful and effervescent, as one would expect from this master of melody, but adds an additional level of sophistication to match the comic (yet insightful) proceedings.

Highlights from the Recitals and Concerts Programme included Giovanni Bellucci’s candlelit piano concert with music by Liszt at Dromore Yard.

CAST:
Don Pasquale – Michele Govi
Ernesto – Manuel Nuñez Camelino
Malatesta – Emmett O’Hanlon
Norina – Aoife Gibney

CREATIVE TEAM:
Artistic Director – Dieter Kaegi
Conductor – Darren Hargan
Director – Pierre-Emmanuel Rousseau
Sets and Costumes – Slawek Narwid

Festival Director: Eamonn Carroll

Building on the legacy of the Lismore Opera Festival the rebrand in 2018 to The Blackwater Valley Opera Festival came as a result of the expansion of the festival programme to a larger number of venues for recitals along The Blackwater in this most idyllic part of Ireland’s Ancient East. The opera also extended for a third night with an opening Gala Night on Wednesday with the magnificent Lismore Castle again playing host to these well received performances.
Artistic Director, Dieter Kaegi, programmed Rossini’s tale of intrigue, comedic mischance, and the triumph of love – and of strong women! L’Italiana in Algeri was premiered in Venice in 1813, and has been delighting audiences for more than 200 years.
Fusing sustained energy, with elegant melodies, the opera tells the tale of Elvira and Isabella, who must together make a plan to ensure that love will conquer all.

CAST:
Mustafa – Leonardo Galeazzi
Isabelle – Rachel Kelly
Lindoro – Javier Abreu
Elvira – Rachel Croash
Taddeo – Rory Musgrave
Zulma – Sandra Oman
Haly – Rory Dunne

CREATIVE TEAM:
Artistic Director – Dieter Kaegi
Conductor – Marco Zambelli
Director – Pierre Emmanuel Rousseau
Sets and Costumes – Slawek Narwid

Festival Director: Gemma Tipton

 

The festival presented a new production Donizetti’s much loved comic opera, L’Elisir D’Amore, directed by Dieter Kaegi in the stunning surroundings of Lismore Castle stables and Gardens over two nights.

CAST – L’ELISIR D’AMORE
Anthony Kearns – Nemorino (Tenor)
Majella Cullagh – Adina (Soprano)
Damon Nestor Ploumis – Dr. Dulcamara (Bass)
Sandra Oman – Giannetta (Soprano)
Rory Musgrave – Belcore (Baritone)

LOF CHORUS comprising 12 students from (DIT, RIAM and Cork School of Music)

LOF CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Director – Dieter Kaegi
Producer / Festival Manager – Jennifer O’Connell
Conductor – Marco Zambelli
Set Designer – Martin Boylan
Hair and Make up –  Maeve Readman
Costumes – Slawek Narwid

The festival presented the  production of Cosi fan Tutte in the familiar and beautiful surroundings of Lismore Castle’s gardens and stables, accompanied by LOF Chamber Orchestra and sung in Italian and  English. The recitatives, with the text often updated to include contemporary references, were given in English, the arias in the original language.  The stable setting was the inspiration for this year’s updating of the opera which was considered a real coup de théâtre by Michael Dervan in the Irish Times.

Don Alfonso, Damon Nestor Ploumis, Bass
Guglielmo, Gavan Ring, Bass
Dorabella, Michelle Daly, Mezzo-Soprano
Fiordiligi, Rachel Croash, Soprano
Despina, Sandra Oman, Soprano
Ferrando, Nicholas Ransley, Tenor

 

Lismore Opera Festival Chamber Orchestra
Reduced orchestration provided by Pocket Publications.
Conducted by Killian Farrell

Leader: Kenneth Rice.
Violin: Marian Power.
Viola: Niamh Roache.
Cello: Michelle Mason.
Double Bass: David Wickla.
Flute: Mairead English.
Oboe: Jenny Magee.
Clarinet: Ronan O Sullivan.
Bassoon: Sinead Frost.
French Horn: Liam Daly.

Jennifer O’Connell – Producer / Festival Manager
Dieter Kaegi – Artistic Director
Aidan Wallace – Production Manager
Benny Lynch – Sound
Richard O‘Neill – Lighting
Des Fitzsimons – Sets construction
Slwavek Narwid – Costumes
Meave Readmann – Wigs, Hair & makeup
Mary O’Connell – Wardrobe Mistress