News & Updates

More than 5,500 Visitors Attend Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Largest Programme to Date Blackwater Valley Opera Festival has concluded its 2026 season following its most ambitious programme to date, attracting more than 5,500 visitors to 24 events at 13 venues, for...

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival opened in sunshine on Tuesday (26 May), with more than 5,500 visitors expected to Waterford and East Cork for a week of opera, music, culture and dining across some of Ireland’s most historic and distinctive settings. Running until 1...

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival was delighted to welcome primary and secondary school students, alongside local community groups, to a special dress rehearsal of Mozart's Don Giovanni at Lismore Castle on Monday 25 May. The annual initiative forms an important part...

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival has introduced a new annual volunteer recognition award acknowledging the significant contribution volunteers make to the festival. Sponsored by Castleacre Insurance, the inaugural BVOF Castleacre Volunteer Recognition Award was...

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival has announced tenor Cathal McCabe as the 2026 recipient of the Bríd Phelan Emerging Talent Award, revealed at a special event at Kildare Village, the festival’s official fashion retail sponsor. The announcement took place during a live...

Week one of rehearsals for Don Giovanni is complete at Wesley House. The company moved quickly from read-through into rehearsals. A first look at the set design and early costume presentation 👀 - no reveals here just yet. Directed by Tom Creed, with costume design by...

A new partnership between Curraghmore Whiskey and Blackwater Valley Opera Festival brings together two established Waterford brands with shared values, craft, heritage and long-term investment in place. Founded on over 850 years of heritage, Curraghmore Whiskey is a...

Tickets are moving quickly for Blackwater Valley Opera Festival (BVOF) which takes place in Waterford and East Cork from 26 May to 1 June 2026, with several key events already sold out.  Ireland’s Summer Opera Festival will present 24 performances in 13 historic...

Following its Dublin premiere at the Samuel Beckett Theatre in Trinity College Dublin, When Forests Sing, a wordless, co-creative opera led by Cork composer and sound artist Karen Power, will be presented at Blackwater Valley Opera Festival this May. Bringing together...

Primary schools across Waterford and East Cork are invited to apply for Discover Opera and Discover Singing, the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival education programme delivered in partnership with Music Generation Waterford. Building on more than a decade of music...

Be among the first to book for Festival 2026 - priority booking for Friends of BVOF is now open. Friends can log in to their accounts to secure advance access to every event in the 2026 season. Next year’s programme features Don Giovanni at Lismore Castle, Acis and...

Become a Friend of BVOF and help keep opera, music, and education thriving across the Blackwater Valley and beyond. As we prepare for our 2026 season (26 May – 1 June), featuring Mozart’s Don Giovanni as the headline opera, join us in shaping the next chapter of the...

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival established its annual €10,000 bursary award in 2020 to recognise outstanding promise in Irish classical music. The award was created through the support of a private benefactor. We extend our sincere thanks to Conor and Mareta Doyle...

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival is proud to be part of the inaugural Charity Black Tie Gala Dinner on Wednesday 12 November 2025 at Tulfarris Hotel and Golf Resort - an evening in support of Russborough House & Park and the Alfred Beit Foundation. This special...

The 2025 BVOF Bursary Award recital at Tourin House in Waterford, celebrated soprano Aimee Kearney and pianist Georgina Cassidy, recipients of this year’s bursary awards. After the recital, Conor Doyle spoke on behalf of Conor and Mareta Doyle, whose continued...

Over 5,000 Attend Blackwater Valley Opera Festival in Unforgettable Celebration of Irish and European Talent Blackwater Valley Opera Festival wrapped up its most ambitious festival to date, attracting more than 5,000 people to a packed seven-day programme of opera,...

Over 5,500 Visitors Expected to Attend Blackwater Valley Opera Festival In just two weeks, the magic of live opera will once again sweep through the Blackwater Valley, marking the highly anticipated return of Blackwater Valley Opera Festival. From 27th May to 2nd...

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival has announced two new recipients of its 2025 Bursary Awards, presented in support of emerging operatic talent. Following the recent award to soprano Eva Kavanagh, this year's bursaries have also been granted to soprano Aimee Kearney...