Recital Performances

This year, we continue our pop-up programme of free lunchtime festival recitals. This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy some highlights of the classical and operatic repertoire in a less formal way.

We present these recitals as an opportunity to enjoy a flavour of the festival with some beautiful music, to outdoor settings around the Blackwater Valley. To celebrate our 2023 festival, we have continued to offer our free BVOF Open Air Lunchtime Recitals across both Cork and Waterford counties – into Youghal, Fermoy, Lismore and Dungarvan.

Attendance is free of charge however pre-booking is essential and required in advance.  

The BVOF Open Air Lunchtime Recitals are kindly supported by both Cork County Council and Waterford City and County Council.

DATES & TIMES:

LISMORE: Millennium Park – Tuesday 30 May at 1pm 

DUNGARVAN: Walton Park – Friday 2 June at 12 noon 

YOUGHAL: Green Park – Saturday 3 June at 12 noon 

FERMOY: Town Park – Sunday 4 June at 12 noon 

Artists from the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Chorus will step on stage for the first time at St Mary’s Collegiate Church Youghal.  Nestled within the protective arms of Youghal Town Walls in the Raleigh Quarter, this large medieval parish church can claim to be the oldest church in Ireland with continuous worship since the 13^th century.

Some of Ireland’s most talented emerging voices will appear at this atmospheric and stunning venue, performing arias, duets, and ensembles from some of the world’s best-loved operas.

 

DATES & TIME:  Tuesday 30 May at 7pm

VENUE: St. Mary’s Collegiate Church, Youghal

ARTISTS: Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Chorus

TICKET PRICES: €25 / €10 Concessions. Unallocated seating. (Ticket price excludes €3.50 booking fee per order)

 

 

Artists from the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Chorus will return to Villierstown Church for this popular event as part of the 2023 festival.

An attractive landmark in the West Waterford village, the church was built in 1748 and is now a thriving, arts, entertainment, and community venue.

Some of Ireland’s most talented emerging voices will appear at this stunning venue, performing arias, duets, and ensembles from some of the world’s best-loved operas. Full programme details to be announced.

Limited concession tickets available for senior citizens, full-time students, unwaged and disabled visitors. Maximum 2 tickets per customer account. Proof of eligibility required. T&Cs apply.

LUNCHTIME RECITAL PACKAGE – THE SAUCY HEN VILLIERSTOWN. LIMITED AVAILABILITY:  2 COURSE LUNCH MENU AT 12PM AND RECITAL AT 1PM – €30 PER PERSON.

DATE & TIME: Thursday 1 June at 1.00pm

VENUE: Villierstown Church, Ballingowan West

ARTISTS: Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Chorus

TICKET PRICES: €25 / €10 Concessions. Unallocated seating. (Ticket price excludes €3.50 booking fee per order)

TICKET PRICES: Lunchtime Recital Package €30 p.p. (Recital + 2 Course Lunch).  (Ticket price excludes €3.50 booking fee per order)

 

 

Music around Shakespeare, folk tales, and fairy tales.

This enchanting recital will feature music around Shakespeare, folk tales, and fairy tales from composers such as Brahms, Prokofiev, John F. Larchet, Mendelssohn and more;  performed by BVOF Bursary winner  flautist Amy Gillen, and accompanied by Frasier Hickland on piano. 

The performance will take place in the delightful surrounds of Tourin House and gardens, just outside Cappoquin. The main house at Tourin was built in 1840 by renowned Dublin architect Abraham Denny, who designed other distinguished and public buildings in County Waterford. Tourin Gardens extend over five acres, and includes a walled garden, vibrant flower collections, rare and mature trees, woodland path walks to Tourin Quay and a pond with wild duck and other wildlife.  Overlooking the River Blackwater, the original 16^th century Tower House still stands and can be seen from the garden.

DATE & TIME: Thursday 1 June at 4pm

VENUE: Tourin House, Cappoquin

ARTISTS: Amy Gillen – flute | Frasier Hickland – piano

TICKET PRICES: €25 (Ticket price excludes €3.50 booking fee per order)

 

 

In 2017, Irish Heritage and BVOF established a collaboration to enhance the benefits of the former’s annual Music Bursary with the inauguration of the Irish Heritage Award. The recipients of this award are the winner and runner-up of the Irish Heritage Bursary auditions.

Details of the 2023 winners will be announced in February 2023. This award is made possible by the generous support of Michael and Gianni Alen-Buckley.

LUNCHTIME RECITAL PACKAGE – BARRON’S COFFEEHOUSE CAPPOQUIN. 2 COURSE LUNCH MENU AT 12PM AND RECITAL AT 1PM – €30 PER PERSON. (SOLD OUT)

DATE & TIME: Friday 2 June at 1pm

VENUE: Salterbridge House, Cappoquin

ARTISTS: To be confirmed

TICKET PRICES: €25 (Ticket price excludes €3.50 booking fee per order)

TICKET PRICES: Lunchtime Recital Package €30 p.p. (Recital + 2 Course Lunch).  (Ticket price excludes €3.50 booking fee per order) 

 

A theme of myth, mystery, and magic echoing Verdi’s Macbeth opera production at BVOF 2023, delivered by this year’s winners of the BVOF and RIAM Next Generation Bursary Award.

A native of Minnesota, soprano Abigail LaDuke earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Concordia College and started her master’s studies at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in 2022. Deeply interested in many forms of art music, she takes great pride in researching and sharing new and unfamiliar pieces with audiences.  Ella Nagy is an 1848 scholar at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. She enjoys playing both solo and chamber music and is particularly interested in contemporary and baroque music. She has previously appeared as a soloist with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and has given many solo and ensemble performances in Ireland, Hungary, and in the United States of America.

DATE & TIME: Friday 2 June at 4pm

VENUE: Salterbridge House, Cappoquin

ARTISTS: Abigail LaDuke – soprano | Ella Nagy – piano

TICKET PRICES: €25 (Ticket price excludes €3.50 booking fee per order)
 

 

The RDS Collins Memorial Recital is a performance award exclusively for past RDS Music Bursary winners.

Created in 2017 thanks to the support of Michael and Loret O’Brien, the RDS Collins Memorial Performance Award is in association with the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival.

The winner of the award is selected by Artistic Director Dieter Kaegi and given an important performance opportunity as part of the festival.

A core part of our mission at Blackwater Valley Opera Festival is to provide a platform for exceptionally talented young musicians, and the RDS Collins Memorial Recital is at the heart of that aim.

This year, we welcome soprano Megan O’Neill to perform in the RDS Collins Memorial Recital, accompanied by Mairéad Hurley on piano.

Limited concession tickets available for senior citizens, full-time students, unwaged and disabled visitors. Maximum 2 tickets per customer account. Proof of eligibility required. T&Cs apply.

LUNCHTIME RECITAL PACKAGE – FULLER’S BISTRO, LISMORE. LIMITED AVAILABILITY:  RECITAL AT 12PM AND 2 COURSE LUNCH MENU AT 1PM – €30 PER PERSON.

DATE & TIME: Saturday 3 June at 12pm

VENUE: St Carthage’s Cathedral, Lismore

ARTISTS: Megan O’Neill – soprano | Mairead Hurley – piano

TICKET PRICES: €25 / Limited Free Concession Tickets (Ticket price excludes €3.50 booking fee per order)

TICKET PRICES: Lunchtime Recital Package €30 p.p. (Recital + 2 Course Lunch).  (Ticket price excludes €3.50 booking fee per order)

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival is delighted to partner with the Princess Grace Irish Library in the principality of Monaco, and the Royal Irish Academy of Music for this unique cultural event, honouring Ireland’s literary history.

Hear selected texts of William Butler Yeats: poet, dramatist, writer – one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature and one of the founders of Dublin’s Abbey Theatre.

A fusion of poetry and music, delivered by some of Ireland’s brightest and most outstanding young musicians from the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco – under the aegis of the Fondation Princesse Grace.

Limited concession tickets available for senior citizens, full-time students, unwaged and disabled visitors. Maximum 2 tickets per customer account. Proof of eligibility required. T&Cs apply.

DATE & TIME: Saturday 3 June at 4pm

VENUE: St Carthage’s Cathedral, Lismore

TICKET PRICES: €25 / Limited Free Concession Tickets

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​Tales of adventure, mystery, romance and magic are present in all cultures in a myriad of forms. We are constantly fascinated and enchanted by myths and legends as well as fairy tales and tall tales. ​​​​Through a magical recital of arias, folk songs, and lieder, we invite you on a journey of music inspired by stories, young and old: performed by soprano Kelli-Ann Masterson, and accompanied on piano by Mairéad Hurley. Venue to be announced.

DATE & TIME: Sunday 4 June at 12pm

VENUE: Lismore Theatre, Lismore Heritage Centre

ARTISTS: Kelli-Ann Masterson – soprano | Mairéad Hurley – piano

TICKET PRICES: €25. Unallocated seating (Ticket price excludes €3.50 booking fee per order)

TICKET PRICES: Lunchtime Recital Package €45 p.p. (Recital + 2 Course Lunch).  (Ticket price excludes €3.50 booking fee per order)

 

Liedtreffen, or “Song-Meeting”, is a unique musical encounter between the German and Irish art-song traditions, with music ranging from Franz Schubert to Seóirse Bodley and poetry from Thomas Moore to Goethe. Exploring the confluence between German and Irish culture and heritage, this programme features German-born, Irish-settled composer Aloys Fleischmann’s stunning Irish language song-cycle, Trí hAmhráin, at its centre.

Irish baritone Owen Gilhooly-Miles, graduate of the Royal College of Music and National Opera Studio, will be performing songs by Stanford, Roeder, Mendelssohn and Beethoven.  Irish soprano Amy Ní Fhearraigh is an alumna of the Irish National Opera Studio 2018-19 and is currently based in Hannover, Germany.

Pianist Niall Kinsella has fast established himself as one of Ireland’s most exciting and sought-after accompanists and art-song specialists – described by BBC Music Magazine as “a meticulous collaborator”.

DATE & TIME: Monday 5 June at 4pm

ARTISTS: Niall Kinsella – piano/Klavier | Amy Ní Fhearraigh – soprano | Owen Gilhooly-Miles – baritone

VENUE: The Walled Garden, Woodhouse Estate, Stradbally, Co Waterford

PRICE: €25 (Ticket price excludes €3.50 booking fee per order)