Tickets are selling quickly for the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival
REPRO FREE: Ami Hewitt and the Piccolo Lasso Choir perform at the finale of Blackwater Valley Opera Festival’s headline opera A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Benjamin Britten. Conducted by David Brophy, directed by Patrick Mason, and featuring the Irish Chamber Orchestra, it was staged on the grounds of Lismore Castle, Co. Waterford. For more see www.blackwatervalleyopera.ie Photo: Matt Brooker
Ireland’s summer opera festival will present 24 performances in 13 historic venues throughout the Blackwater Valley, taking place across Waterford and East Cork from 26 May to 1 June 2026, bringing opera and classical music to castles, churches, cathedrals and country houses. This year’s flagship opera, Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, will be staged in the grounds of Lismore Castle and is already close to selling out, with limited tickets remaining for the final performance on the June bank holiday Monday. The production features a predominantly Irish cast with the Irish Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Peter Whelan and directed by Tom Creed.
Also featured is Acis and Galatea by George Frideric Handel, performed at St Carthage’s Cathedral with soloists Jade Phoenix, Dean Power, Edward Grint and Patrick Hyland. Projection and specially designed lighting will enhance the cathedral setting. The festival’s recital and chamber music programme will take place in historic venues including Ballynatray House, Villierstown Church, Salterbridge House, Tourin House, and Woodhouse Estate. At Dromore Yard, performances will take place beside the River Blackwater with artists including Niamh O’Sullivan, Finghin Collins, Dearbhla Collins, Magdalene Ho, Pierre Génisson and Elias David Moncado.
The programme also includes When Forests Sing, a wordless opera bringing together musicians with disabilities and emerging artists, featuring members of the Open Youth Orchestra of Ireland and students from the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Free Open Air Lunchtime Recitals will return to Dungarvan, Lismore, Youghal, and Castlemartyr, offering relaxed performances for all ages.
The festival expects to welcome more than 5,000 visitors and will support 10 artists with €50,000 in bursaries, while continuing its educational outreach to students across the region. Advance booking is now open, with many performances expected to sell out in advance. www.blackwatervalleyopera.ie
