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Welcome!

What's On!

September

NI Opera presents 'Follies' at The Grand Opera House, Belfast

April

Music for Good Friday with The Ulster Orchestra

April

Music and Theatre Skills Easter Scheme for 9-11 year olds

June

La Voix Humaine tours to Cork in June 2025

June

Morning Melodies at The Studio, Grand Opera House, Belfast

August

Applications to enter the vocal competition at The 15th Glenarm Festival of Voice are now open

Past Productions

Explore our past productions, from 2010 to 2024

Discover Opera

Discover

Discover Opera

Find out all about our recent production of 'Eugene Onégin' at the Grand Opera House, Belfast

Eugene Onégin

NI Opera Studio

The Juniper Tree

'The Juniper Tree' is based on a famous Grimm's fairytale, in which a jealous stepmother murders…

Main Stage

Tosca

Northern Ireland Opera returns in 2023 with Puccini’s ‘Tosca’, after our critically acclaimed and sold-out production…

New Work

Nobody/Somebody

'Nobody/Somebody' is an exciting and powerful new opera created by composer Neil Martin and playwright Fionnuala…

Musical

Into The Woods

BEST PRODUCTION, THE IRISH TIMES IRISH THEATRE AWARDS 2022 In a whirlwind quest to make their…

WHAT'S ON

WHAT'S ON

What's On

Check out our calendar guide to what's coming up in the next few months.

Click here to see our Calendar of Events

Concert

Music for Good Friday

The Northern Ireland Opera Chorus and soloists will be performing with The Ulster Orchestra in their…

Special Event

La Voix Humaine

Northern Ireland Opera's production of 'La Voix Humaine' will be staged at The Everyman, Cork in…

Concert

Morning Melodies

*********** SOLD OUT *********************** 11 June: Northern Ireland Opera & The Grand Opera House Present Morning…

Main Stage

Follies

Northern Ireland Opera’s next major production at the Grand Opera House is ‘Follies’, winner of 7…

WHAT WE DO

What We Do

WHAT WE DO

We are Northern Ireland's award-winning national opera company, an arts charity dedicated to the highest standards of opera performance, development of young talent and community outreach and education. Find out more about our productions since our foundation in 2010 via the link.

What We Do

Artist Development

Chorus Development Programme Our Chorus Development Programme launched in 2022, following open auditions to select local…

Past Productions

Outreach

Northern Ireland Opera bring innovative new productions of the highest artistic quality to the stage, reflecting…

The Glenarm Festival of Voice

The festival features public recitals and events, including three concerts in partnership with and broadcast by…

News

16th April 2025

Northern Ireland Opera News

Laura Salt, our General Manager who joined the company in 2022, has decided to resign from NI Opera at the end of April.   The Company wants to thank Laura for her commitment to NI Opera, her…

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Northern Ireland Opera News
3rd April 2025

Niall McKeever joins the creative team for NI Opera’s new production of Follies.

Northern Ireland Opera is delighted to announce Set Designer Niall McKeever as the latest member of the creative team who will be bringing Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman’s Follies to the Grand…

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Niall McKeever joins the creative team for NI Opera’s new production of Follies.
28th March 2025

Renowned Musical Director Greg Arrowsmith joins the ‘Follies’ creative team

Northern Ireland Opera are delighted to announce Greg Arrowsmith as the Musical Director for our new production of Follies. This year he will conduct his 21st West End production in a…

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Renowned Musical Director Greg Arrowsmith joins the ‘Follies’ creative team
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SUPPORT US

Support

Find out more about how you can help us create more opera and more opportunities for our artists in Northern Ireland. Become part of our story, whether as an individual, a sponsor, a corporate partner or by joining The Friends of Northern Ireland Opera.

More Details

Connect With Us

Our ever-popular 'Morning Melodies' event is back in the @gohbelfast Studio in June with a theme of 'The Golden Age of Musicals.' This event sold out very quickly after going on sale back in December, but if you are lucky enough to have a ticket, we're delighted to introduce the artists who will be performing for you. L to R in the image: Anna Violet @annaviolett.2 Petra Wells @petrawells_soprano Laura Shaw @laura.shaww Michael Curran Dorsano @michaelcurrandorsano Chris Kane @_chriskane and pianist Stuart Pedlar will perform an hour long selection of some of the best-loved songs from the golden age of musicals, directed by @cameronmenziesdirector. Find out more via the linktree in the bio - and look out for our next Morning Melodies event coming later this year. #morningconcert #morningmusic #musicaltheatre #june #whatsoninjune #goldenageofmusicaltheatre #singers #northernireland #localtalent @artscouncilni @ourbelfastmusic
What a fantastic night we had performing with the Ulster Orchestra in the Ulster Hall. Thank you to the NI Opera Chorus, our four soloists @marymccabesoprano @jennybourkemezzo, @euanmcdonaldtenor and @seamus_brady8, to the @ulsterorchestra, conductor Christoph Altstaedt and to @jamesgrossmith and @frasierhickland who have worked so hard with all our artists during our rehearsal period over the last few months. We are so proud of all our artists - thank you to everyone who has been involved in preparing for this performance, and to the audience who came out to experience Haydn's magnificent work with us. You can find out all about the NI Opera Chorus here: https://niopera.com/ni-opera-chorus/ We wish you all a very Happy Easter! @artscouncilni @cameronmenziesdirector #operachorus #artistdevelopment #northernireland #Belfast #haydn
We're excited to be taking 'La Voix Humaine' to @theeverymancork in less than two months time! This incredible one-woman, one-act French opera will be performed by @marymccabesoprano - Tatyana in our production of Eugene Onegin last autumn - with @davidquigleypianist, directed by @cameronmenziesdirector It's a great opportunity to see this famous and powerful work which has inspired so many other artists and works: the opera is based on a play of the same name written by Jean Cocteau, who also directed the first opera performance in 1959. This work also inspired Almodovar's famous 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.' We watch a woman receive a phone call from her lover and eavesdrop as over the course of 50 minutes, her life unravels as he tells her he is in love with someone else and ends their relationship. Her mood moves from tenderness to neediness and anguish, brilliantly expressed by Poulenc’s music. It’s a powerful, emotional work, with a perspective seen from just one side of a relationship that is ending in real time and the anguish and pain that brings. We feel for ‘Elle’ and go through all the emotions with her as her life falls apart in an intense but universal story of heartbreak and loss. Sung in French with English surtitles. Image: @neilharrisonphotography Wigs and Make-Up: @nualacampbell Gown: @lindabritten Location: @hillsboroughcastle @ArtsCouncilNI #Poulenc #Cork #CorkinJune #oneactopera #onewomanopera #Cocteau #EverymanCork #heartbreak #breakup #womenonthevergeofanervousbreakdown
A look back at some of our activities during our Music and Theatre Skills week in October in East Belfast. This popular week-long event exploring some of the skills we use to bring a show to the stage returns from 21 to 25 April in St John's Parish Hall, Falls Road. Children aged 9-11 can attend workshops with theatre and music professionals between 10 and 3pm each day, led by our Community Outreach Coordinator, @bobbiraipurdy. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are provided and the week long event is free to attend. Places are limited, so if you'd like to book a place, contact community@niopera.com soon! Find more information about the week via the linktree in the bio. With thanks to our Principal Funder @artscouncilni and to @westonfdn and the Foyle Foundation whose support makes our outreach and education programmes possible. #EasterEvents #holidayscheme #westbelfast #fallsroad #whatoninbelfast #whatson4kids #easterholidayfun #theatreskills #musicskills
Tonight on Classical Connections @bbcradioulster listen to @jennybourke_mezzo and @seamus_brady8 with @michellebairdmusic talking to @johnnytoal1 about our upcoming collaboration with @ulsterorchestra in Haydn's 'The Seven Last Words of Christ' at The Ulster Hall @waterfront_ulster_hall on Good Friday. Jenny and Seamus will perform this powerful, contemplative work as soloists with @marymccabesoprano @euanmcdonaldtenor, and the NI Opera Chorus. Tickets available now from The Ulster Hall - more info via the linktree in our bio. @artscouncilni @ourbelfastmusic #Haydn #sevenlastwords #classical concerts #easter #whatson #goodfriday #belfastevents #easterinbelfast #operachorus #operaconcert
Find out all about our brilliant Set Designer for 'Follies', @niallmckeeverdesign on our news page via the linktree in the bio. Niall has worked with NI Opera on our opera productions over the last few years in @gohbelfast including La Traviata, Tosca and Eugene Onégin. He was nominated for Best Set Design at The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards for his work on our production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's 'Into The Woods' at The Lyric Theatre in 2022. His upcoming projects include Making History (Everyman Theatre, Cork); The Brightening Air (The Old Vic). We are delighted to be working with him again on our brand new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's 'Follies' this September. Tickets are on sale now via our website @gohbelfast. @artscouncilni @cameronmenziesdirector #Follies #Sondheim #WhatsOn #MusicalTheatre #Musicals #MusicTheatre #theatre #setdesign #theatrecareers
Touring to @theeverymancork in Cork on 5 June, NI Opera's production of ‘La Voix Humaine’ is a highly charged one-act, one-woman opera based on a play of the same name written by Jean Cocteau, who directed the first production in 1959. We watch a woman receive a phone call from her lover and eavesdrop as over the course of 50 minutes, her life unravels as he tells her he is in love with someone else and ends their relationship. Her mood moves from tenderness to neediness and anguish, brilliantly expressed by Poulenc’s music. It’s a powerful, emotional work, with a perspective seen from just one side of a relationship that is ending in real time and the anguish and pain that brings. We feel for ‘Elle’ and go through all the emotions with her as her life falls apart in an intense but universal story of heartbreak and loss. Cocteau’s monologue also inspired other artworks including Almodovar’s famous film ‘Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown’. NI Opera's production is performed by @marymccabesoprano and @davidquigleypianist , directed by @cameronmenziesdirector with Wigs and Make Up Design by @nualacampbell 'McCabe was impressive across the whole span of her tonal register, producing thrilling high notes and rich colours from the bottom of the register.' Seen and Heard International. Find out more in the link in the bio - and book your tickets soon! Photo Credit @neilharrisonphotography #Cork #JuneEvents #WhatsOn #LaVoixHumaine #Poulenc #Cocteau #FrenchOpera #operainCork #summerevents #operatour
A look back at some of the Competition Finales at our annual Glenarm Festival of Voice, now in its 15th year. Also, a reminder that applications are open for The 15th Glenarm Festival of Voice vocal competition. The deadline is 6pm on Friday 23rd May 2025. If you were born on the island of Ireland are 18 to 28, studying voice at third level or pursuing a career in opera then you are eligible to apply - find out more via the link in the bio. There is also an opportunity for classical pianists aged 18 to 28 and born on the island of Ireland to apply for the Peter Rankin Internship: full details also via the link in the bio. We can't wait to be back in the beautiful village of Glenarm for the festival this year which will take place from 22-24 August. We will be announcing information about the BBC Radio 3 recitals in the next month or so too, plus further events during the festival weekend. @artscouncilni @meaboroughcouncil #glenarm #midandeastantrim #antrimcoast #glenarmfestivalofvoice #operacompetition #operafestival #operaperformance #artsong #opera #northernireland