Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Names Tenor Cathal McCabe as 2026 Bríd Phelan Emerging Talent Award Recipient

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival has announced Dublin tenor Cathal McCabe as the 2026 recipient of the Bríd Phelan Emerging Talent Award. The accolade was revealed at a live performance event at Kildare Village, the festival’s official fashion retail sponsor and longest-standing partner. Established in 2025, the annual bursary awards €6,000 to one emerging Irish opera singer each year through 2029, {…}

Nov 4, 2025

In Less Than Five Minutes, Get To Know Irish Soprano Ami Hewitt

{…}

Jun 28, 2025

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival 2025 Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

(Photo: Frances Marshall) Even the rain that poured down for almost the entire performance did little to dampen the audience’s enthusiasm for the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival’s headline event, Benjamin Britten’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” that took place in Lismore Castle grounds. Although the seating area was protected by a canopy, it could not stop the chilled air from blowing {…}

May 4, 2025

Eva Kavanaugh Named First-Ever Recipient of Blackwater Valley Opera Festival ‘s Bríd Phelan Emerging Talent Award

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival has announced that soprano Eva Kavanaugh will be its first-ever recipient of the Bríd Phelan Emerging Talent Award. The award, which is supported by Kildare Village, includes a €6,000 bursary and will be presented at a special performance at Kildare Village. “Kildare Village is honoured to partner with Blackwater Valley Opera Festival over the past eight {…}

May 14, 2024

Q & A: Mezzo-Soprano Sharon Carty on Her Role at the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival and Her Recent CD Releases

(Photo: Frances Marshall) With Ireland’s Blackwater Valley Opera Festival about to get underway, OperaWire thought it would be a good opportunity to catch up with mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty, who will be playing the role of Sesto in the festival’s headline presentation, Handel’s “Giulio Cesare.” 2024 is proving to be a busy year for Carty. She has had a full calendar, {…}

Oct 29, 2023

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Announces 2024 Season

The Blackwater Valley Opera Festival has announced its 2024 season. Ireland’s Summer Opera Festival will return from May 26 through June 3, 2024. Handel’s “Giulio Cesare“ will headline the season at the Lismore Castle, Co. Waterford. The Irish Baroque Orchestra and the BVOF Chorus will be conducted by Nicholas McGegan and will star Ingeborg Bröcheler, Anna Devin, Nils Wanderer, Patricia {…}

Dec 9, 2022

In Less Than Five Minutes, Get To Know – Soprano Kelli-Ann Masterson

(Photo: Patrick Redmond) Soprano Kelli-Ann Masterson continues to notch up wonderful reviews for her performances across Ireland with Irish National Opera, Opera Collective Ireland, Blackwater Valley Festival and Wexford Festival Opera. At present, she is on tour with Irish National Opera wowing audiences with her Norina in the company’s riotous “Don Pasquale” OperaWire: What was the first opera you saw? {…}

Jul 17, 2022

Q & A: Soprano Kelli-Ann Masterson On Making An Opera Career In Ireland

(Photo: Patrick Browne) Opera in Ireland has recently been going through a boom time. Whereas only a few years ago, Irish singers were being forced to look abroad to establish a career, owing to the lack of opportunities at home, now, with the emergence of Opera Collective Ireland, the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival, and, most significantly, Irish National Opera, along {…}

Jun 7, 2019

Blackwater Valley Festival Opera 2019 Review: The Sleeping Queen

During his lifetime the Irish composer, William Balfe, was considered to be the most important opera composer in the United Kingdom (Ireland at the time was still part of the UK), responsible for at least 28 titles, alongside many other vocal and instrumental works. With the possible exception of “The Bohemian Girl,” his operas have now been largely forgotten. The {…}

blackwater valley festival opera