Click here for full cast and creative team details,

Critical Highlights

• ★★★★☆ The Times: “Nostalgic showgirls given the operatic treatment.”
• ★★★★☆ The Stage: “High-octane musical theatre.”
• ★★★★☆ The Irish Times: “A highly charged show with dazzling spectacle and musical virtuosity.”
• ★★★★★ The Reviews Hub: “This ambitious and boundless production from Northern Ireland Opera… distilling the spirit of Sondheim’s classic, both on stage and off. Catch it whilst you can – your future self will thank you for it.”
• ★★★★☆ Musical Theatre Review: ‘Northern Ireland Opera (NI Opera) is making a bit of a habit of mounting stellar productions of Stephen Sondheim’s work. ‘
• The Spectator: “Northern Ireland Opera have a hit.”
• GNI Magazine: ‘Bravo to all the cast and crew of NI Opera! Truly a spectacular show from start to finish.’
• Alan in Belfast: “A night of nostalgia, reflection, great music and brilliant performances.”
• Seen and Heard International: “Sondheim’s Follies is another triumph for Northern Ireland Opera.”

Audience Reactions

Audience responses matched the critical acclaim, with more than 91% rating Follies as excellent or good. Postcode data shows that 23% of bookers were new to the Grand Opera House, and around three-quarters of all bookers were new to NI Opera. Many audience members travelled from far and wide to attend with a significant number travelling to Northern Ireland specifically to see this production.

• “A triumph for Northern Ireland Opera — a world-class production right here at home.”
• “Overwhelmed by the production — couldn’t believe it was an NI production. Compliments all round.”
• “I was hugely impressed with the talent — the acting, the singing, the dancing, the sets, costumes, staging, and all aspects of the production. You wouldn’t see better on Broadway or in the West End.”
• “This has been the best production of Follies I’ve seen.”
• “Excellent production in every way. A thrilling evening with Mr Sondheim’s Follies — well done NI Opera for bringing this to the Opera House stage with such a great cast, director and choreographer.”
• “Best show I have ever seen in the Grand Opera House. The perfect blend of young and more experienced talent was superb.”
• “Every single thing about Follies was superb — the dancing, the quality of the singing, the production and set design, and the orchestra. Thank you NI Opera!”

Find out more on our event page for ‘Follies by clicking here.

Photo credits: Neil Harrison Photography

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This is the second time we have made this prestigious list, with ‘La Traviata’ also being chosen in 2022, both directed by Northern Ireland Opera’s Artistic Director, Cameron Menzies.

Thank you to everyone who brought this fabulous opera to life on stage at The Grand Opera House, Belfast , from our brilliant artists, creatives and technicians on and off stage, The Northern Ireland Opera Chorus, and the Orchestra of Northern Ireland Opera conducted by Dominic Limburg. Thank you also to our wonderful audiences with over 4000 people seeing the production across the four performances and our community dress rehearsal.

We are so proud to have been able to showcase the incredible talent we have here in Northern Ireland in this selection from across the whole of the UK this year. Thank you to our principal funder, The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, without whose support we would not be able to stage this major production and the Garfield Weston Foundation for their funding for our outreach work around this production.

Read the full feature here

Find out all about our production here.

The post ‘Tiny, ambitious Northern Ireland Opera punching far above its weight in Tchaikovsky’s perfect opera’ appeared first on N.I. Opera.

The Morning Melodies Club is designed for those who love live music, daytime performances, and the chance to experience more across the season.

Each performance takes place from 11am to midday and is performed by members of the Northern Ireland Opera artist development programmes and guest artists. They perform arias, songs, duets and ensembles from a range of repertoire, including opera, musical theatre and cabaret.

• 10 June, The Observatory, Grand Central Hotel, Belfast
• 1 July: The Observatory, Grand Central Hotel, Belfast
• 17 October: Brian Friel Theatre Belfast
• 18 November: Venue details coming soon

Christmas Morning Melodies Events

• 9 December, Ards Arts Centre, Newtownards, Christmas Morning Melodies
• 12 December: Custom House Belfast, Christmas Morning Melodies Sing-Along,

Club Membership – £80 
Members save across the season while enjoying a relaxed and sociable concert experience.

• Entry to four Morning Melodies events across the year plus one Christmas Morning Melodies event of your choice
• Invitations to two Exclusive Experiences around our Carmen production, outlined below.
• Reserved seating
• Advance information on upcoming events

Exclusive Experiences
As part of the 2026 season, Club members are invited to step behind the scenes of our mainstage production of Carmen:

• Open Rehearsal with the Director
  Wednesday 26 August, 11:30am – 1:00pm
  Join Director Cameron Menzies in the rehearsal room for a working session, followed by tea, coffee, and refreshments.
• Technical Rehearsal Access – Grand Opera House Belfast
  Tuesday 8 September, 2:00pm – 3:00pm
  Experience the scale of production as Carmen comes to life on stage.

Sign up to the club via this link and you’ll receive your tickets for all current events, with further tickets released to you as they go on sale.

More details about Morning Melodies can be found here.

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Bringing together Diva Opera’s internationally celebrated chamber opera company and incorporating members of the NI Opera Chorus, this production places audiences at the heart of the story. Set in 1890s Paris and staged with the greatest of detail, this intimate and up-close experience performed with a Steinway grand piano, allows La Bohème to unfold within the soaring Gothic interior of the Carlisle Memorial Church taking the audience into the Parisian garrets of the Bohemians.

Diva Opera, founded over thirty years ago to take opera beyond traditional theatres and into distinctive settings, has built an international reputation as Britain’s foremost chamber opera company. Touring widely across the UK and internationally, the company’s new production of La Bohème now comes to Belfast, for the first time, in partnership with Northern Ireland Opera.

The cast stars Northern Ireland’s well-loved soprano Mary McCabe (La Voix Humaine, Eugene Onegin) as Mimì, Robyn Lyn Evans as Rodolfo, Tereza Gevorgyan as Musetta and Jean-Kristof Bouton as Marcello. McCabe’s connection with Northern Ireland Opera dates to 2010, when she first worked with the company through its artist development programmes. Over the past decade she has grown artistically through NI Opera, culminating in her acclaimed mainstage debut as Tatyana in Eugene Onegin and tour-de-force solo performance of La Voix Humaine Most recently she performed La Contessa with Diva Opera in The Marriage of Figaro, making this collaboration a natural continuation of an enduring artistic relationship. NI Opera Artistic Director and Chief Executive Cameron Menzies directed for Diva Opera between 2014 and 2019.

For members of the NI Opera Chorus, the production represents a significant opportunity to perform staged repertoire alongside leading UK artists, further strengthening the company’s commitment to developing Northern Ireland-based singers with experience in paid, professional, high-calibre productions.

Northern Ireland Opera will present a week of activity at the Carlisle Memorial Church, making the most of its creative residency in the building:

• Morning Melodies: Wednesday 13 May at 11am, the company’s popular Morning Melodies series will take place in the venue, offering an informal daytime recital of small, famous opera ensembles in an intimate setting. Tickets £20 plus booking fee
• Creative Skills Talk: On Friday 15 May at 11am, audiences are invited to a talk with the Diva Opera Costume and Wigs Team, offering insight into the craft, design process and practical realities of period costuming for unconventional spaces. Tickets £10 plus booking fee
• La Bohème Saturday 16 May, 7pm, £62.50 plus booking fee, inclusive of interval reception with drinks and canapés
• All Events Ticket on sale now at £82.50 plus booking fee: includes La Bohème, Morning Melodies and the Creative Skills Talk.

This collaboration has been made possible through the generous support of the Laidlaw Opera Trust, whose grant directly enables the partnership between Diva Opera and NI Opera and supports the presentation of opera in innovative, accessible formats.

Northern Ireland Opera is principally funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

The production also marks a renewed collaboration with the Belfast Buildings Trust, custodians of the Carlisle Memorial Church. NI Opera previously worked with the Trust during the lockdown award-winning film project Old Friends and Other Days and staged a previous production of La Bohème at the venue in 2021 (Opera Now: ★★★★★ “This is opera at its finest”), continuing a shared commitment to bringing major cultural activity into one of Belfast’s most striking historic buildings.

Kate Roberts, CEO of Laidlaw Opera Trust comments: “We are delighted to support this collaboration between Northern Ireland Opera and Diva Opera which brings together outstanding artistry with a deep commitment to learning, collaboration, and professional development. The chance for members of the Northern Ireland Opera chorus to work alongside Diva Opera and ultimately to perform together in La Bohème is a powerful example of partnership at its best: generous, practical, and artist‑led. We are proud to support a project that offers such a rich and meaningful exchange for everyone involved.”

Anne Marabini Young, General Director and Founder of Diva Opera comments: ‘Diva Opera is thrilled to partner with NI Opera for a week filled with inspiring projects, culminating in the premiere of our new production of La Bohème, featuring the NI Opera chorus in Act 2. Our Music Director, Bryan Evans, eagerly anticipates coaching these singers as part of their artist development programme, offering them a unique and fantastic opportunity while allowing him to discover the emerging talents of Northern Ireland.’

Cameron Menzies, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of NI Opera said ‘The partnership with Diva Opera will provide an exceptional opportunity for our emerging artists to develop their performance skills and repertoire. Through my previous work and knowledge of Diva Opera I know that this will be a production of the highest quality. We are hugely grateful to the Laidlaw Opera Trust for supporting this collaboration and look forward to welcoming audiences to experience what will be an unforgettable evening.’

Tickets for La Bohème are £62.50 plus booking fee which includes an interval reception with drinks and canapés. The production will be performed in Italian with English surtitles.  

Northern Ireland Opera is grateful for the support of Diva Opera, The Laidlaw Opera Trust, Belfast Buildings Trust and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, their principal funder, in making this project possible.

Find out more about the production and book your tickets here.

The post An Exciting New Partnership as NI Opera and Diva Opera Transform Carlisle Memorial Church into the world of La Bohème appeared first on N.I. Opera.

Congratulations to our brilliant cast, creatives, orchestra, technical teams and everyone who was part of the production: we loved bringing it to the stage The Grand Opera House, Belfast – thank you to everyone who came to see it.

Huge thanks to our funders and supporters, especially our principal funder Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Find out more about this accolade via this link:
https://www.thestage.co.uk/features/top-50-shows-of-2025-around-the-uk

Find out more about our production of ‘Follies’ here.

The post ‘Follies’ selected by The Stage as one of the top 50 shows of 2025 around the UK appeared first on N.I. Opera.

If you would be like to be considered for an audition, please contact Matthew at info@niopera.com with your current CV and a headshot to register your interest.  Please also indicate if you are interested in singing small roles or cover roles with the company and what those might be.

The deadline to register your interest in auditioning is 5pm on 19 January 2026. Please note, applicants must be over 18 and domiciled in Northern Ireland.

For the auditions:

1. If you have previously been a member of the Chorus Development Programme and wish to audition for this year’s programme, please prepare a song, plus two arias. The arias should preferably be in French or Italian.
2. If you have not been part of the Chorus Development Programme in previous years, please prepare a song or alternatively an aria if you have one, ideally not in English. Songs from classic music theatre will be considered (this could include work by composers like Rodgers & Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, Rodgers & Hart but not jukebox musicals)

The Belfast location for the auditions will be announced in the new year. A repetiteur will be provided at the audition who will accompany you on the piano.

This opportunity is open to people of all genders, identities, abilities and ethnic backgrounds.

Find out more about our Artist Development Programmes here

The post Chorus Development Programme 2026 Auditions appeared first on N.I. Opera.

Being a member allows you to find out first about special offers and Morning Melodies events at Valentines Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas and more in 2026. We will launch the club in February but you can register now at info@niopera.com and we’ll be in touch with details in the new year – membership is free!

We look forward to seeing you in 2026.

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For the Broadway World UK/West End Awards VOTE HERE

‘Follies’ is nominated in these categories for Broadway World UK/West End Awards:

• Best Choreography of a New Production of a Play or Musical
• Best Costume Design of a New Production of a Play or Musical
• Best Direction of a New Production of a Musical
• Best Musical Direction of a New Production of a Play or Musical
• Best New Production of a Musical
• Best New Regional or Touring Production
• Best Set Design of a New Production of a Play or Musical

For the Broadway World Ireland Awards VOTE HERE

‘Follies’ is nominated in these categories for Broadway World Ireland Awards

• Best Costume Design Of A Play Or Musical
• Best Ensemble
• Best Lighting Design Of A Play Or Musical
• Best Performer In A Musical
• Best Scenic Design Of A Play Or Musical
• Best Sound Design Of A Play Or Musical
• Best Supporting Performer In A Musical

You can find out more about Follies by clicking here.

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Northern Ireland Opera was awarded funding for 2025 to 2026 by the National Lottery Community Fund ‘Awards for All’ to manage and develop the Hydebank Wood Women’s Choir as part of our extensive outreach and education programme.

Led by India Chapman-Webb since 2022, this choir has already achieved remarkable success and was highlighted in the November 2024 Inspection Report of Hydebank Women’s Prison by the Department of Justice as an example of notable positive practice:

”The choir fostered a sense of community for the women who took part and an opportunity to demonstrate their talents and abilities. They were able to practise together, perform solos and enter community competitions.”

The choir meets weekly and comprises female residents and staff from the Northern Ireland Prison Service. They perform at events in HMP Hydebank as well as entering local choir competitions where possible remotely, and previously won Best Adult Community Choir in November 2023 at the Holywood Music Festival Choir Award. We’re delighted to see them recognised again this year.

You can listen to India Chapman-Webb talking about the choir and their achievements in a recent interview on BBC Radio Ulster’s ‘Classical Connections’ here’

A huge thank you to the National Lottery Community Fund ‘Awards for All’ whose funding supports our work with the choir.

Find out more about the choir here.

The post Hydebank Wood Women’s Choir win at Holywood Music Festival appeared first on N.I. Opera.

Eugene Onégin, Grand Opera House, Belfast September 2024. Photos: Neil Harrison Photography

Members of the original NI Opera creative team will be remounting the production with a new Australian cast at His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth for West Australian Opera.

Our production of Eugene Onegin premiered at the Grand Opera House, Belfast in September 2024. This collaboration follows on from 2023’s hugely successful remount by West Australian Opera of Northern Ireland Opera’s award-winning production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into The Woods. The NI Opera production of Eugene Onegin was selected by The Observer as number 3 in their top ten best operas and classical concerts of 2024.

Chris van Tuinen, Artistic Director of West Australian Opera comments “It is a joy to bring Northern Ireland Opera’s acclaimed production of Eugene Onegin to Western Australian audiences for the first time. Cameron Menzies’ vision captures the elegance, passion, and tragedy of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece with remarkable depth and artistry. Following the success of Into the Woods in 2023, we are delighted to collaborate with Cameron & Northern Ireland Opera once again and share this beautifully realised work.”

Ciaran Scullion, Head of Music and Opera, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said, “Congratulations to Northern Ireland Opera on having their production of Eugene Onegin showcased in Australia by West Australian Opera. NI Opera are exemplary in presenting innovative, powerful productions and the Arts Council is hugely proud to see them recognized for their inspirational work, helping to put Northern Ireland on the map for all the right reasons.”

REVIEWS

• Plucky Northern Ireland Opera triumphs with elegant, homegrown Tchaikovsky – The Observer
• Energised Tchaikovksy from Northern Ireland Opera – an effective new staging at the Grand Opera House showcases local talent – The Times
• McCabe’s Tatyana is a tour de force, Yuriy Yurchuk an ideal Onegin – The Irish Times 
• NI Opera’s impressive production of Eugene Onégin in Belfast tears at the heartstrings – The Belfast Newsletter
• Northern Ireland Opera’s stylish production of Eugene Onégin is full of passion, beauty and longing, much like Tchaikovsky’s timeless score. – Theatre News
• Eugene Onegin is another triumph for Northern Ireland Opera – Seen and Heard International
• This was a splendid production. It worked on every level, and the audience loved it. – OperaWire

West Australian Opera’s production is now on sale – find out more in this link

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The evening will be hosted by NI Opera’s Patron, broadcaster Sean Rafferty and the audience will hear the finalists perform stunning arias, Irish art songs and ensemble pieces.  An opera jury panel will select the winner of the Deborah Voigt Opera Prize and the Song Prize and the audience will vote for the winner of the Kathryn Harries Audience Prize. Now in its 15^th year, this annual event is a celebration of some of the finest young opera voices on the island of Ireland.

The five finalists selected for 2025 are: Éadaoin Hassett (soprano), Aimee Kearney (soprano), Clare Quinn (soprano) and Jacq Herbots (tenor) with the Peter Rankin Piano Intern is Orlaith Sharkey.

L-R top row Éadaoin Hassett, Aimee Kearney, Clare Quinn L-R bottom row Jacq Herbots and pianist Orlaith Sharkey

The team who will coach the finalists includes opera specialist coaches Dr Ingrid Surgenor MBE and Professor Mark Wildman. They will work with the opera singers on their competition repertoire across the weekend in the build-up to the Competition Finale on Sunday 24^th August at 6.30pm in Glenarm’s Church of the Immaculate Conception.

Ciaran Scullion, Head of Music and Opera, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented: “Congratulations to all the performers who have made it through to the final stage of the 15th Glenarm Festival of Voice Competition. Opportunities like this can be a truly pivotal moment to learn and develop as a performer, alongside seasoned professionals, and we wish all four finalists the very best for the competition.”

The 15th Glenarm Festival of Voice also features three recitals with NI Opera’s festival partners, BBC Radio 3, which will be recorded in front of a live audience. This year’s recitalists are Northern Irish mezzo-soprano Carolyn Dobbin (8pm, 22nd August), baritone James Atkinson (8pm, 23rd August) and tenor Santiago Sanchez (1.30pm, 24^th August) and will take place in St Patrick’s Church, Glenarm. The pianist for all three recitals is Simon Lepper who has curated the repertoire on a theme this year of ‘Landscapes’. Audiences can apply for free tickets to attend the recitals via the BBC Shows and Tours website: the ticket draw is open between 18 and 28 July.

Mezzo Soprano Carolyn Dobbin will be performing an afternoon concert in the Coach House at Glenarm Castle with pianist Tristan Russcher on Saturday 23^rd August from 3-4pm, exploring songs from the Ulster Scots tradition including repertoire by Dorothy Parke, Havelock Nelson, Charles Wood and Hamilton Harty. Tickets are £10 and can be booked via the NI Opera website.

Founder of The Glenarm Festival of Voice, Glenarm Festival of Voice Jury Chair and Vice Chair of Northern Ireland Opera. Dame Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle DBE DStJ DDL comments: ‘The Festival of Voice in the beautiful coastal village of Glenarm is always very special. This year is no exception and it is wonderful that this year, for the first time, several young singers from the NI Opera Chorus Development programme will also benefit from voice coaching at the highest level.’

Ticket links and full information for all events can be found here: https://niopera.com/performances/the-15th-glenarm-festival-of-voice/

NI Opera are grateful for the support of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Mid and East Antrim Council, Glenarm Castle and the friends, donors and supporters of NI Opera.

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