Opera, Concerts and Candlelight – Limited Tickets Left for BVOF 2025

Only a handful of tickets remain for the Sunday night performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Lismore Castle, as Blackwater Valley Opera Festival prepares to welcome audiences from 27 May to 2 June.

With just weeks to go, tickets from just €20 (limited concession availability) are also selling fast for Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas on Tuesday 27 May and Thursday 29 May. This candlelit opera at St Carthage’s Cathedral features Irish mezzo soprano Paula Murrihy in the dual role of Dido and the Sorceress, alongside Dean Murphy, Kelli-Ann Masterson, and the Irish Baroque Orchestra conducted by Nicholas McGegan.

Now in its 15th anniversary year, Ireland’s Summer Opera Festival promises an unforgettable experience, combining world-class performances, education programmes, free community events, and accessible ticket options – all designed to make the festival more welcoming and inclusive. Free open-air recitals will also take place in Lismore, Dungarvan, Youghal and Castlemartyr – pre-booking is essential to guarantee your place. On Tuesday 27 May at 12 midday, the Festival Opening Ceremony will take place at Millennium Park, in the heart of Lismore. Later that evening at 6pm, audiences are invited to A Midsummer Night’s Dream: In Conversation with Dieter Kaegi, a free public event at Lismore Heritage Centre with BVOF Artistic Director and Co-Founder, offering insights into the season’s opera productions.

In addition to the mainstage operas, this year’s recital series offers rich musical storytelling at St Carthage’s Cathedral in Lismore. On Saturday 31 May, audiences can enjoy the Irish Salon Opera Series: The Tinker and the Fairy with Ami Hewitt, Rory Dunne and Fraiser Hickland, followed by the Irish Writers’ Series: George Bernard Shaw, with Gemma Ní Bhriain, Seán Tester, Barry McGovern, and Máire Carroll. On Sunday 1 June at 1pm, the RDS Collins Memorial Recital brings rising star Adam Buttimer (tuba) and Máire Carroll (piano) to St Carthage’s Cathedral, for a captivating programme in one of Waterford’s atmospheric venues.

That same afternoon, Dromore Yard hosts BBC New Generation Artist Niamh O’Sullivan and Gary Beecher in When Birds Do Sing, a lyrical programme previously performed at Wigmore Hall. The festival finale concert, Baroque Hits, will take place on Bank Holiday Monday 2 June, with Paula Murrihy and the Irish Baroque Orchestra with Nicholas McGegan, returning to Dromore Yard.

Concession ticket prices are available for selected events – visit www.blackwatervalleyopera.ie or call the Box Office on 087 407 9250 for further details.

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival continues to offer new ways to enjoy the festival, with lunchtime and supper recitals presented in partnership with local restaurants. With limited capacity and special menus for BVOF patrons at The Saucy Hen Villierstown, Barron’s Coffee House Cappoquin, The Vault Café Lismore, and Fuller’s Bistro Lismore, these events celebrate music and local hospitality in equal measure.

With over 100 performers appearing in 23 events across 12 unique venues, Blackwater Valley Opera Festival continues to push artistic boundaries through a thoughtfully curated programme of operas, concerts, recitals and cultural experiences. The festival is supported by grants from the Arts Council of Ireland, Waterford City & County Council, and Waterford Leader. Lead sponsors include AIB, Kildare Village, Marsh, and the John Pollard Foundation. Final tickets are now on sale – early booking is strongly recommended.