Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition

06/07/2024

🎟️*Sold out!* 🎟️
Introducing our fabulous ensemble for our sold out concert tomorrow 7th July- Summer Festival of Opera in Killruddery House & Gardens! ✨☀️🎶 We can’t wait to welcome audiences back for our second concert in this beautiful setting, for a programme of solos and ensembles from all the best loved operas! 🥂👏

Ava Dodd soprano
Eva Kavanagh, soprano
Gina Oberoi, mezzo-soprano
Conor Prendiville, tenor
Seán Boylan, baritone
David Kennedy, baritone
Accompanied by Dearbhla Collins, pianist

📅 3pm Sunday 7 July
📍 Killruddery House and Gardens , Bray, Co Wicklow
🎟️ SOLD OUT - To be added to our waiting list please contact [email protected]

Eva Kavanagh Gina Oberoi-Engela
Conor Prendiville David Kennedy Dearbhla Collins Royal Irish Academy of Music Irish National Opera Patrick Hyde Maire Ledwith Dun Laoghaire Choral Society

01/07/2024

Applications now open! 🎉🎶🎉

Applications are open for the 11th Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition, taking place January 23-28, 2025 at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, Ireland

Our distinguished jury for 2025 will be chaired by Sir Thomas Allen. The rounds will be hosted by the National Concert Hall, Dublin, with the National Symphony Orchestra performing at the final on the 28th January led by guest conductor Wyn Davies

All information on rules, dates, prizes and jury members are listed on our website ➡️vdiscompetition.com (🔗 in bio) with further information to follow. Please get in touch with any queries about your application.


Dearbhla Collins Journal of Music Events The Ireland Funds Marshall Light Studio Royal Irish Academy of Music TU Dublin Conservatoire MTU Cork School of Music Wiener Staatsoper Opera Holland Park LA OPERA Teatr Wielki - Opera Narodowa Irish National Opera Wexford Festival Opera Glyndebourne Met Opera Education The Juilliard School Academy of Vocal Arts National Opera Studio Bayerische Staatsoper Mascarade Opera Teatro alla Scala Royal College of Music 국립오페라단 Korea National Opera

29/06/2024

Recognise this Orangery?🤩 Come see it in person tomorrow for VDISC Summer Festival of Opera. We’re not the only group who are lucky to be hosted at the stunning Killruddery House and Gardens, Netflix used it this year as a main filming location for ‘Irish Wish’🍿🎥

Join us for Summer Festival of Opera tomorrow or on Sunday 7th July feat. Lindsay Lohan!

📅 3pm on Sundays 30 June & 7 July
📍 House & Gardens, Bray, Co Wicklow
🎟️ Book via Eventbrite 👉 🔗 https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/summer-festival-of-opera-tickets-895477957677?aff=oddtdtcreator

Or email [email protected]

27/06/2024

Mezzo-soprano Heather Sammon will be joining us this Sunday! ✨🎶 A reminder to grab your tickets with just a couple of days to go 🎟️

Heather will be joining us in place of Anna-Helena Maclachlan, who we wish a speedy recovery back to full voice.

Heather Sammon is a Mezzo-Soprano from Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare. She completed her undergraduate degree from Maynooth University and continued her part-time studies in both Royal Irish Academy of Music and TU Dublin Conservatoire. Heather has been a member of Irish National Opera's resident Company Chorus since 2022.
Last year, Heather took part in Celebrating the Voice masterclasses with Mezzo-Soprano’s Tara Erraught and Angela Brower. She was a finalist in the Glenarm Festival of Voice 2022 and Birr Festival of Music Trench Award 2023. She has sung as a soloist with University College Dublin Choral Society, Our Lady’s Choral Society and Wexford Festival Singers

Don’t miss a fabulous programme of arias and ensembles from the best loved operas on 30th June in Killruddery, book now!

📅 3pm on Sundays 30 June & 7 July
📍 Killruddery House and Gardens, Bray, Co Wicklow

🎟️ Book via Eventbrite 👉 🔗 https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/summer-festival-of-opera-tickets-895477957677?aff=oddtdtcreator

Or email [email protected]

23/06/2024

Our fabulous ensemble for next Sunday 30th June, Summer Festival of Opera in Killruddery House & Gardens! ✨☀️🎶 Our programme for this not to be missed afternoon concert promises all your opera and operetta favourites, ranging from the pathos of Puccini and the athletics of Handel and Offenbach coloratura, to the popular Pirates of Penzance and ever faithful Merry Widow! 🥂👏

Eimear Harper, soprano
Anastasia Sereda, soprano
Anna Helena Maclachlan, mezzo-soprano
Cathal McCabe, tenor
Matt Mannion, baritone
Accompanied by Mairéad Hurley, pianist

Just one week to go before our first concert, grab the remaining tickets now!

📅 3pm on Sundays 30 June & 7 July
📍 House & Gardens, Bray, Co Wicklow

🎟️ Book via Eventbrite 👉 🔗
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/summer-festival-of-opera-tickets-895477957677?aff=oddtdtcreator

Or email [email protected]

Eiméar Harper Anna-Helena Maclachlan Mezzo-Soprano Sereda Soprano Matt Mannion - Bass Baritone Mairéad Hurley Cathal McCabe Killruddery House and Gardens Royal Irish Academy of Music Goethe Choir - Dublin Dun Laoghaire Choral Society Bray Choral Society Irish National Opera The Journal of Music RTÉ lyric fm Liz Nolan lizlyricfm Sinead Wylde Dearbhla Collins

22/06/2024

And introducing our final fabulous singer for Sunday 30th June, bass-baritone Matthew Mannion! ✨🎶 A reminder to grab your tickets with just over a week to go 🎟️

Matt Mannion - Bass Baritone is a Masters’ graduate of the Royal Irish Academy of Music where he studied under the tutelage of Owen Gilhooly-Miles and Dearbhla Collins. In his 23-24 season Matthew made his Swiss debut with Nouvel Opera Fribourg as the Chasseur in Guillaume Tell, performed as a member of the Company Chorus with Irish National Opera, and sang as a soloist with the Wexford Festival Singers, The Guinness Choir, Dublin City Choral Union and Goethe Choir - Dublin. Upcoming performances next season include a new opera with the Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival, and the role of the Usher in Irish National Opera’s Rigoletto.

Don’t miss a fabulous programme of arias and ensembles from the best loved operas on 30th June in Killruddery, book now!

📅 3pm on Sundays 30 June & 7 July
📍 Killruddery House and Gardens, Bray, Co Wicklow

🎟️ Book via Eventbrite 👉 🔗
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/summer-festival-of-opera-tickets-895477957677?aff=oddtdtcreator

Or email [email protected]

21/06/2024

Introducing Cathal McCabe, our fabulous tenor for Sunday 30th June✨🎶 A reminder to grab your tickets with just over a week to go 🎟️

Cathal McCabe is a tenor from Dublin. He obtained a first-class honours from the TU Dublin Conservatoire of Music and Drama. He recently won the Song Prize at the Northern Ireland Opera Glenarm Festival of Voice. He has won multiple awards at the Feis Ceoil, including the John McCormack Cup, the Dermot Troy Cup, and the Count John McCormack Recital Medal.

Don’t miss a fabulous programme of arias and ensembles from the best loved operas on 30th June in Killruddery, book now!

📅 3pm on Sundays 30 June & 7 July
📍 Killruddery House and Gardens, Bray, Co Wicklow

🎟️ Book via Eventbrite 👉 🔗 https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/summer-festival-of-opera-tickets-895477957677?aff=oddtdtcreator

Or email [email protected]

Cathal McCabe Dearbhla Collins Patrick Hyland Tenor Maire Ledwith Catriona Pender Dun Laoghaire Choral Society Goethe Choir - Dublin Bray Choral Society Birr Festival of Music

19/06/2024

Mezzo-soprano Anna-Helena Maclachlan will return from her studies in London to join us on Sunday 30th June for ‘Summer Festival of Opera’ in Killruddery House 🤩✨🎶 A reminder to grab your tickets with less than two weeks to go 🎟️

Anna-Helena Maclachlan is a mezzo-soprano from Westmeath. She is currently studying on the Royal Academy Opera course at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Anna-Helena studies with Susan Waters and Ingrid Surgeoner. She previously studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music with Mary Brennan and Grainne Dunne. She is a recipient of the 2024 Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Bursary.

Don’t miss a fabulous programme of arias and ensembles from the best loved operas on 30th June in Killruddery, book now!

📅 3pm on Sundays 30 June & 7 July
📍 House & Gardens, Bray, Co Wicklow

🎟️ Book via Eventbrite 👉 🔗 https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/summer-festival-of-opera-tickets-895477957677?aff=oddtdtcreator

Or email [email protected]



Anna-Helena Maclachlan Mezzo-Soprano Dearbhla Collins Killruddery House and Gardens Royal Irish Academy of Music Royal Academy of Music Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Maire Ledwith Patrick Hyland Tenor Catriona Pender Dun Laoghaire Choral Society Goethe Choir - Dublin Journal of Music Events Bray Choral Society Wicklow County Arts Office Wicklow County Council Library Service

18/06/2024

Introducing soprano Anastasia Sereda, another of our performers for ‘Summer Festival of Opera’ on Sunday 30th July! 🤩✨🎶 A reminder to grab your tickets with less than two weeks to go 🎟️

Anastasia is a soprano from Natick, Massachusetts, where she studied for many years with mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Wallace. She came to Ireland to complete her Masters of Music at the Royal Irish Academy of Music with Mary Brennan, David Adams, and the late Grainne Dunne. Anastasia has performed with RIAM Opera and Blackwater Valley Opera Festival, and has sung for the Bohemian Music Society, the Lassus Scholars and Dublin City Choral Union as a soloist. She has been a finalist multiple times in the Irené Sandford Competition for Singers and won multiple awards in the Newpark Festival of Singing.

Join us on 30th July to hear Anastasia singing alongside fabulous colleagues, with a wonderful programme of arias and ensembles from the best loved operas. Book now!

📅 3pm on Sundays 30 June & 7 July
📍 House & Gardens, Bray, Co Wicklow

🎟️ Book via Eventbrite 👉 🔗 in bio
Or email [email protected]

17/06/2024

With less than two weeks until our first 'Summer Festival of Opera' concert in Killruddery, introducing the first of our performers for Sunday 30th July! 🤩✨🎶

Eiméar Harper is a coloratura soprano from Co. Wicklow. She recently graduated from TU Dublin Conservatoire with a Master of Music in Performance. Eiméar made her operatic debut in the role of Gretel in Lyric Opera Ireland's production of 'Hansel and Gretel', and she also performed the role of Mary Crawford in the Irish Premiere of Dove’s 'Mansfield Park'. Eiméar was recently awarded the Gervase Elwes Memorial Cup at Feis Ceoil 2024. She looks forward to giving a lunchtime recital at Boyle Arts Festival in July.

Join us on 30th July to hear Eiméar singing alongside fabulous colleagues, with a wonderful programme of arias and ensembles from the best loved operas. Book now!

📅 3pm on Sundays 30 June & 7 July
📍 House & Gardens, Bray, Co Wicklow

🎟️ Book via Eventbrite 👉 🔗https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/summer-festival-of-opera-tickets-895477957677?aff=oddtdtcreator

Or email [email protected]

12/05/2024

Friends of the Vocal Arts are delighted to once again host our annual Summer Festival of Opera, at The Orangery in Killruddery House for 2024 on Sundays June 30 and July 7 at 3pm.

Join us for our two summer opera concerts, where you can enjoy a wonderful programme of arias and ensembles from your favourite operas performed by some of Ireland’s finest young singers in the magical surroundings of Killruddery House.

📅 3pm on Sundays 30 June & 7 July
📍 Killruddery House & Gardens, Bray, Co Wicklow
🎟️ 👉 https://www.vdiscompetition.com/events/

We look forward to welcoming the following singers:
Sunday 30th June
Eiméar Harper , Sereda, Anna-Helena Maclachlan Mezzo-Soprano, McCabe, Matt Mannion - Bass Baritone, accompanied by Mairéad Hurley.

Sunday 7th July
Ava Dodd , Eva Kavanagh, Gina Oberoi-Engela, Conor Prendiville, David Kennedy, accompanied by Dearbhla Collins.



Killruddery House and Gardens Patrick Hyland Tenor Marcia Weldon Marshall Light Studio Catriona Pender Maire Ledwith Griffith College RTÉ lyric fm Sinead Wylde Hinch Distillery Birr Festival of Music Royal Irish Academy of Music The Journal of Music Wexford Festival Opera Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Cork Operatic Society MTU Cork School of Music

05/03/2024

Sincere thanks to all our guests who joined us last week in support of the 2024 Gala Dinner for Opera Lovers in the beautiful surrounds of King's Inns🥂✨🙏 This annual black-tie fundraiser provides key support to funding the International Competition and our ongoing work in support of young singers🎶

Thank you to our sponsors Hinch Distillery for attending and for donating the after dinner whiskey, to Kieran Tobin for donating the after dinner port, to PIANOS PLUS, to the entire team at Kings Inns for hosting and looking after us so well, and to all our generous supporters of this event.

Patrick Hyland Tenor Marcia Weldon Maire Ledwith Catriona Pender Marshall Light Studio RTÉ lyric fm Journal of Music Events Irish National Opera Catherine Martin T.D. Griffith College Angela Canavan Corr

04/03/2024

Thank you to Rachel Croash Soprano, Patrick Hyland Tenor and Mairéad Hurley, piano, for making last week's VDISC 2024 Gala Dinner such a memorable evening! 👏🎶✨

For our annual black-tie fundraiser in the beautiful surrounds of Kings Inns, our guests were treated to a fabulous programme of operatic favourites. Huge thanks to this incredible trio for their performances! 💕🎶

Thanks to PIANOS PLUS and 📷 David Conroy.

Marcia Weldon Marshall Light Studio Catriona Pender Maire Ledwith RTÉ lyric fm Irish Arts Council Dearbhla Collins Irish National Opera Birr Festival of Music Journal of Music Events

04/03/2024

Bravi tutti! A fabulous concert yesterday for the Limerick Classical Concert Series hosted by University Concert Hall 👏🎶✨

Rachel Croash Soprano, mezzo Aebh Kelly, tenor Aaron Godfrey-Mayes and baritone Owen Gilhooly-Miles treated us to a stunning afternoon programme accompanied by pianists Dearbhla Collins and Mairéad Hurley, and we were delighted to be joined by the one and only Liz Nolan lizlyricfm to present. Thank you to Rachel for joining us in place of Mairead Buicke, to who we wish a speedy recovery!

Huge thanks to Sinead Hope and the entire team at UCH for hosting us, and to such a lovely Limerick audience for their warm welcome!

Marcia Weldon Patrick Hyland Tenor Maire Ledwith RTÉ lyric fm Journal of Music Events Birr Festival of Music Irish National Opera

28/02/2024

Tomorrow is the day! ✨ We can't wait for this fabulous trio to join us tomorrow evening for our Gala Dinner for Opera Lovers 2024 ❤️🎶✨

Rachel Croash soprano, Patrick Hyland tenor and Mairead Hurley piano will treat our guests to a wonderful programme of operatic favourites as part of our annual black-tie VDISC fundraiser. A truly sumptuous way to celebrate the leap year, guests will enjoy wine reception, dinner and operatic performances in the beautiful surrounds of Kings Inns, Dublin 7🥂👗🎩

Dearbhla Collins Marcia Weldon Griffith College RTÉ lyric fm Journal of Music Events Catriona Pender Maire Ledwith Marshall Light Studio Aidan Gaughan Judy Gaughan
instagram

16/01/2024

Our Gala Dinner for Opera Lovers is back! Celebrate the leap year in style by joining us on this special date, Thursday 29th February, at Kings Inns, Dublin ❤️🎵❤️🎵

Enjoy a wine reception, dinner and entertainment from the fabulous Rachel Croash Soprano, Patrick Hyland Tenor, and Mairéad Hurley, piano🎵

Tickets now available at vdiscompetition.com 🎟️

17/12/2023

We wish to thank our esteemed panel who adjudicated for the Veronica Dunne Bursary for Young Irish Singers 2023:

Deirdre Grier-Delaney, Vocal Tutor.

Suzanne Murphy, Vocal Tutor at Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Director/ Vocal Consultant at Opera Collective Ireland.

Colman Pearce- Conductor, pianist & composer. Former Principal Conductor RTE National Symphony Orchestra.

Huge thanks for all your efforts for the Bursary!

📸 Patrick Hyland/

Maire Ledwith Marcia Weldon The Journal of Music Patrick Hyland Tenor RTÉ lyric fm TU Dublin Operatic Society Royal Irish Academy of Music

16/12/2023

Has it really been a week? Our ten incredible finalists in action last Saturday's Veronica Dunne Bursary for Young Irish Singers✨☘️🏆

📸

12/12/2023

The Veronica Dunne Bursary for Young Irish Singers 2023 concluded on Saturday night, with ten finalists competing for the €15,000 bursary ✨☘️🏆 Thank you to all First and Second Round competitors, to our esteemed jury, répétiteurs Mairéad Hurley and Aoife O'Sullivan, our VDISC Team and Committee, our audience & supporters, Leinster School of Music & Drama, PIANOS PLUS, Marshall Light Studio, and to our hosts Griffith College for the wonderful auditorium space.

Sincere thanks also to a very generous anonymous donor, who donated an extra €5,000 to our bursary fund on the day of the final!🙏

Congratulations again to all our finalists and prize winners:
Louisa Stirland, Hannah O'Brien and Ami Hewitt who each received a €3,000 bursary award.
Dylan Rooney, Aimee Kearney and Stephen Walker who each received a €2,000 bursary award.

📸

RTÉ lyric fm Liz Nolan lizlyricfm The Journal of Music Royal Irish Academy of Music Patrick Hyland Tenor Maire Ledwith Irish Times Culture Marcia Weldon Aidan Gaughan

24/11/2023

Ticket are now on sale for the 2023 Veronica Dunne Bursary for Young Irish Singers! 🎶🎟️

Short-listed applicants will perform across two rounds for our esteemed jury at the Auditorium, Griffith College, Dublin in competition for the €10,000 bursary fund. Schedule and ticketing information below. Book yours now!

SCHEDULE⏰
Friday 8th December: First Round
11AM - 1PM Morning Session
2:30PM - 6PM Afternoon Session
Tickets €10/ €5 Students per session

Saturday 9th December: Second Round
7PM Bursary Final
Tickets €20 / €5 Students

Tickets available via the following:
🔗 Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.ie/o/friends-of-the-vocal-arts-in-assoc-with-vdisc-28091399889
✉️ Email [email protected]
🚪 Tickets also available on the door (card only)

01/11/2023

The Veronica Dunne Bursary for Young Irish Singers which was launched in 2020 is returning! Irish
opera singers can apply for funding and mentorship to the Veronica Dunne Bursary. The aim of this bursary is to assist young singers to develop their talents so they can flourish in their professional careers.

The bursary fund is €10,000 and will be distributed at the discretion of the jury.
Applications to the bursary are invited from Irish singers, born on or after February 1st 1992, who
live in Ireland or abroad, and singers of any nationality who are resident or studying in Ireland.

Singers are asked, in the first instance, to submit an online application, comprising a recent video
recording of two arias and a CV showing relevant training or experience. Applications to be made on https://www.vdiscompetition.com/bursary/ to arrive no later than Friday November 24th at 11.59pm.

25/10/2023

The Friends of the Vocal Arts is delighted to announce the second Veronica Dunne Bursary for Young Irish Singers on the 8th and 9th December 2023. Applications will open on the 1st November.

24/09/2023

Thank you to everyone who attended last night's "Opera at Kylemore Abbey" concert. A special thank you to Kylemore Abbey and all of their staff for making us so welcome. Thank you to Mairead Buicke, Patrick Hyland Tenor, Dearbhla Collins Pianist and Mairead Hurley Pianist for a wonderful concert. 😊🎼

Photos:

03/07/2023

A massive thank you to everyone who came to our Summer Festival of Opera concerts at the Orangerie 🎉🎉

Thank you to our incredible performers, to the team at Killruddery, and to all of our sponsors without whom this wouldn't be possible. A special thank you to our lead sponsors and to for the beautiful piano.

See you all again soon!

28/06/2023

Come and hear the amazing Baritone Owen Gilhooly Miles this Sunday at 3pm in Killruddery 🎶🙂

Ticket link in bio:

Irish baritone Owen Gilhooly-Miles is a graduate of the Royal College of Music and National Opera Studio, as well as an alumna of the Verbier Festival Academy and the National Opera Studio. He made his Royal Opera House, Covent Garden debut singing Fauré Requiem for the Royal Ballet and in 2007 represented Ireland at BBC Cardiff Singer of the World.
Owen is a Professor of Singing at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where he was recently elected to the Board of Governors.
2022/23 includes the world Premiere of Morrígan at Cork Opera House, Johann Werther for Lyric Opera, Leuthold Guillaume Tell and Johann Werther for Irish National Opera, Scarpia (Cover) Tosca for Opera North, Schubert’s Schwanengesang for Irish Songmakers, Brahms: Requiem Limerick Choral Union and Liedtreffen - Song Meeting with Irish Songmakers at the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival 2023 & at the National Concert Hall, Dublin.
His operatic performances include Robert in the world premiere of Luke Bedford’s Through His Teeth (Royal Opera House, Covent Garden) as well as frequent appearances with companies such as Opera Theatre Company, Wexford Festival Opera, Buxton International Festival, Scottish Opera, Opera North, English Touring Opera, Grange Park Opera, Lismore Music Festival, Musikwerkstatt Wien, Wide Open Opera, Lyric Opera, Opera Ireland, and Irish National Opera.
In concert, Owen has performed extensively with both national and international orchestras. With the BBC Symphony Orchestra performances include Berlioz L’enfance du Christ, The Bridegroom in Judith Weir’s The Vanishing Bridegroom and at the BBC Proms Bill Bobstay HMS Pinafore and Konečký Osud.

27/06/2023

Come and hear the talented mezzo soprano Emily Hogarty next Sunday at 3pm in Killruddery.

Ticket link in bio.

Emily Hogarty is an Irish mezzo-soprano based in Dublin. She recently graduated from the TU Dublin Conservatoire in conjunction with Trinity College Dublin with a first-class honours degree in Music Education (BMusEd). Emily specialised in performance, studying under the tutelage of Mairéad Buicke and Aoife O’Sullivan.
Emily is currently a member of the Wexford Opera Factory Young Artists programme. She made her debut this October as ‘Zibaldona’ in the Irish premiere of Alma Deutscher’s Cinderella. She also originated the role of the ‘Student’ in the world premiere of Conor Mitchell’s new opera, Les Selenites at the Wexford Opera Festival. She played ‘Fanny Price’ in the Irish Premiere of Johnathan Dove’s Mansfield Park this January. She played Lady Macbeth’s ‘Lady in Waiting in Blackwater Valley Opera Festival’s production of Verdi’s Macbeth this June.
In July 2022, Emily made her role debut as ‘Dorabella’ in Mozart’s Cosí fan tutte as part of the Vienna Opera Festival. Emily has been a soloist with Trinity Orchestra since 2017 where she has performed all around Ireland including the National Concert Hall in 2019 for their ‘Golden Years’ performance; Emily was also the soloist for their Spring concert in April 2022, performing Mozart with conductor Medb Hurley.
Her performing experience also includes concert performances in the National Opera House with Wexford Opera Festival. She has also performed at the Mansion House and City Hall for President Michael D. Higgins as part of the 1916 memorial in 2016. Emily has also musical directed ‘Chicago’ by Kander and Ebb which premiered in the O’Reilly Theatre in 2019.

26/06/2023

Join us in Killruddery next Sunday 2nd July at 3pm to hear the wonderful Sean Tester, Tenor!!

Ticket link in bio.

A tenor from Drogheda, Co. Louth, Seán studied Drama, Dance and Singing at the Drogheda School of Performing Arts. Seán has a strong background in choral singing as a dedicated member of St. Peter's Male Voice Choir, Drogheda and has had the wonderful opportunity to duet with international artists such as Celine Byrne, soprano; Claudia Boyle, soprano; and Sharon Carty, mezzo-soprano in concert settings. Seán completed the post-graduate Recital Artist Diploma at the Royal Irish Academy of Music last year. While studying at the RIAM, Seán featured in their opera production of Purcell’s ‘King Arthur’. In May 2022 Seán performed at the ‘Dublin Song Series: Rising Opera Stars of the RIAM’ recital at the Hugh Lane Gallery alongside wonderful colleagues from the RIAM and accompanied on piano by Dearbhla Collins. Seán performed at Kilruddery House last summer and went on to be a quarterfinalist in the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition 2022. Seán was recently engaged with the Irish National Opera Chorus for INO's production of Rossini’s ‘William Tell’ at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin. December 2022 saw Seán make his tenor soloist debut in Handel’s ‘Messiah’ and he wrapped up his 2022 festive season as the special guest on Celine Byrne’s hometown Christmas concert in the Moat Theatre, Naas. Seán was a participant in "Celebrating the Voice" with Tara Erraught and Angela Brower as part of Drogheda Classical Music in January. Seán is excited to work with the Irish National Opera chorus in the upcoming season and will also undertake more studies on the Masters in Music Performance at the RIAM in September.

16/06/2023

Like, share and leave your name in the comments on this post to be in with a chance to win two tickets for our Summer Festival of Opera at Killruddery House on Sunday 25th June. The draw will take place on Thursday 22nd June at 9pm.

The Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition | January 2025 | Dublin

13/06/2023

Hear the wonderful Soprano Deirdre Higgins on Sunday 25th June at Killruddery.

Ticket link in bio.

Deirdre Higgins is an Irish soprano and is currently in the final year of her Masters of Music (Performance) in the TU Dublin Conservatoire. Here she studies under the excellent tutelage of Mairéad Buicke and Mairéad Hurley.

Deirdre is a multi-award winner and had great success in the 2023 Feis Ceoil competitions where she won the Nancy Calthorpe Cup, Lieder Prize, Mrs. P.J. Geoghegan Memorial Cup, and the Gervase Elwes Memorial Cup. She also received the Birr Lions Club Bursary at the 2023 Birr Festival of Music .

In 2022, Deirdre had her first professional opera engagement when she joined the chorus of Irish National Opera for their national tour of Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda. Shortly following this she joined the chorus of Wexford Festival Opera for four productions – Lalla-Roukh (David), La Tempesta (Halevy), Armida (Dvořák) and the premier of Alberto Caruso’s The Master.

In the summer of 2022 Deirdre attended the ‘Corsi Internazionali di Musica di Lurisia Terme 2022’ where under the instruction of Maestro Ugo Benelli she performed the roles of La Contessa di Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart) and Adina in L’Elisir D’Amore (Donizetti). She received high praise for her performances with reviews such as – “in half a century of activity in the operatic field I have rarely heard this very difficult aria from the Contessa sung so well” (Bruno Baudissone).