14 March 2026
By Valerie Ryan
valerie@TheCork.ie
Tickets are moving quickly for Blackwater Valley Opera Festival (BVOF) which takes place in Waterford and East Cork from 26 May to 1 June 2026, with several key events already sold out.
Ireland’s Summer Opera Festival will present 24 performances in 13 historic venues throughout the region, bringing world-class opera and classical music to castles, churches and cathedrals, and country houses along the Blackwater Valley.
This year’s flagship opera, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, staged in the atmospheric grounds of Lismore Castle, is almost sold out with very limited availability remaining for the final night on the bank holiday Monday. Featuring a predominantly Irish cast and the Irish Baroque Orchestra, the production will be conducted by composer Peter Whelan and directed by Tom Creed. Mozart’s opera moves swiftly between comedy, danger and seduction, following the notorious libertine Don Giovanni as he pursues pleasure until vengeance and justice close in.
For those seeking a change of atmosphere and repertoire, Handel’s Acis and Galatea will be presented in St Carthage’s Cathedral, Lismore. The performance features Jade Phoenix, Dean Power, Edward Grint and Patrick Hyland, with the Irish Baroque Orchestra conducted by Oliver-John Ruthven. Projection and carefully designed lighting will shape the setting within the cathedral, an evocative setting for this timeless work.
Beyond the main-stage operas, the festival’s recital and concert programme in stunning historical venues is also proving popular, with a number of performances selling out weeks in advance. Ballynatray House, Villierstown Church, Salterbridge House, Tourin House, Woodhouse Estate will host Irish and international artists in a series of chamber concerts and recitals, with tickets still remaining for some performances.
St Carthage’s Cathedral is a central festival venue this year with four events including the Irish Writers’ Series: Samuel Beckett, the Irish Salon Opera Series: The Deserted Village by John William Glover, and the RDS Memorial Recital. This venue is known for its fine acoustics, making it an ideal setting for live performances this June bank holiday weekend.
Dromore Yard, set along the banks of the River Blackwater, will host a series of performances from leading Irish and international artists, with the river and surrounding landscape forming a striking backdrop. Artists appearing include Niamh O’Sullivan with Gary Beecher, Finghin Collins with Dearbhla Collins, and Magdalene Ho, Pierre Génisson and Elias David Moncado.
When Forests Sing brings together musicians and performers living with disabilities and emerging professional artists. The opera is wordless by design, using sound and the idea of the forest to communicate without spoken text. The performance includes members of OYOI – the Open Youth Orchestra of Ireland – alongside students from the Royal Irish Academy of Music and young people from the local area. Technological instrumentalists, choir, composed sound and recorded forest sounds are combined to form a large performing ensemble and an engaging theatre experience.
Food also plays a central role in the festival experience. At Lismore Castle, a Don Giovanni menu will be crafted by celebrity TV chef Eunice Power at Lismore Castle. Guests can also indulge in Gourmet Table Picnics or pair lunchtime recitals with dining at local eateries.
The festival’s much-loved pop-up Open Air Lunchtime Recitals return to Dungarvan, Lismore, Youghal, and Castlemartyr. These free events offer a unique chance for people of all ages to enjoy classical and operatic music in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. While admission is free, booking is advised.
Blackwater Valley Opera Festival expects to welcome more than 5,000 visitors this year and engage with over 1,000 students through its educational outreach programmes, raising the total number of students reached to over 8,500 since the programme began. These initiatives continue to make opera and classical music accessible to the wider community.
Through its Bursary Awards, the festival will support 10 artists and performers with €50,000 in funding, made possible thanks to the generosity of its supporters.
Eamonn Carroll, Festival Director of Blackwater Valley Opera Festival, said, “We’re genuinely grateful for the audiences who care about this festival and back what we’re doing – the artists, the ideas, the whole programme. Some events have already sold out and others are booking steadily, which means a great deal for the festival and for the county. People are securing their seats early because they want to be part of it. If you’re thinking about coming, now is the time to plan it. We’d love to see you with us.”
Blackwater Valley Opera Festival is supported by grants from the Arts Council of Ireland and Waterford City & County Council. The festival’s lead sponsors are The James and Deirdre Dyson Trust, John Pollard Foundation, Kildare Village, and Silvercrest Asset Management Group.
Advance booking is already under way with many events expected to sell out in advance, and audiences are encouraged to secure seats soon. Concession rates are available for senior citizens, students and community groups. See blackwatervalleyopera.ie