Blackwater Valley Opera Festival

17/06/2026

🎼 Mostly Mozart! at Woodhouse Estate.

The final recital of BVOF 2026 brought together soprano Aimee Kearney, baritone Dominic Veilleux and pianist Frasier Hickland, with both singers also appearing in this year's production of Don Giovanni.

A real treat in this remarkable setting and sincere thanks to our generous hosts at Woodhouse Estate for sharing it with festival audiences.

🍓🧀 Fresh strawberries, cheese straws and a little bit of festival indulgence.

📸 BVOF 2026 Matt Brooker

16/06/2026

🌳 When Forests Sing at Lismore Heritage Centre.

One of the most distinctive events of BVOF 2026, this wordless, co-creative opera by composer Karen Power brought together an inclusive ensemble for a performance that captivated a full house.

Our thanks to the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Karen Power and everyone involved in bringing this remarkable project to Lismore.

Reflecting on the performance, composer Karen Power said:

"Very proud of our inclusive ensemble and their second performance of our wordless, co-creative opera When Forests Sing... to a very full and captivated audience. What a fab Lismore reception. Huge thanks to the festival and full team behind the realisation of this large work."

📸 BVOF 2026

15/06/2026

🎹 The next generation takes the stage.
One of three BVOF 2026 events at St Carthage's Cathedral across the June Bank Holiday weekend, the RDS Collins Memorial Recital brought together outstanding young musicians.

RDS Collins Memorial winner Jane Sullivan performed with 2025 RDS Feis Ceoil winner Senan Sheridan, alongside soprano Anastasia Sereda and accompanist Iain Clarke, in a programme honouring the late Michael O'Brien.

📸 BVOF 2026 Gabriel Mueller

13/06/2026

💧 Niamh O'Sullivan and Gary Beecher: Watersongs

Mezzo-soprano Niamh O'Sullivan and pianist Gary Beecher returned to Dromore Yard to close the BVOF 2026 concert series - with a programme shaped by water - sea, lake, rain and river.

Set beside the River Blackwater, often referred to as Ireland's Rhine, the concert featured music by Debussy, Mahler, Schubert, Barber and Copland.

A memorable close to the Bank Holiday weekend.

📸 BVOF 2026 John D. Kelly

13/06/2026

🎹 French Elegance & Eastern Fire at Dromore Yard.

Magdalene Ho, Pierre Génisson and Elias David Moncado brought together music by Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Saint-Saëns, Ravel, Wieniawski and Glick for one of the festival's concerts at Dromore Yard.

A wonderful afternoon at BVOF 2026.

📸 BVOF 2026 John D. Kelly

Yard Visit Waterford Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber Of Commerce Waterford Chamber of Commerce John D Kelly Photography

12/06/2026

🎭 Irish Salon Opera Series: The Deserted Village by John William Glover
Written in 1876, this rarely heard Irish opera was brought to St Carthage's Cathedral by members of the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Chorus 2026. The cathedral seemed made for this opera, adding another layer to a work shaped by rural life and place.

Musical director Frasier Hickland. Curated by Axel Klein.

✨ Alba Clarke Gosalvez
✨ Anastasia Sereda
✨ Bláthnaid Nicholson
✨ Callum Jeacle
✨ Edward Finnegan
✨ Felix Elkehag
✨ Hedwig Hauskeller
✨ Jack Morrissey
✨ Luke Horner
✨ Maedhbh Hanafin
✨ Rachel Reid
✨ Robin Pender

📸 BVOF 2026 Patrick Browne

Visit Waterford Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber Of Commerce Waterford Chamber of Commerce Axel Klein Frasier Hickland - Pianist St Carthage's Cathedral - Lismore

11/06/2026

📚 Samuel Beckett at St Carthage's Cathedral.
Gemma Ní Bhriain, Benjamin Russell, Barry McGovern and the Féinics Quartet came together for this year's Irish Writers' Series, curated by Kathleen Tynan in partnership with the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

A Bank Holiday weekend event as part of BVOF 2026, bringing poetry and music together in honour of one of Ireland's most influential writers.

📸 BVOF 2026 Patrick Browne

11/06/2026

🎵 Cushendall: Irish Song Cycles - Charles Villiers Stanford

Sharon Carty, Benjamin Russell and Finghin Collins at Villierstown Church with their acclaimed SOMM Recordings programme.

Stanford, Brahms, Schumann, Rebecca Clarke and Benjamin Britten - and a wonderfully warm audience.

📸 BVOF 2026 Patrick Browne

10/06/2026

10/06/2026

🎶 BVOF Chorus 2026.
The Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Chorus plays an important role across the festival programme each year and brings together a remarkable group of emerging singers.

This year's chorus recital at Villierstown Church offered audiences the opportunity to hear these talented artists in their own right.

Featuring:

🎹 Frasier Hickland - Pianist

⭐ Alba Clarke Gosalvez
⭐ Anastasia Sereda
⭐ Bláthnaid Nicholson
⭐ Callum Jeacle
⭐ Edward Finnegan
⭐ Felix Elkehag
⭐ Hedwig Hauskeller
⭐ Jack Morrissey
⭐ Luke Horner
⭐ Yasmin O'Reilly
⭐ Rachel Reid
⭐ Robin Pender

📸 BVOF 2026


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