Celebrating Opera Theatre Co’s 30th Anniversary with La Bohème

Opera Theatre Company return to An Grianán with Puccini’s magnificent La Bohème as they celebrate their 30th anniversary.

[box style=”red” closable=”un-closable”]Happy anniversary! To celebrate OTC’s 30th anniversary we are offering the first 30 tickets for La Bohème at a special early bird rate of €20. That’s a huge saving of €10 on the standard ticket price.[/box]

Known for its fresh and innovative approach Opera Theatre Company celebrates 30 years touring opera throughout Ireland this year. Founded to create and tour high quality professional opera, the company always implements a daring, imaginative approach to creating work, whether staged in a remote island slate quarry or in a plush 1,000 seater opera house.

Their national tour of La bohème is one of the highlights of OTC’s 30th anniversary programme. A romantic tale of love and loss, this touching new production follows a group of struggling artists in 1930’s Paris. A chance encounter between poet Rodolfo (Pablo Bemsch) and seamstress Mimi (Máire Flavin) results in a passionate love affair, thwarted by Rodolfo’s consuming jealousy, the lovers are only reunited when Mimi lies perilously ill.

The company is delighted to welcome back Ben Barnes to direct this anniversary production of La bohème. Founding artistic director of Opera Theatre Company, Ben Barnes has worked extensively in Canada and the US and was artistic director of the Abbey Theatre from 2000 to 2005.

“I think OTC’s project of presenting popular opera in places where it is rarely seen is commendable and I am pleased to be asked to direct La bohème this coming season with a really first rate cast and creative team. It’s hard to believe that OTC is entering its thirtieth year and as one of the original founders I’m glad to be in a position to help celebrate this important milestone” Ben Barnes.

(l to r) Rory Musgrave as Schaunard, Soprano Sinead Campbell Wallace as Musetta and Val Sherlock, Hair & Make up. at the announcement of the Opera Theatre Company national tour of La bohème at the Chez Max, Palace Street, Dublin.
(l to r) Rory Musgrave as Schaunard, Soprano Sinead Campbell Wallace as Musetta and Val Sherlock, Hair & Make up at the announcement of the Opera Theatre Company national tour of La bohème at the Chez Max, Palace Street, Dublin. PIC: NO FEE, MAXWELLPHOTOGRAPHY.IE

The opera boasts a sterling cast of Irish and international singers, including rising star soprano Máire Flavin (Mimi), Argentinian tenor Pablo Bemsch (Rodolfo), Sinead Campbell-Wallace (Musetta), Charles Rice (Marcello), Padraic Rowan (Colline), and Rory Musgrave (Schaunard), together with a professional chorus of twelve and a thirteen member chamber orchestra conducted by Andrew Greenwood.

One of the most popular operas ever, Puccini’s melodious and memorable score, with ravishing music and thrilling arias and ensembles will enchant audiences of all ages, and this timeless classic promises a breathtaking and emotional experience. La bohème will be sung in Italian with English surtitles.

Acclaimed Irish soprano Máire Flavin will make her role debut as Mimi in this production, and is currently working in Così fan tutte for Opera North. A former OTC Young Associate Artist, Máire has also appeared with Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera and Glyndebourne and is a regular soloist with RTÉ NSO.

The role of Rodolfo is sung by Argentinian tenor Pablo Bemsch, who is a regular performer at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and has also performed at Zürich Opera House and Opera de San Juan, Argentina. Pablo studied at Musikhochschule Stuttgart and was a member the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme and also a member of Zürich Opera Studio.

2016 is an exciting year for OTC and will also see a concert performance of Handel’s Ariodante in association with Irish Baroque Orchestra at Christchurch Cathedral for MusicTown Festival and Verdi’s Don Giovanni in a new translation by Roddy Doyle staged in Dublin Theatre Festival and at Cork Opera House.

Opera Theatre Company would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Arts Council.

www.opera.ie

 

La Bohème

Wednesday 25 May 2016 at 8pm

Book now

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