Blackwater Valley Opera Festival returns from 26th May to 1st June, bringing over 5,000 visitors to Waterford and beyond for a week of opera, concerts and recitals. Now established as a flagship festival for Waterford, it draws audiences from across Ireland and abroad while supporting tourism across the region.
The headline opera, Mozart’s Don Giovanni at Lismore Castle, is now sold out. A number of events are also fully booked or nearing capacity, with tickets still available across the rest of the programme.
Established as Ireland’s Summer Opera Festival, the programme brings together leading Irish artists alongside international performers across 24 events in 13 venues. Performances take place in Lismore Castle, St Carthage’s Cathedral and a network of houses, estates and outdoor settings across the Blackwater Valley.
The festival is shaped around the region itself, with audiences travelling between Lismore, Dungarvan and surrounding towns across the day. West Waterford forms the centre of activity, with the River Blackwater and its surrounding landscape framing the experience both on and off stage. Visitors move between venues, cafés, restaurants and towns, supporting the wider economy throughout their stay.
Dromore Yard anchors the June Bank Holiday weekend, with concerts set along the river in a private outdoor setting. Audiences travel into west Waterford for performances by artists including Niamh O’Sullivan with Gary Beecher, Finghin Collins and Dearbhla Collins, and Magdalene Ho with Pierre Génisson and Elias David Moncado. Dining and picnic options on site encourage visitors to relax at this semi-restored 19th-century venue, where performance and setting are closely connected.
St Carthage’s Cathedral, Lismore, hosts a concentrated series of events across the week, including recitals and two operas. Handel’s Acis and Galatea is presented as a one-hour, after-dark performance in an atmospheric cathedral setting. The programme also includes the Irish Writers’ Series – Samuel Beckett, the Irish Salon Opera Series: The Deserted Village by John William Glover, and the RDS Collins Memorial Recital with Jane Sullivan and Senan Sheridan.
‘WHEN FORESTS SING’
A new production, When Forests Sing, takes place at Lismore Heritage Centre. Created by Cork composer Karen Power, it brings together OYOI – the Open Youth Orchestra of Ireland – and students from the Royal Irish Academy of Music, alongside musicians and performers living with disabilities, a choir and local young people in an immersive live performance.
Free open-air lunchtime recitals take place across Dungarvan, Lismore, Youghal and Castlemartyr, supported by local authorities. These performances bring live music into town centres and create activity across the region throughout the week.
The festival also maintains a strong education and outreach programme, including Discover Opera and Discover Singing initiatives delivered with Music Generation Waterford. Since 2012, these programmes have reached over 7,500 young people, with around 2,000 students engaging each year through workshops and the annual opera dress rehearsal.
DINING AN OPTION
Food and hospitality are closely linked to the festival experience. A specially created Don Giovanni dining menu will be prepared by chef Eunice Power, with Eamo & Ró providing gourmet table picnics at Lismore Castle and Mezze-style dining at Dromore Yard. Pre-recital lunchtime packages are available with local restaurants including Farmgate in Lismore, Fullers Bistro in Lismore, The Saucy Hen, Villierstown and Barron’s Coffee House in Cappoquin, allowing audiences to plan their day around both performance and place.
Pre-festival events at Kildare Village on 1st May and Mount Juliet Estate, Kilkenny on 2nd May offer a flavour of the festival ahead of opening week, bringing its artists to new audiences while maintaining a strong base in the South East.
At Mount Juliet Estate, a special open-air recital set within the grounds will feature tenor Cathal McCabe, recipient of the 2026 Bríd Phelan Emerging Talent Award, alongside soprano Eva Kavanagh with pianist Connor Wilcox. The performance offers an opportunity to hear emerging Irish artists at an important stage in their careers, with tickets available directly through the Mount Juliet Estate website.
Blackwater Valley Opera Festival brings opera and live music into the heart of the region, connecting audiences, artists and local communities across a network of venues throughout the festival week.
Further information and booking details are available at blackwatervalleyopera.ie
