<img src='' title='Event Category: Music' alt='' id='templ_icon_' width='' height='' /> Event Category: Music

Martha Wainwright

20 years ago my life as an artist took shape when my first record was released . . .

Martha Wainwright

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of her ground-breaking debut studio album, Martha Wainwright, the acclaimed singer-songwriter announces the highly anticipated 20th Anniversary Tour.

Fans can experience this iconic album like never before, live on stage, as Martha brings her heartfelt lyrics and unforgettable voice to the Cork Opera House in June 2025.

Don’t miss the chance to witness a powerful evening filled with timeless songs that launched a remarkable career. Get ready for an unforgettable night of music and emotion as Martha Wainwright celebrates two decades of musical mastery!

Support on the night comes from Ballydehob indie-rock band, First Class And Coach.

SPECIAL EFFECTS: This production may contain Strobe Lighting, Flashing Lights, Smoke and Haze.

AGE GUIDANCE: Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult

*Performance schedule and times are subject to change and may be affected by illness or events beyond the producers’ or venues’ control. Performers, dates, times, prices, and fees are subject to change without notice.

The Cork Proms – The Ultimate Classics

Iconic Masterpieces from Popular Culture

 

Curated and Conducted by Gary Beecher.

The Cork Proms return in 2025 with three new Proms performances in April. This unique series of concerts has become a firm favourite with music lovers and Cork Opera House patrons following a number of hugely popular shows over the last five years.

Celebrating Cork’s rich musical prowess, The Cork Proms mixes much of the best in contemporary and classical favourites, featuring the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra under the baton of some of Ireland’s leading conductors. The Cork Proms is curated by a team led by Cork Opera House CEO and Artistic Director, Eibhlín Gleeson and directed by Davey Kelleher.

We’ve all had that moment when we hear a piece of music and think, “I know this, but where is it from?”.

Experience the music that has become the soundtrack to iconic moments in life and on screen. Including Also Sprach Zarathustra featured in 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Nutcracker Suite featured in Disney’s Fantasia, Debussy’s Clair de Lume (for orchestra) Ocean’s Eleven, Wagner’s Ride of the Valkryies, featured in Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Flight of the Bumblebee by Rimsky-Korsakov, used in the Oscar-winning Shine, this concert celebrates the timeless pieces that define cinema, television, and culture.

Avail of a €70 SPECIAL (25% saving) if you purchase a ticket to all three of The Cork Proms 2025 shows!

To purchase your three show ticket bundle for €70, please add a ticket from each Cork Proms show to your cart separately. The discount will be applied automatically at checkout. 

SPECIAL EFFECTS: This production may contain Strobe Lighting, Flashing Lights, Smoke and Haze.

AGE GUIDANCE: Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult

*Performance schedule and times are subject to change and may be affected by illness or events beyond the producers’ or venues’ control. Performers, dates, times, prices, and fees are subject to change without notice.

The Cork Proms – Epic Icons of Musical Theatre

A night of iconic numbers from some of the best musicals ever

 

Curated by Trevor Ryan
Conducted by John O’Brien

This concert will celebrate iconic figures of musical theatre, bringing to life unforgettable characters who have defined the stage. From Nancy in Oliver!, Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, to Maria in The Sound of Music, this Cork Prom will showcase the magic of Musical Theatre’s most legendary roles.

Curated by Trevor Ryan (The Montforts and Cork Opera House panto) and conducted by John O’Brien (Morrigan and the Nightingale of the Rose), the evening will feature a stellar line up featuring two homegrown stars who are currently conquering the West End, in Claire O’Leary (The Borrowers, The Wizard of Oz, Les Miserables, Sweet Charity) and Shane O’Riordan (Ms Saigon, Elf the Musical, Les Miserables), alongside Ben Morris (Phantom of the Opera, Fiddler on the Roof, Jesus Christ Superstar), Juliette Crosbie (nominated for the Aer Lingus Discovery Award) and Jacinta Whyte (Grizabella in the international tour of Cats)

Avail of a €70 SPECIAL (25% saving) if you purchase a ticket to all three of The Cork Proms 2025 shows!

To purchase your three show ticket bundle for €70, please add a ticket from each Cork Proms show to your cart separately. The discount will be applied automatically at checkout. 

SPECIAL EFFECTS: This production may contain Strobe Lighting, Flashing Lights, Smoke and Haze.

AGE GUIDANCE: Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult

*Performance schedule and times are subject to change and may be affected by illness or events beyond the producers’ or venues’ control. Performers, dates, times, prices, and fees are subject to change without notice.

Sharon Shannon, Frances Black & Mary Coughlan

Three of Ireland’s finest performers all on one stage.

Sharon Shannon, Frances Black and Mary Coughlan are some of the most successful female artists Ireland has to offer and are no strangers to each other, having performed and recorded together as an integral part of the successful Woman’s Heart albums and tours. The three artists will play a set each with their own musicians, performing many of their greatest hits before joining each other on stage together. Mary Coughlan who celebrates 40 years this year commented:

Frances, Sharon and myself have formed a very strong bond over the years. We have such craic doing the gigs and I believe that very obvious to everyone who comes to the concerts.

Sharon Shannon received worldwide recognition with the song ‘Galway Girl’ from the Hilary Swank movie, PS I Love You. Traditional Irish music is Sharon’s background, but she has been fearless in her musical exploration, having defied genres and woven her unique style through country, French-Canadian reggae, hip-hop, dance and classical.

When Nanci Griffith called Frances Black “the sweetest voice of Ireland,” she was paying tribute to someone who has been one of Ireland’s best-loved and most enduring artists since the late 80s, with a string of best-selling albums, awards and other accolades behind her. The extent of Frances’ popularity and talent has been reflected in the awards and accolades that she has received for her albums and live performances.

Mary Coughlan is the only singer these shores have produced to rival the greatest of European cabaret and American jazz club blues because of one thing: her voice. She is unique in blending the whisky-blurred, smoke-seared, husky notes and laconic wit of Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee and the line of deep, down and dirty blues singers back to Memphis Minnie and Bessie Smith with the sardonic, bitter-sweet defiance and despair of the Piaf chanteuse, born out of war, in the shadow of Brecht, at war with the world, men, and finally, herself.

SPECIAL EFFECTS: This production may contain Strobe Lighting, Flashing Lights, Smoke and Haze.

AGE GUIDANCE: Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult

*Performance schedule and times are subject to change and may be affected by illness or events beyond the producers’ or venues’ control. Performers, dates, times, prices, and fees are subject to change without notice.

Mack Fleetwood 2025

Europe’s premier tribute to Fleetwood Mac

Europe’s premier tribute to the supergroup Fleetwood Mac, bring you on a magical musical journey from the Peter Green blues era to the multi-platinum selling band that still tour today. Bewitching their audience with authentic renditions of all the fan-favourite and classic Fleetwood Mac hits. Mack Fleetwood’s love of the material and musical prowess shines through each song.

SPECIAL EFFECTS: This production may contain Strobe Lightning, Flashing Lights, Smoke and Haze.

AGE GUIDANCE: Under 16’s must be accompanied by and seated next to a parent/guardian aged 18+

*Performance schedule and times are subject to change and may be affected by illness or events beyond the producers’ or venues’ control. Performers, dates, times, prices, and fees are subject to change without notice.

The Bootleg Beatles

Sixty years ago The Beatles’ debut feature-length film A Hard Day’s Night became a huge critical and commercial success, even being nominated for two Academy Awards. The following year in 1965 their second film Help!, this one in colour, received similar glowing plaudits. The group was hailed as a modern-day Marx Brothers and their director, Dick Lester, credited with ‘fathering’ the MTV pop video culture that was to come.

So what better time to celebrate the songs not just from the soundtracks of these two iconic motion pictures, but from all five in their catalogue. Featuring hits from A Hard Day’s Night, Help!, Magical Mystery Tour, Yellow Submarine and Let It Be, The Bootleg Beatles and their orchestra will take you on a whistle stop trip through the celluloid career of The Fab Four in their brand new spectacular multi-media stage show.

It’s all there, the costumes, the hairstyles, the banter and the gear. This multi-media show is an absolute must-see for Beatle fans of all ages.

SPECIAL EFFECTS: This production may contain Strobe Lighting, Flashing Lights, Smoke and Haze.

AGE GUIDANCE: Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult

*Performance schedule and times are subject to change and may be affected by illness or events beyond the producers’ or venues’ control. Performers, dates, times, prices, and fees are subject to change without notice.

Winter Song – An Evening of Winter Classical Song

After long silence, there is music again,
thin lip of moon and again bright stars,
the weeds, safe now in their coffins of ice,

in singing weather.

from In Singing Weather by Maggie Anderson

In the “singing weather” of winter, Cork Opera House invites you to embrace the crisp air, the stillness of the winter night and the warmth of music that captures nature’s most dramatic season with the Cara O’Sullivan Associate Artists.

Cork mezzo-soprano Niamh O’Sullivan, Wexford soprano Kelli-Ann Masterson, Kildare bass-baritone Rory Dunne and Clare tenor Dean Power are joined by pianist Ciara Moroney at The Goldie Chapel, Nano Nagle Place for an Evening of Winter Classical Song on Tuesday 10th December, where they explore the beauty and power of winter through music.

The Cara O’Sullivan Associate Artists

The late Cara O’Sullivan, one of Cork most iconic and beloved opera singers, was an exceptional coloratura soprano and a consistent presence on the Cork Opera House stage throughout her entire career. Time and time again, she brought her extraordinary talent to our audiences, her breath-taking voice and her infectious energy made every performance memorable. Cork Opera House has founded this programme in Cara’s memory to honour her contribution to her art form and acknowledge the great love her audience had for her. By honouring her life and work, we hope to contribute significantly to the future of opera in our city so that future generations can benefit from the legacy she left in her wake.

The Cara O’Sullivan Associate Artists Programme launched in 2021, and the first cohort of artists included sopranos Emma Nash and Rachel Croash, tenor Gavan Ring, and baritone Rory Musgrave. The programme brought these artists together for a number of special performances on Cork Opera House’s main stage, free performances in its foyer, and during Covid, outdoor performances on Emmet Place. The second cohort of artists, announced in Autumn 2023 comprises Kelli-Ann Masterson (Soprano), Dean Power (Tenor), Niamh O’Sullivan (Mezzo-Soprano), and Rory Dunne (Bass Baritone).

The Goldie Chapel, Nano Nagle Place

Designed by architect George Goldie in 1865, this beautiful Victorian high Gothic Revival chapel lies at the heart of Nano Nagle Place as one of Cork’s most intimate venues. Retaining the layout of a convent chapel, the architecture is intended to enhance the sound of singing voices, perfect for this quartet of vocalists to permeate the chapel space with the balm of music.

Cormac Begley

Hailing from West Kerry, Cormac Begley is a master of the concertina, known for his deeply emotive and powerful performances that transcend traditional Irish music.

With a family heritage steeped in musical tradition, Cormac’s style is rooted in the rich musical landscape of his upbringing. He plays a range of concertinas, from bass to piccolo, each adding a unique texture and depth to his music. His debut solo album was lauded for its innovative approach and raw intensity, earning him widespread acclaim and numerous awards.

Cormac’s music is characterized by its soul-stirring melodies and intricate rhythms, capturing the essence of the Irish landscape and the human experience. He has collaborated with some of the finest musicians in Ireland and beyond, seamlessly blending traditional tunes with contemporary influences. His performances are not just concerts but immersive experiences that connect deeply with audiences.

Known for his passionate and dynamic live shows, Cormac has performed at major festivals and prestigious venues worldwide. His ability to convey deep emotion through his instrument makes every performance a unique journey, resonating with both traditional music enthusiasts and new listeners alike.

SPECIAL EFFECTS: This production may contain Strobe Lighting, Flashing Lights, Smoke and Haze.

AGE GUIDANCE: Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult

*Performance schedule and times are subject to change and may be affected by illness or events beyond the producers’ or venues’ control. Performers, dates, times, prices, and fees are subject to change without notice.

Bay City Rollers

Journey back in time to those carefree days of the 70’s when Scotland’s original boy band ruled the charts. Selling over 300 million albums worldwide, the Bay City Rollers attracted fans of all ages and a phenomenon known as Rollermania swept across the globe. Tartan clad fans in the UK and other parts of Europe were soon joined by throngs of devoted fans in Australia, Canada, USA and Japan.

Now, Bay City Roller legend, Stuart “Woody” Wood, has brought together a powerful group of talented musicians who embody the same essence of the original band that the world knew and loved. Backed by incredible musical resumes, this group has taken what it means to be a Bay City Roller to heart and their excitement is infectious. The current Bay City Rollers are Ian Thomson on lead vocals and guitar, John McLaughlin on vocals and keys, Mikey Smith on bass guitar, Jamie McGrory on drums and Woody on guitar.

The BCR song ‘Don’t Let The Music Die’ has echoed through time and the call is being answered. With Woody leading the charge, The Bay City Rollers bring their fresh energy and enthusiasm to the stage to breathe new life into the classic hits for fans around the world once again. No longer ‘Yesterday’s Heroes’, The Bay City Rollers are back, they are touring and turning the whole world tartan!

SPECIAL EFFECTS: This production may contain Strobe Lighting, Flashing Lights, Smoke and Haze.

AGE GUIDANCE: Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult

*Performance schedule and times are subject to change and may be affected by illness or events beyond the producers’ or venues’ control. Performers, dates, times, prices, and fees are subject to change without notice.s

George Murphy and The Rising Sons – The Something Out Of Nothing Tour

George Murphy and The Rising Sons are back with their Something Out Of Nothing Tour!

After a hugely successful year for George and The Sons which saw them release their first studio album and fill some of the biggest auditoriums all over the country we are delighted to announce that they will be back for a nationwide tour in 2025.

Described as the perfect blend of Trad, Folk and Rock N Roll George and his 7 piece band of Sons promise a night not to be missed filled with new songs from their album and revamped old classics suitable for all generations.

SPECIAL EFFECTS: This production may contain Strobe Lighting, Flashing Lights, Smoke and Haze.

AGE GUIDANCE: Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult

*Performance schedule and times are subject to change and may be affected by illness or events beyond the producers’ or venues’ control. Performers, dates, times, prices, and fees are subject to change without notice.