In Spring, the company will present five staged performances of Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette (Feb 27, Mar 1, 3, 5 and a matinee performance on 7 March) and two concert performances of Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Mar 4 and 6).

This season the company completes the Shakespeare-inspired trilogy that began with Britten's Midsummer Night's Dream Winter 2008 and continued with Verdi's Macbeth in November and concludes with Gounod's romantic Roméo et Juliette next Feb/March.

Dieter Kaegi, Opera Ireland Artistic Director said "In choosing the repertoire this season, we wanted to offer the audience a diverse range of operas in a variety of presentations. We endeavoured to achieve a balance between our financial limitations and the best possible artistic offering to the Irish audience. For the forthcoming season we have assembled an exceptional creative team and the best of Irish and international and opera talent.

Gounod's Romeo et Juliette, which has not been in the Opera Ireland repertoire since 1945, offers a rare opportunity to experience a truly romantic opera next Spring, when it will be paired with concert performances of Bellini's dazzling I Capuleti e i Montecchi.  Bellini's setting of the Romeo and Juliet tragedy, which is based on Italian Renaissance sources, has never been presented by the company before." 

Gounod's Roméo et Juliette, with a libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, was first performed at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris on 27 April 1867. Opera Ireland's new production will be directed by Annilese Miksimmon, Artistic Director of Opera Theatre Company, with costume and sets designed by Leslie Travers.  Jerôme Pillement will conduct the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and Opera Ireland Chorus, and the roles of the star-crossed young lovers will be sung by American tenor Michael Spyres and French soprano Nathalie Manfrino.  Marcel Vanaud, a great favourite with Irish audiences, returns to sing the role of Count Capulet, and the cast also includes Irish singers Imelda Drumm, Victoria Massey and Nyle Wolfe.

The season concludes with two concert performances of Bellini's bel canto opera,  I Capuleti e I Montecchi (the Capulets and Montagues) which give a different interpretation of the tragedy of the star-crossed lovers.  The story is based on Italian Renaissance sources rather than the Shakespearean play and differs in opera title, plot and its characters.  Australian soprano, Jessica Pratt sings the role of Giulietta with Irish mezzo soprano, Fiona Murphy as her ill-fated lover Romeo.  Portuguese tenor Bruno Ribeiro makes his Irish debut in the role of Tebaldo while Eric Martin - Bonnet returns to sing the role of Capellion following his Opera Ireland debut last season as The Bonze in Madama Butterfly.The RTÉ Concert Orchestra will be conducted by Italian maestro,  Manlio Benzi.

The company, soon to celebrate its 70th anniversary, will present two fully staged productions as well as two operas in concert format in the Gaiety Theatre this November and next Feb/March.

We will also be presenting a second season of The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD at cinemas throughout Ireland. Now an international phenomenon, this is the first time these spectacular high-definition live broadcasts from our colleagues in the Metropolitan Opera in New York have been seen in Ireland and they are sure to be a great addition to operatic life here.

From cinema screenings of great international performances live from New York to the ultimate and incomparable experience of great live opera, there is something for everyone to enjoy, from the novice to the dedicated opera fan.

We hope to see you there.