The Cork Proms returns!
Celebrating a mix of contemporary and classical music, this week it has been announced that The Cork Proms will return!
The popular orchestra festival brings together some of Cork and Ireland’s finest musicians and performers at Cork Opera House.
This year’s proms will be presented in association with Cork Midsummer Festival and has been designed by a team of curators, led by Cork Opera House CEO and Artistic Director, Eibhlín Gleeson, and directed by Davey Kelleher.
Classic Irish rock music, an exciting selection of musical theatre greats and a programme of classical music inspired by America will be realised by three separate shows titled Heyday, There’s No Place Like Home and New World Symphony & Rhapsody in Blue respectively.
“The Cork Proms is a celebration of everything that is great about Cork – of living in a city that has such an incredible musical legacy, and continues to be home to some of the world’s most exciting musicians,” said Cork Opera House CEO and Artistic Director Eibhlin Gleeson. “It’s such an incredible privilege to be able to bring proms to our community, a festival of music that is for everyone.”
Celebrating all things brilliant about Irish rock music, Heyday will present new arrangements of beloved songs by artists and bands such as Sinead O'Connor, The Cranberries, The Pogues, Thin Lizzy and many more. Joining the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra conducted by John O'Brien will be soloists Jack O'Rourke, May Kay, Laoise Leahy, Niall McCabe and Lucia Evans.
New World Symphony and Rhapsody in Blue will also feature the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra, performing Dvorák’s New World Symphony. The programme was curated by the renowned and award-winning Cork pianist, Gary Beecher, who will join the orchestra onstage to perform Rhapsody in Blue, following his sold out performance of this piece with the National Symphony Orchestra in 2023. The programme will also feature music by composers Copland, Korngold and Barber and will be conducted by Elaine Kelly.
Following the success of its previous musical theatre proms, Cork Opera House will present two nights celebrating the best this genre has to offer. From ‘Wicked’ to ‘The Sound of Music’, ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ to ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ - this concert will feature all the hits from Broadway and the West End, with some surprises along the way. Joining the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra, conducted by Colm O'Regan, will be soloists Killian Donnelly, Majella Cullagh, Claire O'Leary, Molly Lynch and Shane O'Riordain.
“We would encourage our audiences to try to come to all three of the Cork proms - each will be different but individually curated to fit together. Presenting The Cork Proms in collaboration with Cork Midsummer Festival is something we are particularly excited about this year. It will be a special festival, at a very special time of year,” added Ms Gleeson.
Heyday - A Mixtape of Irish Rock takes place on 12 & 13 June.
New World Symphony & Rhapsody in Blue - Dvorák, Gershwin and music inspired by America is on 16 June, while There's No Place Like Home - A Musical Theatre Revue will be performed on 19 & 20 June. See Corkoperahouse.ie for details!