View: The 24hr Opera

2018 has seen mezzo-soprano Bríd Ní Ghruagáin join the chorus of the newly founded Irish National Opera for their launch in January and again for their inaugural production of "Le Nozze di Figaro" directed by Patrick Mason, conducted by Peter Whelan. She will round off the year with INO again, singing in chorus for their production of "Aida", directed by Michael Barker-Caven, conducted by Fergus Sheil. In between, Bríd joins Opera Collective Ireland and Kilkenny Arts Festival in the role of Ericlea for their production of Monteverdi's "The Return of Ulysses with the Akademie für Alte Musik, Berlin, playing in both Kilkenny and Dublin. This production is directed by Patrick Mason and conducted by Christian Curnyn.

In 2017, Bríd worked on devising two contemporary operas: the first, as mezzo principal in Opera Theatre Company's "24-hour Opera" (part of their OperaHub programme) devising and performing the collaborative work of 4 composers, Robbie Blake, Anna Murray, David Coonan and Teodor Iuliu Radu, mentored by Brian Irvine. In September 2017, she originated the role of Iseult in "Beneath Iseult's Tower", a pop-up opera produced by OTC's OperaHub and The Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland. Another collaborative composition, this work was devised by the team and composed by Elis Czerniak, Sinéad Flanagan and Norah Walsh.

Bríd was one of the ENO Opera Works singers for their final intake in 2016-2017. She sang the role of Verdi's Mistress Quickly as part of the Opera Works devised showcases "Dispatches", quickly followed by a summer of world premiere performances. She premiered the Neil Martin song cycle "Songs After Rain", a commission by HRH the Prince of Wales at a special event in Hillsborough Castle in May 2017, attended by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

She originated the mezzo role of Leah in the world premiere of Neil Martin and Glenn Patterson's "Long Story Short: the Belfast Opera" in June 2016: a site-specific opera directed by Conor Hanratty and conducted by David Brophy in the Carlisle Memorial Church in Belfast. This was a co-production between the Belfast Buildings Trust, Northern Ireland Opera and the Belfast City Council and was the realistation of a dream of a Belfast opera 20 years in the making. The principals also worked as mentors to the 90-strong community chorus in their first foray into opera. That landmark production was followed by a performance as La Zia Principessa in Puccini's "Suor Angelica" and chorus for Mozart's "Idomeneo" in the Kilkenny Arts Festival conducted by Christian Curnyn. The summer was wrapped up with Second Lady in Mozart's "The Magic Flute" for North Dublin Opera.

In 2015-16, Bríd sang Mother and The Witch in Humperdinck’s "Hansel and Gretel" with North Dublin Opera and mezzo chorus in rehearsal for Northern Ireland Opera's production of Puccini's "Turandot", directed by Calixto Bieito. Other recent opera work includes Zita in "Gianni Schicchi", by Giacomo Puccini, and Die Hexe in Humperdinck’s "Hänsel und Gretel" – both as part of the Mezzano Romantica Festival in Trentino, Italy. Bríd has sung in chorus for OTC, Wide Open Opera and NI Opera.

She also sang 1st Secretary (cover) and chorus member in Wide Open Opera’s 2014 production of "Nixon in China" by John Adams, and sang in the chorus later that year in the series of street operas "Things We Throw Away" and "The Oldest Woman in Limerick", both by Brian Irvine for Wide Open Opera. Bríd performed the roles of Mrs. Noye in "Noye’s Fludde" and Mrs. Grose (cover) in "The Turn of the Screw", both by Benjamin Britten during his centenary year.

She was the soloist in the premiere of Colm Ó Foghlú's mass "Aifreann na nAingeal", commissioned by the national broadcaster in Ireland and also sang the premiere of his song cycle "Idir Scáth agus Solas" based on the poetry of Micheál Mac Liammóir, both performed in Irish.

Bríd recently graduated from DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama where she studied under Toni Walsh for the M Mus (Performance). She is currently studying with countertenor Stephen Wallace. She has earned several prizes in recent years including medals for the Louis Ely O’Carroll, Ruth Mervyn and Messiah competitions for contemporary and sacred song respectively. She was also part of the Britten Ensemble that won the Feis Ceoil Wilson Cup in 2013.

Having completed a dissertation on Irish language coaching for classical singers as part of her Masters, Bríd has worked as a language coach with Chamber Choir Ireland as well as opera singers at home and abroad. Most recently, she worked as one of the coaches on Opera Theatre Company's revival of "Eithne" by Robert O'Dwyer. Bríd also works as a producer of television, radio and theatre and is a member of the board of IMRAM, the Irish language literary festival. She also has been a member of Aisteoirí Bulfin, Ireland's premiere Irish language theatre group since the age of 16, acting in many of their productions. She is also an experienced voice actor, having provided voice overs for television as well as lending her voice to multiple cartoon characters and adverts.

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