Cosí fan tutte programme book 2023

ALL STOPS OUT FOR
MOZART
FERGUS SHEIL
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Mozart’s Così fan tutte was an early love of mine. When I was
17 and still at school, I got to play viola in the orchestra for a
production of Così at the Royal Irish Academy of Music conducted
by the late Paul Deegan. I had no idea opera could be such fun
and I vividly remember craning my neck up from the pit to try to
see all the antics on stage. The joyous bounce of Mozart’s music,
his heart-breaking arias, hilarious ensembles and whirlwind finales
have been romping around in my head since then.
I’m more than delighted to present this work with Irish National
Opera. It’s an opera without any small roles. It has six big
characters each with lots to do and lots to say. The production will
be seen on stage in Wexford and Cork and in concert in Limerick
and Galway. And, because we are giving six performances in five
days at Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre, we have two entirely different
casts for these Dublin shows. This not only gives us a tremendous
opportunity to showcase the exceptional vocal talent of 12 brilliant
artists in total but you’ll really need to think about coming twice to
experience the full panoply of vocal talent.
A big welcome back to eight opera stars whose singing I
particularly love, and who have appeared in previous INO
productions: Anna Devin, Sharon Carty, Gemma Ní Bhriain, Emma
Morwood, Dean Power, Gianluca Margheri, John Molloy and
Milan Siljanov. A very big welcome to those new to the INO roster,
including the wonderful British tenor William Morgan, brilliant Irish
baritone Benjamin Russell, who has been working in Wiesbaden,
Germany, of late, and rapidly-rising Irish soprano Sarah Brady,
who has taken Switzerland and Germany by storm in recent
years. And a particular red carpet for one of Ireland’s most-loved
sopranos and Queen of Cork, Majella Cullagh. Many years ago
when I conducted my first ever opera, Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’amore,
at the Gaiety Theatre, Majella was on stage as Adina, mentally
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