Kilkenny Arts Festival announces classical music and opera programme

Highlights of Kilkenny Arts Festival’s classical music and opera programme have been announced in advance of full programme launch.

The festival runs from August 8 to 18 and the full festival programme including theatre, outdoor, visual arts, music, dance and more will be announced in June.

Festival director, Olga Barry made the announcement this week.

“It’s always with a great sense of anticipation of summer in the Marble City that we announce the main of our classical music programme, and this year is no different. We’re thrilled to welcome a range of exciting artists to Kilkenny for the first time alongside an amazing array of artists that our festival audiences know and love.

“This year we co-present the European premiere of Irish National Opera’s production of two new operas from Emma O’Halloran; we present our ensembles in residence - Chamber Choir Ireland, Crash Ensemble, Irish Chamber Orchestra- in intriguing and collaborative programmes including the Irish Premieres of Erollyn Wallen’s ‘Dances for Orchestra’ (commissioned by ICO) and Jóhann Jóhannsson’s ‘Drone Mass’ with CCI and Crash and we present a mini-series focusing on exciting Irish and international pianists performing a vast array of compositional voices; and a cross-festival thread of minimalism and modernism featuring Philip Glass, Max Richter, Arvo Pärt, Nils Frahm and more with the Carducci String Quartet, Lavinia Meijer, Máire Carroll, Mari Samuelsen and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.

“We’re looking forward to announcing the full programme in June, but in the meantime, particularly for classical music fans with curious ears, it’s time to plan August in Kilkenny!”

The announcements today will feature a scintillating line-up of international and Irish artists.
Highlights include Irish National Opera – European premiere of two new operas from the creative partnership of composer Emma O’Halloran and playwright/librettist Mark O’Halloran. Directed by Tom Creed and conducted by Elaine Kelly, Trade and Mary Motorhead premiered in New York and LA earlier in 2024 to critical acclaim.

The KAF team will also welcome back festival favourites, the Carducci String Quartet (UK/Ireland) for two lunchtime concerts featuring Mozart, Fanny Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Philip Glass, and a special evening performance at the Set Theatre for a performance centred on Steve Reich’s seminal work, Different Trains. Also returning are two artists that wowed Kilkenny audiences back in 2017, Samson Tsoy and Pavel Kolesnikov for a marathon day featuring Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring for four hands, Bach’s Goldberg Variations and Beethoven’s sublime last Sonatas.

Performing for the first time at the festival, will be two extraordinary artists who are defining the music of Philip Glass in performance, harpist Lavinia Meijer (Holland/Korea) and pianist Máire Carroll (Ireland).

Finghin Collins and Máire Carroll will also perform for the first time as a complete set, the Ros Tapestry Suite – a collection of 15 works by Irish composers in response to each of the Ros Tapestries . Finghin Collins also delivers a solo recital featuring Chopin and Schumann and Irish recorder suprema, Laoise O’Brien will close out the afternoon recital series in the company of festival stalwart Malcolm Proud at St. John’s Priory.
Kilkenny Arts Festival’s ensembles in residence, Irish Chamber Orchestra will premiere their new commission from UK/Belize composer Errollyn Wallen alongside Mozart’s Symphony No. 40, and the gloriously moving Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by Vaughan Williams. Chamber Choir Ireland under their director Paul Hillier bring a programme of Schubert, Brahms and Ligeti’s iconic Lux Aeterna and Crash Ensemble bring their unique energy to Glass’ Glassworks in a special performance at the Parade Tower of Kilkenny Castle.
Kilkenny Arts Festival brings together two of those ensembles in residence, Crash Ensemble and Chamber Choir Ireland together to perform the Irish Premiere of Jóhann Jóhannsson’s Drone Mass on the opening festival weekend.
Norwegian superstar violinist Mari Samuelsen will be welcomed to the Marble City for the first time, with a recital featuring Bach, Bryce Dessner, Max Richter, Lera Auerbach and Glass, and will close out KAF2024 with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in a performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Recomposed by Max Richter.
updated at kilkennyarts.ie