This year’s Galway International Arts Festival (July 16–29) features the world premiere staging of Christoph Willibald Gluck’s opera Orfeo ed Euridice, presented by Irish National Opera. Based on the classical myth of Orpheus’s descent into the underworld to rescue his wife Euridice, this production brings a fresh, contemporary interpretation to a landmark work of the operatic repertoire.
Presented through a collaboration between United Fall and the Irish Baroque Orchestra, the production is sung in Italian with English surtitles for audience accessibility. Director and choreographer Emma Martin has created a richly theatrical, full-scale staging that fuses singing, instrumental performance and dance. Conductor Peter Whelan leads the Irish Baroque Orchestra, supported by the Irish National Opera Chorus. Soloists include Irish mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty and sopranos Sarah Power and Emma Nash, each offering powerful vocal interpretations of Gluck’s score.
The premiere performance of Orfeo ed Euridice takes place on July 23, with additional performances running July 23–29 at the Town Hall Theatre in Galway. The production is timed to coincide with the wider Galway International Arts Festival, providing festival audiences with a major operatic event alongside the festival’s program of theatre, music, visual arts and more.
Audiences can expect a production that respects Gluck’s musical and dramatic intent while introducing modern staging, movement and design elements that highlight the emotional core of the myth. The combination of historically informed orchestral playing by the Irish Baroque Orchestra and contemporary stagecraft aims to make the opera accessible to both seasoned opera-goers and newcomers.
Performing at the Town Hall Theatre offers an intimate setting that enhances the immediacy of the drama and the connection between performers and audience. The use of surtitles ensures that the Italian text remains musically intact while English translations keep the narrative clear throughout the performance.
This staging of Orfeo ed Euridice strengthens the Galway International Arts Festival’s reputation for presenting ambitious, cross-disciplinary work that combines music, theatre and dance. It also reinforces Irish National Opera’s commitment to delivering high-quality productions and to collaborating with leading domestic ensembles such as the Irish Baroque Orchestra.
For festival visitors seeking a memorable operatic experience during the Galway International Arts Festival, this world premiere offers a compelling blend of classical music, innovative choreography and dramatic storytelling. Tickets and a full festival schedule, including other performances and venues, are available through the festival’s official channels and box office.