Live opera returns to Northern Irelands with The Festival of Voice

Festival of Voice finalists, Belfast 2020

Live opera is returning to Northern Ireland this August, when Northern Ireland Opera brings The Festival of Voice to Belfast. Normally this annual celebration of the best young voices from the island of Ireland takes place in the Glenarm but the current restrictions mean that this year it will be taking place from 28-30 August 2020 in the First Church Belfast, under the theme of Myths and Legends.

The finalists for the competition are chosen from singers between the ages of 18 and 28, born on the island of Ireland. This year the five finalists are David Corr (baritone), David Howes (bass baritone), Andrew Irwin (tenor), Sarah Luttrell (mezzo-soprano) and Jade Phoenix (soprano), and they will be working with vocal coaches across the weekend and building to finale where they compete by performing arias, duets and Irish songs in front of a judging panel of opera experts. The winner is awarded a monetary prize and the chance to attend Canto al Serchio in Tuscany, run by Belfast-born international baritone, Bruno Caproni.

Also in the weekend there will be three BBC Radio 3 Recitals, from soprano Ailish Tynan, mezzo-soprano Anna Huntley and baritone James Newby, with accompanist Simon Lepper.  BBC Radio 3 will broadcast the recitals in the early autumn while the competition finale will be filmed and released via the Northern Ireland Opera YouTube channel in September. 

Full details from the Northern Ireland Opera website.