Opera in the Open is an initiative of Dublin City Council that presents live performances of operatic work in the open air in Dublin City Centre.

The annual opera season is taking place on 7, 14, 21 & 28 August in the Amphitheatre at the Dublin City Council Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8.

Each opera performance is presented in an abridged format, narrated in English, and lasts one hour, fitting perfectly into the lunchtime slot from 1 to 2pm. Attendance is completely free of charge, and all are welcome!

The Amphitheatre features a raised stage, seating areas, and grassy verges perfect for a picnic lunch. It is conveniently accessible from Winetavern Street and space is made available for wheelchair users. Attendees are encouraged to bring cushions, blankets and camping chairs for additional comfort if desired.

Opera in the Open shows beyond doubt that there is a substantial audience for opera in Dublin. Here in the heart of the city, there's no better way to enjoy summer in Dublin than by enjoying an aria or two at lunchtime each Thursday throughout August.

2025 Programme Details

• 7th August – Carmen (Georges Bizet)
• 14th August – Così Fan Tutte (Mozart)
• 21st August – Acis and Galatea (George Frideric Handel)
• 28th August – Donizetti Gala

7th August – Carmen (Georges Bizet)

Narrator/The Spirit of Carmen – Mary McEvoy
Carmen – Sandra Oman
Don José – José Pazos
Escamillo – Simon Morgan
Micaëla – Sorcha O’Regan
Frasquita – Clíodhna Regan
Mercedes – Ciara Smith
Remendado – Oisín Ó’Dálaigh
Dancairo – Edward Finegan
Pianist – Mairéad Hurley

Carmen is a four-act opera composed by Georges Bizet, based on the novella by Prosper Mérimée. Set in Seville, Spain, the opera tells the story of the soldier Don José and Carmen, the fierce and independent gypsy woman he falls in love with. At first indifferent, Don José becomes increasingly obsessed with Carmen. He abandons his post and childhood sweetheart Micaëla and descends into jealousy and violence. Carmen, however, refuses to be possessed, valuing her freedom above all else. Her affections shift to the charismatic toreador (bullfighter) Escamillo, which fuels Don José’s rage. Escamillo and Carmen declare their mutual love before Escamillo’s next bullfight, and the opera concludes outside the bullring where Don José, unable to accept Carmen’s rejection, stabs her in a shocking and tragic ending.

14th August – Così Fan Tutte (Mozart)

Fiordiligi – Shauna Buckingham
Dorabella – Diana Salop
Ferrando – Cathal McCabe
Guglielmo – Matthew Mannion
Despina – Sandra Oman
Don Alfonso – Brendan Collins
Pianist – Mairéad Hurley

Così fan tutte, composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, is a comedic exploration of love and loyalty. The story follows two young soldiers, Ferrando and Guglielmo, who agree to test the faithfulness of their fiancées, Fiordiligi and Dorabella, after being challenged by their cynical friend Don Alfonso. Disguising themselves as strangers, the men attempt to woo each other’s partner with the aid of the maid Despina. Although they meet with no success at first, they eventually set off a chain of emotional discoveries. What begins as a light-hearted experiment gradually reveals the vulnerability and unpredictability of love, and the opera concludes as the ruse is revealed to all.

21st August – Acis and Galatea (George Frideric Handel)

Acis – Cathal McCabe
Galatea – Sorcha O’Regan
Damon – David O’Carroll
Polyphemus – David Scott
Pianist – Maria Geheran

Acis and Galatea is a work by George Frideric Handel adapting an ancient mythological story to a romantic but tragic pastoral opera. The story follows the romance between a mortal shepherd, Acis, and the immortal sea nymph Galatea. Encouraged by Acis’ friend Damon, the two fall in love and are happy for a time. Their joy is eventually shattered by the arrival of Polyphemus, a jealous giant who also desires Galatea. When she rejects him and swears eternal love with Acis, Polyphemus kills the shepherd in a fit of rage. Galatea, in mourning and grief, uses her divine powers to transform Acis into a water fountain to allow his spirit to live on.

28th August – Donizetti Gala

Sylvia O’Brien soprano
Shauna Buckingham soprano
Andrew Gavin tenor
Simon Morgan baritone
Vincent Lynch piano

A celebration of the life and works of Gaetano Donizetti, the 19th century Italian composer known for both his comedic and historic operas