Lyric Opera Productions was just an idea which germinated after its founder and Artistic Director, Vivian Coates, returned from abroad and found that directing opportunities in his own homeland were solely in the domain of foreign artists. Lyric Opera is regarded as a young and avant-garde company and receives consistently generous reviews from both press and patrons alike.
In 1998, Lyric Opera productions was instrumental in setting up its sister company, Festival Productions, which produces much-acclaimed and innovative productions from the Broadway Musical genre. It is regarded as the premiere Musical Company in Ireland
Lyric Opera Productions inception took place in the, then newly opened, Watergate Theatre in Kilkenny City. Laced with a once vibrant opera and musical scene, it brought music back to the medieval city with great Irish and International stars. It all started with Viennese and opera concerts with high calibre singers such as Kathryn Smith, Peter McBrien (RIP), Imelda Drumm and Niamh Murray plus internationally acclaimed opera stars such as Cheryl Barker, Peter Coleman-Wright, Anna Marabini and celebrated Australian pianist, Piers Lane.
As a result of the company's initial successes Lyric Opera was persuaded to transfer to The National Concert Hall, Dublin – a venue seating 1,200 patrons, right in the centre of Dublin City. This has been Lyric Opera's home for the past fourteen years. Our initial projects in the National Concert Hall were one-off performances of semi-staged operas. The first was La Traviata, lead by the charismatic and brilliantly talented Czech conductor, Albert Rosen (RIP) and starred Australian soprano, Cheryl Barker, Mexican tenor, Rapheal Rojas and acclaimed Irish baritone, Peter McBrien (RIP). This was a brilliant beginning for the “new kids on the operatic block!”
Lyric Opera has presented many operas now—producing three performances in fully staged productions at the National Concert Hall twice and three times a year. These productions have featured such eminent artists as Stanislav Schvets, Louis Otey, Annosha Gorlesorki, Jee Hyun Lim, Anne Mason, Jean Glennon, Nancy Yuen, Mark Holland, Hector Guedes, Tamsin Dives and Ramaz Chikvalatze to name only a few.
We strive to bring the best of opera at an affordable price to the people of Ireland. We will continue to employ Irish singers, musicians, designers, conductors and choreographers whenever possible, increasing standards and increase our repertoire. The one thing we must, however, never forget is our history and our initial philosophy; which is to nurture the young, up and coming Irish talent of this nation and to provide them with a platform from which to launch their international careers.