WhistleBlast Quartet collaborate on ground-breaking opera

MARY Curran, former MD of the Castlebar Concert Band and French hornist, well known to Mayo audiences, is producing a new opera with the WhistleBlast Quartet, of whom she is director.

The quartet will bring this opera project to Galway this week, in collaboration with That’s Life, presenting Mr. President, a new ground-breaking operatic work with participants in leading roles from Galway’s arts organisation for adults with intellectual disabilities: That’s Life and Electric Dreams.

This unique, wonderful new opera, full of power and protest, will include new music composed and performed by all participants in That's Life, including original gamelan music accompaniment led by That’s Life programme leader, Andrew Madec. Also performing with WhistleBlast Quartet are opera mezzo soprano Catherine Donnelly, jazz guitarist Aengus Hackett and young musicians from Limerick's Ceol na Mara Youth Orchestra.

The performance of this unique opera featuring multigenerational participants with additional needs will take place on Friday, June 21, at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall Theatre, Galway.

Mr. President will include Lámh signing, making the performance also accessible to anyone with communication difficulties.

Producer: Mary Curran

Director: Maisie Lee

Musical arrangements: Kenneth Edge

Musical director: Conor Linehan

Creative partners: That’s Life

Supporting partners: Irish National Opera, Town Hall Theatre, Galway and the Arts Council of Ireland.