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Calendar of Events

What's On

September 2026

A major new production of Bizet's 'Carmen' this September in Belfast

September 2026

An Evening of Opera - dinner and performance at the Grand Central Hotel

September 2026

Come and Sing 'Carmen' in the Grand Opera House auditorium

November 2026

An evening with the NI Opera Chorus at the Ulster Hall

Outreach and Training

Artist Development, Community and Education Programmes

Year Round Events

Morning Melodies Events 2026

Eugene Onegin

West Australian Opera remounts our 2024 production of Eugene Onegin for their 2026 Season

Our Work

Discover

Our Work

Look through the some of the productions and events we have produced since 2010, including main stage productions, concerts, festivals and film.

Past Productions

Main Stage

Eugene Onégin

Love, friendship and fidelity collide with devastating consequences in this story of passion, pride, a moment’s…

NI Opera Studio

The Juniper Tree

'The Juniper Tree' is based on a famous Grimm's fairytale, in which a jealous stepmother murders…

Main Stage

Tosca

Northern Ireland Opera returns in 2023 with Puccini’s ‘Tosca’, after our critically acclaimed and sold-out production…

Musical

Into The Woods

BEST PRODUCTION, THE IRISH TIMES IRISH THEATRE AWARDS 2022 In a whirlwind quest to make their…

WHAT'S ON

WHAT'S ON

What's On

A calendar guide to what's on where in 2026

What's On 2026

Main Stage

Carmen

Bizet’s Carmen comes to the Grand Opera House, Belfast from 12–19 September 2026, in a new…

Concert

Morning Melodies

Morning Melodies: Booking Now! Northern Ireland Opera's popular daytime concert series features beautiful performances of opera’s…

Introducing The Morning Melodies Club

Enjoy every Morning Melodies event for less, and become part of a regular, welcoming audience at…

Concert

CHORUS!

The Northern Ireland Opera Chorus perform an evening of opera choruses, from much-loved and well-known works…

WHAT WE DO

What We Do

WHAT WE DO

We are Northern Ireland's award-winning national opera company, an arts charity dedicated to the highest standards of opera performance, development of young talent and community outreach and education. Find out more here.

What We Do

Artist Development

Our Chorus Development Programme launched in 2022, following open auditions to select local singers to be…

Past Productions

Outreach

Northern Ireland Opera bring innovative new productions of the highest artistic quality to the stage, reflecting…

Be part of our story!

Follies Schools Outreach Week Someone once opened the door to music for you. A teacher. A…

News

4th August 2026

Introducing Frasier Hickland, Chorus Master for ‘Carmen’

I am delighted to be the Chorus Master for Northern Ireland Opera’s new production of Bizet’s ‘Carmen’. Having worked on many operas across Ireland, the UK and Europe, it’s nice to be…

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Introducing Frasier Hickland, Chorus Master for ‘Carmen’
4th August 2026

Orchestra Manager, Margaret Barry, talks about her role assembling the ‘Carmen’ orchestra

Fixing (assembling) the orchestra for Northern Ireland Opera involves the booking of individual professional freelance players who are available for all of the previously agreed rehearsal and performance schedule. NI Opera aims…

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Orchestra Manager, Margaret Barry, talks about her role assembling the ‘Carmen’ orchestra
1st July 2026

First Cast and Creatives Announced for ‘Carmen’

Northern Ireland Opera today unveils the first cast and creative team for the company’s performance of Georges Bizet’s Carmen. Directed by Artistic Director Cameron Menzies, this grand-scale production marks the national company’s…

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First Cast and Creatives Announced for ‘Carmen’
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A brilliantly busy day yesterday! We held rehearsals with our 'Carmen' and 'Don José', @rubydibblemusic and @noahtenor, pictured here with repetiteur @frasierhickland, Choreographer @jrooneydance and Music Director Greg Arrowsmith. Three members our our five-piece on-stage band were in rehearsals too and sounding great: pictured are Elaine O'Sullivan (accordion), @jackieraineymusic (guitar) and @cheylenemurphy (fiddle). Then we were off to @staysecondnature_ for 'Behind the Curtain: Muse, Martyr and Murder Victim' a thought-provoking evening exploring some of the sadly still-relevant themes and issues raised in Carmen, in a panel discussion led by award-winning producer, coach and creative leader @rachelclarkehughes with best-selling author @atoosasepehr_nutrition broadcaster. actor and writer @thelatasharma Founder of White Ribbon NI @tahneemccorry and Carmen's Director and NI Opera Artistic Director and Chief Executive @cameronmenziesdirector. Thank you to @marymccabesoprano, our Micaëla in Carmen. and pianist @tristanrusscher for performing at the event. If you haven't booked your Carmen tickets @gohbelfast yet, don't delay as there are very few left - and there's an opportunity to hear some of our singers perform at our 'Carmen' Opera Evening at @grandcentralbelfast on 3 September too - check in the link in the bio for more information. @artscouncilni @ourbelfastmusic #Carmen #Bizet #Belfast #September #WhatsOn
On 3 September from 7pm, join us at the Seahorse in @grandcentralbelfast for a stunning musical evening of opera and fine dining. Experience live performances of arias and duets by 'Carmen' cast members, and tango performed by duo Augusto and Maeve, and enjoy a delicious three course dinner in this luxurious art-deco styled space. Tickets are £80 - call Grand Central Hotel to book. @artscouncilni @maevecaitriona @cameronmenziesdirector @ourbelfastmusic #carmen #operadinner #september #tango #belfastevents #belfastdining
UPDATE: thank you for everyone who has applied: we have had a great response and will be in touch if we need any more makers. We're looking for costume makers available for an immediate start to join a small team in East Belfast as we get ready for our major new production of 'Carmen'. Applicants need to be available from now until 12 September. For more information and to apply, please send your CV as soon as possible to Matthew at m.bradley@niopera.com @artscouncilni #belfast #costumemaker #costumedesign #sewing #makers
We're delighted to welcome baritone Ross Ramgobin @rossramgobin to our Carmen cast as Le Dancaïre/Moralès Ross's operatic highlights include the title role in Britten’s Owen Wingrave at the Aldeburgh and Edinburgh Festivals; Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro at Glyndebourne; Prince Arjuna in Satyagraha for English National Opera; and Hajný in Rusalka, Schaunard in La bohème, Moralès in Carmen for the Royal Opera. Recent engagements include Prosdocimo in Il turco in Italia and Clive Green in Jonathan Dove’s Uprising at Glyndebourne, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Aurangzeb/Jahangir in Taj Mahal at Grange Park Opera, and, in 2026, the Celestial Narrator in Tavener’s Krishna. Rehearsals for 'Carmen' are underway and there are very few tickets left for our performance @gohbelfast so don't delay if you haven't yet booked! @artscouncilni @ourbelfastmusic #ledancaire #morales #carmen #rossramgobin
A very exciting Chorus event taking place this autumn opens for booking today. The NI Opera Chorus will return to the Ulster Hall @waterfront_ulster_hall at 7pm on 16 November to perform some of operas most loved works along with some hidden gems. The NI Opera Chorus comprises more than 30 singers selected through open auditions in Belfast. They are all based in Northern Ireland and work with NI Opera for 6 months in the build-up to our major production at the @gohbelfast each September and beyond, working with opera professionals on repertoire and performance skills. Come and experience the power of 30 opera voices performing in the historic Ulster Hall. Tickets are £10 to £20 plus booking fee and are on sale today via the link in the bio, where you can also find out all about the singers taking part. This event has been made possible by the support of our principal funder @artscouncilni and an Arts and Heritage Grant from @belfastcitycouncil @ourbelfastmusic #opera #operachorus #chorus #concert #whatson #belfast #artistdevelopment
Congratulations to the fantastic cast, creatives and crew for Eugene Onegin @westaustralianopera which opened in Perth at the end of last week. NI Opera's creative team Director @cameronmenziesdirector Set Designer @niallmckeeverdesign Movement Director @jrooneydance Lighting Designer Kevin Treacy and Costume Designer @gillian.lennox01 and Operations Manager @mattbrad8 have been in Perth for the past few weeks remounting NI Opera's critically-acclaimed 2024 production with a new Australian cast. We're so proud to see our work reaching new international audiences and have loved working with West Australian Opera once more after our Into The Woods collaboration in 2023. Now our team are back in Belfast ready for our rehearsals for 'Carmen' to begin today! @artscouncilni #onegin #Perth #WestAustralia
Meet our latest cast to be announced for 'Carmen', NI Opera's first ever production of Bizet's magnificent opera coming to @gohbelfast next month. Baritone Thomas Chenhall @thomas_chenhall joins the cast in the role of Escamillo, the charismatic bullfighter. He recently sang the role of Don Giovanni under the baton of Francesco Corti at Palau de la Musica Valencia and he will sing this role again at Opera North, as well as Britten’s Billy Budd, in which he made his debut at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in Ted Huffmann’s flagship production Bass-baritone Niall Anderson @niallandersonbassbari joins in the role of Zuniga following his previous appearances in Tosca and Eugene Onegin for Northern Ireland Opera as Sacristan and Prince Gremin respectively. In the 2025/2026 season Niall will make his debuts as AlaskaWolfJoe in Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny at the Teatro Petruzzelli and Teatro Verdi Trieste, Sparafucile in Rigoletto at the Teatre Principal in Palma Co Fermanagh tenor Andrew Irwin @andrewirwin_tenor takes on the role of Le Remendado, as he returns after five successful years as a principal at Stadttheater Bremerhaven where his highlights include Andrew’s highlights in Bremerhaven have included Camille de Rosillon (Die lustige Witwe), Pang (Turandot), Freddy Eynsford-Hill (My Fair Lady) and Knusperhexe (Hänsel und Gretel). We welcome them to the cast and look forward to rehearsals beginning next week. Don't forget to book if you haven't already! There aren't many tickets left... @artscouncilni @ourbelfastmusic #carmen #escamillo #leremendado #zuniga #whatson #belfast #opera
Booking now! A fascinating, thought-provoking panel discussion as we build up to our first ever production of Bizet's 'Carmen'. On Thursday 20th August, we will host 'Behind the Curtain: Carmen - Muse, Martyr and Murder Victim': a unique event featuring live music, performance and discussion. We'll explore historic operatic tropes of the tragic heroine to open vital conversations regarding inequality, safety, and the prevention of violence against women and girls. The event will be led by @rachelclarkehughes (International Creative Producer and Project Coordinator for the Training for Women Network, TWS), joined by Tahnee McCorry Founder of @white_ribbon_ni; best-selling author @atoosasepehr_nutrition, broadcaster @thelatasharma, and 'Carmen' Director @cameronmenziesdirector The evening will also feature members of the 'Carmen' cast, fresh from rehearsals, performing live extracts of the opera's most well-known arias. Tickets are £15 plus booking fee and include refreshments. The event will take place at @staysecondnature_, Queen St, Belfast. Doors open at 6.30pm with the event running from 7-8.30pm including a short interval. Full panel details and booking links via the bio or our website. @artscouncilni @ourbelfastmusic #opera #carmen #preshowtalk #womeninopera #discussion #tragicheroines
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