Irish mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught makes an eagerly awaited homecoming in her first complete opera role in Ireland singing Rosina in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, at the end of April.
Speaking about the show Tara said, “If anybody wants to try an opera for the first time, this is the ideal one. It’s not too long and it’s a comedy and most people will recognise the music.
“There’s so much of it used at the moment on advertisements on the television, in films. It’s everywhere. So you won’t believe it when you get there that they know so much of the music.
And I think this is the kind of piece that’s the right one to make a stab at opera. It’s not too dramatic and it’s really funny.”
Apart from having some great musical pieces in the show Tara says that the audience will be able to relate to the storyline, “It’s a girl who is trying to date a guy but her guardian doesn’t want her to. So there’s all this sneaking around and secret letters,” Tara explained.
She continued, “Because it’s set in the 70’s it’s really cool. It’s not a park and bark style where you stand in front and sing, it’s not like that at all. It’s full on movement, like a proper show. It’s a musical in a different language. There are titles above so people can see the English but the story is so funny you wouldn’t even need them”.
Her Dublin show will be Tara’s 25th performance of the piece, having previously performed in some of the biggest venues around the world. Tara told us that the performance is, ‘polished’ and she feels it’s ‘finally time to bring it to Ireland’.
Tara is urging people to ‘branch out and take the risk’ with this show. If you’re even half interested in seeing an opera then this is the perfect one for you. It’s relatable, shorter than normal, has some really recognisable songs and very funny.
The show will have just three performances only on Wednesday 20th, Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd April 2016 at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre. Tickets are on sale now.
