Newry performance for Opera 'The Walk from the Garden'

Newry Chamber Music and Opera Collective Ireland are set to bring a powerful and moving performance to audiences in the city with The Walk from the Garden by Jonathan Dove, a 50-minute church opera that reimagines the timeless story of Adam and Eve’s banishment from the Garden of Eden. The opera takes place in St Colman's College, Newry on Saturday 30 November, 7.30pm with additional dates in Armagh and Dundalk.

At a time when environmental concerns are becoming more pressing, this poignant production explores humanity’s relationship with nature, set against the backdrop of today’s escalating environmental challenges.

Award-winning director Conor Hanratty, following his critically acclaimed production of The Critic at Wexford Festival Opera, will direct The Walk from the Garden, with Andrew Synnott conducting. Together, they bring this evocative story to life, combining operatic depth with a modern perspective on humanity’s impact on the planet.

The opera is scored for two solo singers, chorus, string quartet, timpani, and organ, creating an unusual yet accessible musical experience. Based on the biblical tale, the libretto follows Adam and Eve as they grapple with their expulsion from paradise. Moving from shock to a reflection on their first days in Eden, they confront what they are losing. Finally, hand in hand, they step into an unknown world, as the chorus echoes the words: ‘They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow, Through Eden, took their solitary way’.

The production will feature soloists Aaron O’Hare as Adam and Catherine Donnelly as Eve, alongside the acclaimed Clermont Chorale and Guadeamus, under the direction of Ronan Dennedy and Cathal Murphy. The instrumental ensemble includes violinists Joanne Quigley-McParland and Tom Jackson, violist Robin Panter, and timpanist Ronan McKee, with a powerful organ accompaniment.

Opera Collective Ireland celebrates its 10th anniversary year in 2024 and remains committed to taking opera beyond the traditional confines of the opera house, bringing The Walk from the Garden to wider audiences and encouraging reflection on both an ancient story and the ongoing human impact on our environment.

Newry Chamber Music (NCM), founded by Joanne Quigley McParland and David Quigley, began with an annual Christmas concert in Newry while they were music students. Over the years, NCM evolved into a full concert season, featuring world-class musicians. In 2014, they launched the Fews Ensemble, a flexible group ranging from 2-18 players, offering diverse chamber music styles. Supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Newry Mourne and Down District Council, and Exitex, NCM remains dedicated to its community and audience experience.

This unique cross-border collaboration is supported by the Shared Island Civil Society Fund. 

The Cast

Adam – Aaron O’Hare

Eve – Catherine Donnelly

Clermont Chorale (dir. Ronan Dennedy)

Guadeamus (dir. Cathal Murphy)

Ensemble

Violin 1 – Joanne Quigley -McParland

Violin 2 – Tom Jackson

Viola -      Robin Panter

Cello – Peggy Nolan

Organ – Jack Wilson

Timpani – Ronan McKee

Creatives

Conductor – Andrew Synnott

Director – Conor Hanratty

Additionally the event is being held on Thursday 28 November 2024 at St Patrick’s COI Cathedral, Armagh and on Sunday 1 December 2024 at St Joseph’s Redemptorist’s Church, Dundalk.

Get tickets for the Newry event at www.ticketsource.co.uk

Check out www.operacollectiveireland.com for more information

Three of the Performers

Catherine Donnelly

Donnelly is a soprano from County Down. She was a member of the ABL Aviation Irish National Opera studio in 2021-2022 and is a first-class honours graduate from the Master of Music Performance degree at TUD Conservatory of Music and Drama.

Catherine has given recitals at Boyle Arts Festival, with Ulster Touring Opera and with Newry Chamber Music. Among her upcoming engagements she is collaborating with renowned pianist and composer Dr Conor Linehan on a selection of arrangements of Irish Songs which will be recorded and performed in 2025.

Aaron O'Hare

Irish tenor Aaron O’Hare has sung with leading companies across the UK and Ireland. He recently sang Spoletta Tosca for Northern Ireland Opera and performed Fourth Jew Salome for Irish National Opera in 2024. Next season Aaron sings Monsieur Triquet Eugene Onegin for Northern Ireland Opera, and Alfred Die Fledermaus for Irish National Opera

He won Northern Ireland Opera’s Voice of 2015 competition and is also a recipient of the BBC NI and Arts Council NI Young Musician’s Platform Award. He played Mike in John Adam’s I was looking at the Ceiling and then I saw the Sky for the Studio of Opera Lyon in 2020.

Joanne Quigley McParland

Violinist Joanne Quigley McParland enjoys a multi-faceted career as performer, teacher and artistic director.
As an orchestral player she is in high demand as guest leader and co-leader and has guest led the Ulster Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, RTE Concert Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Royal Scottish National Orchestre.

Joanne is the Artistic Director of Newry Chamber Music,The Fews Ensemble and Narrow Water Arts Festival. Over the past 10 years she has devised and delivered three festivals, scores of Chamber Music programmes and produced and curated Newry, Mourne and Down's online Christmas and St. Patrick's Day concerts during the COVID years. She is passionate about collaborating with artists from different disciplines working with leading actors, dancers and poets.

Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk