Press Release
May 2011
L ISMORE M USIC F ESTIVAL 2011, PRESENTS , D ON G IOVANNI AT L ISMORE
C ASTLE AND AN EXPANDED PROGRAMME OF EVENTS – 4 TH & 5 TH J UNE
A UNIQUE S UMMER M USIC , O PERA F ESTIVAL AT A SPECTACULAR OUTDOOR VENUE
K INDLY SUPPORTED BY : L ORD & L ADY B URLINGTON , LISMORE C ASTLE, THE H OUSE OF W ATERFORD
C RYSTAL , F AILTE I RELAND , W ATERFORD C OUNTY C OUNCIL , J ONATHAN A CKROYD J EWELLERS , THE
IT ALIAN I NSTITUTE OF C ULTURE & RTE L YRIC FM
The Lismore Music Festival (LMF) box office is now open to the public 00 353 87 168
0258 OR 00 353 58 52769 www.lismoremusicfestival.com
. The 2011 expanded programme of events take place over the June bank holiday (Sat 4 th & Sun 5 th ) weekend in the historic and picturesque town of Lismore, County Waterford.
The festival which takes place over two days, Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 June will present a new production of Mozart’s much loved classic Don Giovanni, directed by
Dieter Kaegi in the stunning surroundings of Lismore Castle. A new arrangement has been commissioned by LMF and has been especially arranged by Nick Roth for violin, cello, flute, trombone, saxophones, piano & harpsichord.
LMF is an eclectic mix of musical genres with opera at its core and aims to become an annual event which will attract music lovers and visitors to the region. Situated in what is often referred to as the Irish Riviera, Lismore Castle, the privately owned residence of the Duke of Devonshire and his family will play host to two performances of Don Giovanni in the transformed upper stables on the grounds of the castle by kind permission of Lord and Lady Burlington. The LMF has transformed the former castle stables into a beautiful setting for its production and every effort has been made to weatherproof the venue and maximise comfort for its patrons including a roof and tiered seating.

Following the success of the inaugural LMF last June, the programme for the weekend has been expanded to include a concert ‘Opera for Guitar and Voice’ at
Lismore’s historic St. Carthage’s Cathedral on Sunday 5 th June at 12.15; a recital of
Italian Repertoire sponsored by the Italian Institute of Italian Culture, featuring
Irish Sopranos, Sandra Oman and Deirdre Masterson as part of the LMF recitals on
the Blackwater at Salterbridge House on Saturday 4 th June at 2pm. There will also
be free musical performances at various locations around the town of Lismore and an exhibition of local artists at Salterbridge House & Gardens featuring the work of
Chris Yowell (Painter) Jane Jermyn (Ceramicist & Sophie Broadhead) Jeweller
The Lismore Farmers Market on the castle avenue and the Opera Supper Club at
O’Brien’s Chop House will also feature as part of this year’s festivities.
This year, as part of the LMF access programme, local school children from transition year have been invited to attend the dress rehearsal on the Friday night. The opera will be explained to the students beforehand and the students will get a glimpse behind the scenes of one of the most exciting artforms and for most it will be their first experience of opera.
LMF have assembled a fantastic cast of Irish and International singers and musicians for this unique Summer Musical event. The Don Giovanni cast includes, Anthony
Kearns as Don Ottavio; Cara O'Sullivan as Donna Anna; Andrew Ashwin as Don
Giovanni, John Molloy as Leporello; Fiona Murphy as Donna Elvira; Mary O’Sullivan as Zerlina; Gerard O'Connor as Commendatore & Gavan Ring as Masseto
The LMF Chamber Orchestra includes, Cora Venus Lunny – violin; Adrian Hart - violin; Kate Ellis – cello; Fiona Kelly – flute; Nick Roth – saxophones; Colm O'Hara – trombone; David Adams - piano / harpsichord and Larrissa O’Grady – Viola & Violin.
The musicians are all renowned soloists and share an interest in a wider musical world including their collaboration in gypsy and yiddish group 'Yurodny' among countless other collaborations. Taking their name from the memoirs of Dmitri
Shostakovich, Yurodny was founded in 2007 by saxophonist and composer Nick
Roth. The ensemble was built on the principle that in order for intelligent communication to take place between people, the language of one must be absorbed by the other. A deep fascination with a range of diverse repertoire, leads to constant collaborations with leading musicians from around the world in a constant quest for meaning, understanding and the ability to express this with the traditional powers of music; Celebration, Lamentation, Storytelling, Meditation,
Education, and Ceremony.

“We are delighted with the reaction the inaugural festival received from audiences, critics and locals and have received overwhelmingly positive feedback and encouragement to build LMF into an annual event. We intend The Lismore Music
Festival to be a gem of a Summer Festival on the Irish and International calendar, providing a weekend to indulge all the senses with music, food & wine, gardens, historic architecture and art. We have very ambitious plans for LMF, artistically and from a cultural tourism perspective. Lismore and West Waterford is one of Ireland’s best kept secrets and we hope the festival attracts visitors from neighbouring counties, all over Ireland and beyond and provides economic stimulus to the town of
Lismore, Blackwater, West Waterford and East Cork region.
“We are very grateful to Lord and Lady Burlington for their generous support, allowing us to use the grounds of what is in my opinion the prettiest castle in Ireland.
The people of Lismore and the surrounding area have embraced the idea of hosting an opera and music festival here. The business, tourism and hospitality community have all contributed their time and enthusiasm. The hospitality and tourism sector are enthusiastically supporting us by providing weekend packages and pre opera menus as well as hosting events. Failte Ireland and Waterford County Council are onboard as funders and the House of Waterford Crystal, Jonathan Ackroyd
Jewellers and the Italian Institute of Culture are festival sponsors. The festival creates seasonal employment for musicians, singers and everyone involved in the production team as well as providing business for all the festival suppliers such as marquees, printers, designers and catering etc. “ said Jennifer O’Connell, LMF
Founder/Director.
Patrons are encouraged to arrive early, enjoy some Anti pasti + Caponata alla polo + tirumasu icecream prepared by Eunice Power with a glass of wine from the Power
Wine Merchants cellar in the romantic and magical surroundings of the castle gardens. The organisers have also set up a Prosecco and Wine Bar within the castle walls for the weekend.
Be one of the first to experience this unique Summer event in one of the most beautiful places in Ireland, tickets are selling fast and early booking of tickets and accommodation is recommended.
Ends
For further information, photographs or to arrange interviews please contact:
Jennifer O’Connell, LMF Founder/ Director – 00 353 (0)87 972 1776 or jenniferjoconnell@gmail.com

Editors Notes:
Tickets & packages:
€95 Opera only
€120 Opera + antipasti + caponata alla pollo + tiramisu icecream + glass of wine+ Tea or Coffee. (Vegetarian option available) Food must be ordered in advance
€25 Cathedral Concert only
€20 LMF Recital on the Blackwater at Salterbridge House. (includes Tea or Coffee and scone)
€135 Festival ticket includes – Opera + Cathedral Concert + LMF Recital on the
Blackwater at Salterbridge House (includes discount, excludes food package)

A Prosecco & wine Bar will be open pre opera and during the 45 minute interval
 Gardens and Castle gates open to LMF audience from 6.30pm. Enjoy the spectacular grounds and gardens of one of Ireland's most beautiful castles in the beautiful heritage town of Lismore, Co.Waterford.

Meet the cast in the Opera Supper Club, O'Briens, Main Street Lismore after the performance

Dress code: Cocktail/Jacket. Please remember to bring something warm to wear when the sun goes down.
The Lismore Music Festival has transformed the former castle stables into a beautiful setting for its production of one of world's favourite operas. Every effort has been made to weatherproof the venue for the performance including a roof, however, as we know the weather in Ireland can be unpredictable and the evenings do get chilly.
Please ensure you bring appropriate clothes on the night.
Visitors/Patrons are not permitted to bring food and drink into the grounds of the castle. There will be delicious catering and a bar available within the castle grounds for the festival weekend.

Quotes from media 2010 LMF:
“We just finished recording the Carmen piece. It was sensational. Fiona sang beautifully, and looked great on camera, and the music brought such a wonderful flamenco feel to this operatic classic. One of our music highlights of the year. ..
…..Thanks”
Betty Purcell – The View (RTE One TV)
“Ireland’s first-ever Lismore Music Festival, was more than a local musical event – it was a bold statement that promising opportunities can be created even during financially trying times. Being there to witness the birth of opera in Co. Waterford, I was happier than ever that my second country is, and always has been, Ireland.”
Brian Kellow, Features Editor, Opera News Magazine (the largest opera publication
in the USA)
“Must See festival”
Sunday Times Culture Magazine
The spectacular setting of Lismore Castle provided the ideal backdrop for the opera
Carmen. From the start the musical arrangement and choice of instruments was devilishly clever, the music complemented both the setting and the plot lines to perfection.”
Carl Dixon, Irish Examiner

L ISMORE M USIC F ESTIVAL 2011, PRESENTS , D ON G IOVANNI (M OZART ) AT
L ISMORE C ASTLE
A UNIQUE S UMMER M USIC , O PERA F ESTIVAL AT A SPECTACULAR OUTDOOR VENUE
D IRECTOR D IETER K AEGI
L IGHTING T HOMAS M AEKER
C OSTUMES P ATSY G ILES
P ROPS /S ETS C IARA G ORMLEY
P RODUCER J ENNIFER O’C ONNELL
D ON G IOVANNI C AST :
Andrew Ashwin Don Giovanni
John Molloy Leporello
Anthony Kearns Don Ottavio
Cara O'Sullivan Donna Anna
Fiona Murphy Donna Elvira
Mary O’Sullivan Zerlina
Gerard O'Connor Commendatore
Gavan Ring Masseto
LMF C HAMBER O RCHESTRA :
Cora Venus Lunny - violin
Adrian Hart - violin
Kate Ellis - cello
Fiona Kelly - flute
Nick Roth - saxophones
Colm O'Hara - trombone
David Adams - piano / harpsichord
L ARISSA O’G RADY – V IOLA & V IOLIN

L ISTINGS INFORMATION
L ISMORE M USIC F ESTIVAL 2011 PRESENTS
D ON G IOVANNI BY M OZART , N EW A RRANGEMENT BY N ICK R OTH COMMISSIONED BY LMF, AT
THE L ISMORE C ASTLE S TABLES , C O .
W ATERFORD
C ASTLE G ARDENS & P ROSECCO B AR OPEN TO PATRONS AT 6.30
PM
P ERFORMANCES BEGIN AT 8.30
PM EACH NIGHT
T WO A CT O PERA WITH O NE 45 MIN AFTER A CT I I NTERVAL
S ATURDAY 4 & S UNDAY 5 J UNE 2011
T ICKETS FROM €95 €120 INCLUDING antipasti + caponata alla pollo + tiramisu icecream + glass of wine CREAM , GLASS OF WINE & O PERA
B OX OFFICE 00 353 87 1680 258 OR 00 353 58 52769
EMAIL : BOXOFFICE @ LISMOREMUSICFESTIVAL .
COM
W EBSITE : www.lismoremusicfestival.com
www.lismorecastle.com
F ACEBOOK : LISMORE MUSIC FESTIVAL
LMF 2011 PRESENTS
O PERA FOR G UITAR & V OICE C ONCERT RECITAL BY R EDMOND O’T OOLE & G UEST S INGERS
A T S T .
C ARTHAGE ’ S C ATHEDRAL , T HE M ALL , L ISMORE , C O .
W ATERFORD
S UNDAY 5 J UNE 2011 AT 12.15
T ICKETS €25
B OX OFFICE 00 + 353 + (0) 58 527 69 OR 00 + 353 + (0) 87 168 02 58
W EBSITE : www.lismoremusicfestival.com
LMF R ECITAL ON THE B LACKWATER AT S ALTERBRIDGE H OUSE & G ARDENS
S PONSORED BY T HE I TALIAN I NSTITUTE OF C ULTURE
S TARING I RISH S OPRANOS D EIRDRE M ASTERSON AND S ANDRA O MAN
S ATURDAY 4 TH J UNE 2011 AT 2 PM
T ICKETS €20 ( INCLUDE T EA OR C OFFEE & SCONE )
B OX OFFICE + 353 + (0) 58 527 69 OR 00 + 353 + (0) 87 168 02 58
W EBSITE : www.lismoremusicfestival.com
www.salterbridge-houseandgarden.com
Exhibition of local artists at Salterbridge House & Gardens featuring the work of
Chris Yowell – Painter
Jane Jermyn – Ceramicist
Sophie Broadhead – Jeweller
Tickets €5 - Garden visit including the exhibition www.salterbridge-houseandgarden.com