Last week, I had the honour of being asked to launch of the Cork Operatic Society’s production of Sweeney Todd. A Cork based amateur society that stages one operatic show each year.

The reputation of the Cork Operatic Society precedes them. This is a society that was born out of adversity and the only remaining legacy of Cork’s year as European Capital of Culture. When the Arts Council of Ireland, decided that last year, that no funding would be made available the group, a highly committed and dedicated group decided that arts and culture would in this City not suffer as a result. Emerging as a new Society – the Cork Operatic Society, the committee and members of the have worked and lobbied extremely had to ensure that the show does go on.

I attended the Society’s production of Candide last year and it exceeded all my expectations. I had never been to an opera before, but what I saw and heard that night converted me! This year the Society are staging, “Sweeney Todd – the Demon Barber” in the Everyman Palace – a show that is sure to thrill. We have so much ability here in Cork and it is wonderful that this society gives people an outlet for this particular type of talent.

Over the past number of weeks and months there has been a lot of media coverage and public criticism of the temporary closure of the Cork’s Opera House for the summer months. In the centenary year of Aloys Fleischmann, a teacher, an activist and an advocate for the arts, who made himself one of the most pivotal figures of Irish music in the 20th century, I cannot stress enough the absolute importance of continuing to fund and support the arts in Cork City. Fleischmann had a very exceptional ambition for Ireland, he knew the country could excel, having achieved political independence, he believed that the country could come of age, culturally

I know it is a struggle for so many arts groups to continue when there is little state funding and corporate sponsorship has dried up. However, I think we all have to applaud groups like the Cork Operatic Society who are continuing to fly the flag for the arts in Cork and have refused to give up in the face of almost insurmountable odds. It shows that not only is the spirit of volunteerism alive and well but so too is our love of the theatre.

Sweeney Todd, plays at The Everyman Palace Theatre, 5th to the 8th August – more details here

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Posted in Arts by Cllr Laura McGonigle No Comments Yet