ECEMF 2021: A Tale of Two Opera Houses
Methodist Church Kinsale
Saturday 9th October, 6pm/8:30pm

Tickets: €18 / €15
Tickets are very limited and must be booked in advance due to COVID-19 restrictions. Follow the link below to book.

Sharon Carty – mezzo soprano
Francesco Giusti – countertenor
Cork Baroque Orchestra, directed by Bridget Cunningham

Bridget Cunningham directs the Cork Baroque Orchestra in Kinsale with acclaimed singers, mezzo Sharon Carty and countertenor Francesco Giusti, singing the divas of rival 18th century opera houses. Exploring the careers of the legendary celebrity singers Senesino and Farinelli, the programme brings the 18th century Royal Academy of Music and the Opera of the Nobility to life. Including works by Handel, Hasse & Porpora, this tale also connects with the 4th Earl of Cork, Richard Boyle whose sponsorship supported many of the operas and singers involved.

Bridget Cunningham is an international conductor, prizewinning harpsichordist and musicologist, who has performed at a host of major festivals and venues. As Artistic Director of London Early Opera, Cunningham is creating, researching and conducting an ongoing series of Handel recordings with Signum Classics exploring Handel the man, his music and his travels to capture musical snapshots of moments in his life.

Irish mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty is a singer who has firmly established a reputation as a respected interpreter of both early and contemporary works, alongside maintaining a busy schedule in mainstream opera and concert repertoire.

Italian-born, Dublin-based countertenor Francesco Giusti is a sought-after soloist throughout Italy as well as in Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Slovenia and Japan. He regularly collaborates with important early music ensembles such as Roberto Gini’s Ensemble Concerto and Gianluca Capuano’s Il Canto di Orfeo, performs regularly with Northern Ireland Opera and is a member of Irish National Opera's Opera Studio.