Northern Ireland Opera and Friends premiere a festive film, ‘At Home for Christmas’ on 16th December at 8pm on our YouTube channel

Following the success of their tribute in May to the NHS and key workers ‘At Home for Heroes’, Northern Ireland Opera has curated a festive film with musical contributions from some of Northern Ireland’s best-loved classical musicians.

The contributors include The Priests with Ruth McGinley, Neil Martin, Michael McHale, Isaac Mason, chorister with the Belfast Children’s Cathedral Choir and a performance by Mukesh Sharma and Daniel Perskawiec on harmonium and sitar. Our Associate Artists, formed in response to the pandemic to bring opera to the community, will perform with David Corr, winner of the Festival of Voice 2020. ‘At Home for Christmas’ will also feature readings from journalist Anne Hailes and broadcaster Sean Rafferty, our Patron, who hosts the film.

Belfast film company StreetmonkeyTV filmed ‘At Home for Christmas’ for Northern Ireland Opera in Belfast during the current lockdown, in and around Belfast City Hall and in First Church, Belfast. We hope that, following on from our concert in May, ‘At Home for Heroes’ which to date has received nearly 6000 views, we can again bring the joy of music and this time, the festive spirit, to audiences across Northern Ireland. Expect to hear favourite carols, readings, a Christmas piano medley, a chorus from Die Fledermaus, a Sanskrit prayer for peace and some beautiful ‘cello pieces amongst the performances in the film.