It’s been an incredible summer with one project seeming to merge into another. After the intense but sublime Heures Romantiques festival in France – three weeks spent exploring Romantic Lieder and Melodie in the picturesque Loire Valley – Daire was plunged into the challening and surreal worlds of Ligeti’s Grand Macabre and Barcelonan ‘guerrilla theatre’ group Fura del Baus. This is quite possibly one of the most difficult scores in the history of opera. Daire understudied Rebecca Bottone in the role of Amanda, one of a pair of lovers who carry the moral of this apocalyptic tale. Fura del Baus used cutting edge technical theatre to bring the piece to life. The “set” was a giant revolving naked woman and the staging involved climbing in and out of various orifices, a flash mob disco with Michael Jacksonesque overtones as well as more conventional theatrical devices including the chorus rampaging through the audience and flying cast members. All in all, a thrilling and memorable experience. Daire is now taking a well earned break which will include time spent in Paris and New York for a number of auditions before returning to the UK to sing Faure’s Requiem and Haydn’s Marie Therese Mass with Pershore Choral Society on the 14th of November and Handel’s Alexander’s Feast with Eastbourne Choral Society on the 21st of November.
Daire Halpin - Soprano 