WhistleBlast Quartet Opera Project

WhistleBlast Quartet in collaboration with That’s Life proudly presents MR. PRESIDENT, a new operatic work with participants in leading roles from Galway’s special arts organization: That’s Life and Electric Dreams, also including young musicians from Ceol na Mara Youth Orchestra.
This unique, wonderful new opera, full of power and protest, will include music composed and performed by all participants in That's Life, including original gamelan music accompaniment led by Andrew Madec. All performing with WhistleBlast, Opera Mezzo Soprano Catherine Donnelly and jazz guitarist Aengus Hackett.

Producer: Mary Curran
Director: Maisie Lee
Musical arrangements: Kenneth Edge
Musical Director: Conor Linehan
Supporting partners: Irish National Opera, Town Hall Theatre, Galway, RTÉ Supporting the Arts and the Arts Council of Ireland.

The performance of this unique opera featuring multigenerational participants with additional needs, will take place on Friday 21st June at 7pm in Town Hall Theatre, Galway.

There will also be a public dress rehearsal performance on Thursday 20th June at 1pm.

This project began with an OPEN CALL for organisations, such as community, music and theatre groups, who nurture and develop the arts for anybody with additional needs and who would love to participate in this programme, in any Irish location. WhistleBlast’s director Mary Curran and pianist Conor Linehan delivered a series of introductory and development workshops including some sessions with Irish National Opera and professional opera performers, to experiment and create musical scripts and vocals led by the participants.

The development of this project is funded by the Arts Council of Ireland.