Opera
Starting with The Mikado in 1944, St. Jarlath's College Amateur Operatic Society has performed a yearly musical or opera for the local community. The 1969 production, The Quaker Girl was the first to be held in conjunction with the Mercy Convent, Tuam. The 2008 Opera was also in conjunction with St. Patrick's College, due to the amalgamation process in progress at the time.
The tradition of the annual Opera was continued following the amalgamation, the 2009 Opera being the first production of the newly amalgamated school. The Opera has been successful in recent years in the Connaught Tribune organised musical awards, winning a Best Overall and a Best Chorus award in 2008 for Hot Mikado.
The current Musical Director is Shane Farrell. He has 2 Operas as musical director under his belt, including one where he was still a Leaving Certificate student himself. He has acted as musical director to many different musical productions around County Galway in recent times.
In recent years, the Opera has been directed by Ronan Lardner, a past pupil. Ronan played lead roles during his own time attending St. Jarlath’s, including the role of Judas in the millennium show of Jesus Christ Superstar, which involved a mix of pupils past and present. Since then he has participated in other shows around the province (both acting and directing).
| Year | Show | Year | Show | Year | Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | The Mikado | 1977 | Kiss Me Kate | 2010 | Evita |
| 1945 | H.M.S. Pinafore | 1978 | South Pacific | 2011 | The Pirates of Penzance |
| 1946 | The Gondoliers | 1979 | Fiddler on the Roof | 2012 | Oliver! |
| 1947 | The Quaker Girl | 1980 | The Pirates of Penzance | ||
| 1948 | The Country Girl | 1981 | The Gondoliers | ||
| 1949 | The Pirates of Penzance | 1982 | The Arcadians | ||
| 1950 | The Maid of the Mountains | 1983 | Iolanthe | ||
| 1951 | The Arcadians | 1984 | The Quaker Girl | ||
| 1952 | The Geisha Girl | 1985 | Oklahoma! | ||
| 1953 | Lilac Time | 1986 | Fiddler on the Roof | ||
| 1954 | The Vagabond King | 1987 | H.M.S. Pinafore | ||
| 1955 | Iolanthe | 1988 | How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | ||
| 1956 | Patience | 1989 | Oliver! | ||
| 1957 | The Student Prince | 1990 | Brigadoon | ||
| 1958 | The New Moon | 1991 | The Pirates of Penzance | ||
| 1959 | The Yeomen of the Guard | 1992 | Carousel | ||
| 1960 | The White Horse Inn | 1993 | The Mikado | ||
| 1961 | The Arcadians | 1994 | Chess (World schools' premiere) | ||
| 1962 | The Country Girl | 1995 | Finian's Rainbow | ||
| 1963 | H.M.S. Pinafore | 1996 | My Fair Lady | ||
| 1964 | Brigadoon | 1997 | God Bless Archie Dean | ||
| 1965 | The Pirates of Penzance | 1998 | Guys and Dolls | ||
| 1966 | Iolanthe | 1999 | Jesus Christ Superstar | ||
| 1967 | The Gondoliers | 2000 | Oliver! | ||
| 1968 | The White Horse Inn | 2001 | Godspell | ||
| 1969 | The Quaker Girl | 2002 | Les Misérables | ||
| 1970 | Oliver! | 2003 | Joseph | ||
| 1971 | Guys and Dolls | 2004 | Grease | ||
| 1972 | Annie Get Your Gun | 2005 | Little Shop of Horrors | ||
| 1973 | Oklahoma! | 2006 | Half a Sixpence | ||
| 1974 | H.M.S. Pinafore | 2007 | Big River | ||
| 1975 | My Fair Lady | 2008 | Hot Mikado | ||
| 1976 | Oliver! | 2009 | West Side Story |
Read more about this topic: St. Jarlath's College
Famous quotes containing the word opera:
“Are you suggesting that we reopen the Opera with a murder as an added attraction?”
—Eric Taylor, Leroux, and Arthur Lubin. Lecours (Fritz Feld)
“The opera house sparkled with tiers
And tiers of eyes, like mine enlarged by belladonna,”
—James Merrill (b. 1926)
“I have witnessed, and greatly enjoyed, the first act of everything which Wagner created, but the effect on me has always been so powerful that one act was quite sufficient; whenever I have witnessed two acts I have gone away physically exhausted; and whenever I have ventured an entire opera the result has been the next thing to suicide.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)