In Belfast, the 62nd Belfast Festival is already underway, but continues until Saturday 23 November, so it is well worth a visit. The other end of the island plays host to the now world-famous Wexford Festival Opera which is just beginning, and finishes on 2 November.
Incredibly, this is the 62nd Belfast Festival, and the expanse of the programme, taking in more than 30 venues, will feature theatre, dance, music, literature, film and visual arts.
The Grand Opera House welcomes the European premiere of The Vanishing Elephant for four performances (31 October to 2 November). Suitable for families, with children aged eight and upwards, this magical story of friendship, belonging and adventure is brought to life with extraordinary puppetry.
Anyone who was captivated by The Life of Pi, or War Horse, will enjoy this spectacle.
Musically, there is a broad church of tastes catered for, but one that stands out as a beacon is Les Amazones d’Afrique. Be forewarned – they will appear for one night only, 28 October, at Mandela Hall in Belfast, and you will almost certainly find yourself compelled to dance and be seduced by the cathartic celebration.
This is a collective of incredibly talented female musicians from West Africa, and they blend traditional African rhythms with contemporary pop. The group has played at Glastonbury.
If you can extend your visit to a second night, check out Blues & Ballads at the Grand Opera House on 29 October.
Looking for something free? The 143rd Royal Ulster Academy Exhibition will run throughout the entirety of the festival – and the good news is that it will then continue until 6 January, 2025. The exhibition features work from some 80 academy members, alongside the contributions from 200 artists which were selected by way of public submission.
Wexford Festival Opera
A three-and-a-half-hour drive from Belfast to Wexford will see you at the heart of Ireland’s greatest opera festival. While this musical form might not be to everyone’s liking, the organisers of the Wexford Festival Opera try to entice non-believers with many side events, and perhaps one day these will spark an interest in the genre.
Running on various dates until 2 November, here is something to perhaps open the door for potential opera fans. An ‘opera beag’, or pocket opera, Puccini: Man of the Theatre is a specially commissioned work to celebrate the centenary of the composer’s death in 1924.
The newly commissioned Lady Gregory in America, sung in English and with a libretto by Colm Tóibín is one not to be missed. This is Tóibín’s third opera, reunited with composer Alberto Caruso, and is special given the author’s close family ties with Wexford and the festival. There are seven performances until 1 November.
On 29 October, soprano Celine Byrne leads a star cast of singers and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in a gala concert in the O’Reilly Theatre. Guest conductor Francesco Cilluffo takes the orchestra and singers through a wide selection of opera’s most ravishing arias. This will be a special treat for music lovers.
Check out Wexfordopera.com, and Belfastinternationalfestival.com