“I count my time with the company as the single most formative experience as an emerging professional singer thus far…the supportive and demanding environment both encouraged and pushed me to go beyond what I had already achieved to date.”

Rory Musgrave – Junius in The Rape of Lucretia, 2014

“The company gives you the opportunity to believe in yourself, that it’s going to work for you if you have the right circumstances. And it’s a great experience – you can really dive into the thing.”

Gyula Nagy – Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucretia, 2014

“The four weeks with the company certainly put me through my paces and tested me on so many different levels – but I came out the other side a changed person… I can already feel and notice the positive impact the experience is having on every aspect of my career. I have a new-found energy and find myself eager to continue learning and explore my horizons beyond what I had originally thought possible.”

Thomas Doyle participant in the IYO mentoring scheme – The Rape of Lucretia, 2014

“As a young conductor, I found the experience of working on the production of “The Rape of Lucretia” to be a unique and invaluable learning opportunity. The chance to work with a highly regarded international conductor, Stephen Barlow, was hugely beneficial to my professional development and gave me a new insight into the operatic profession, as well as a fresh perspective on my own training as a conductor.”

Killian Farrell participant in the IYO mentoring scheme – The Rape of Lucretia, 2014

“Thanks to my time with the company I now have a greater confidence and feel like I would not be phased by larger roles in the future. Up until now an experience like this has been largely lacking in Ireland for young singers who are currently at my stage of development.”

Christopher Cull – Collatinus in The Rape of Lucretia, 2014

“Firstly, thank you for the opportunity and experience. It was invaluable to have done my first full Handel opera and a joy that it was in Ireland… I was extremely proud to be on stage with such Irish talent and to be a part of an extraordinary show that was so well received across the board.”

Maire Flavin – title role in Agrippina 2015

“Working on Aggrippina with IYO and the ICO has been so enriching. It not only gave me the opportunity to work with fellow international Irish artists with whom I hardly get to perform, but also a platform to perform at home. I loved every minute of it and think this company should be cherished for all the artistic accomplishments it has achieved so far. Many people told me it was the best opera they had seen in Ireland – a serious achievement for a new company.”

Rachel Kelly – Nerone in Agrippina 2015

“Ireland is producing, just look at the biographies of these Agrippina singers, stunning singers. There’s no point in training them to such a standard and not provide an outlet for them… To make audiences laugh and cry whilst singing the most virtuosic music written by Handel is an enormous achievement. These singers should be a cultural beacon for Ireland.”

Alan Ewing – Claudio in Agrippina, 2015

“Overall I feel better prepared for the solo professional world and lucky that my first role was with a company as nurturing as IYO, so thank you.”

Dawn Burns – Narcisso in Agrippina, 2015

“As someone at the start of their career, Agrippina was a fantastic opportunity to work with some of the best in the business and learn from them throughout the rehearsal period. I was extremely proud to be part of an Irish company producing a Handel opera that would rival productions from any of the well-established European baroque festivals. It just goes to show the level of operatic talent in our country and the incredible need for a national opera company.”

Padraic Rowan – Lesbo in Agrippina, 2015