The Walk from the Garden

Jonathan Dove
28 NOVEMBER – 1 DECEMBER 2024

Opera Collective Ireland and Newry Chamber Music are set to bring a powerful and moving performance to audiences with The Walk from the Garden by Jonathan Dove, a 50-minute church opera that reimagines the timeless story of Adam and Eve’s banishment from the Garden of Eden.

Synopsis

At a time when environmental concerns are becoming more pressing, this poignant production explores humanity’s relationship with nature, set against the backdrop of today’s escalating environmental challenges.

Award-winning director Conor Hanratty, following his critically acclaimed production of The Critic at Wexford Festival Opera, will direct The Walk from the Garden, with Andrew Synnott conducting. Together, they bring this evocative story to life, combining operatic depth with a modern perspective on humanity’s impact on the planet.

The opera is scored for two solo singers, chorus, string quartet, timpani, and organ, creating an unusual yet accessible musical experience. Based on the biblical tale, the libretto follows Adam and Eve as they grapple with their expulsion from paradise. Moving from shock to a reflection on their first days in Eden, they confront what they are losing. Finally, hand in hand, they step into an unknown world, as the chorus echoes the words: ‘They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow, Through Eden, took their solitary way’.

The production will feature soloists Aaron O’Hare as Adam and Catherine Donnelly as Eve, alongside the acclaimed Clermont Chorale and Guadeamus, under the direction of Ronan Dennedy and Cathal Murphy. The instrumental ensemble includes violinists Joanne Quigley-McParland and Tom Jackson, violist Robin Panter, and timpanist Ronan McKee, with a powerful organ accompaniment.

This collaboration between Opera Collective Ireland and Newry Chamber Music is supported by the Shared Island Civil Society Fund. Opera Collective Ireland celebrates its 10th anniversary year in 2024 and remains committed to taking opera beyond the traditional confines of the opera house, bringing The Walk from the Garden to wider audiences and encouraging reflection on both an ancient story and the ongoing human impact on our environment.