The Importance of Being Earnest

NI Opera is proud to present the Irish premier of Gerald Barry’s riotous opera The Importance of Being Earnest. Based on Oscar Wilde’s farcical comedy about sex and deceit, the opera is a fast and furious rollercoaster ride, marrying Wilde’s wit with Barry’s unique and inventive score.

The opera was a huge hit sensation when it was first performed in London in 2012. The Independent called it “a manic, renegade thrill…the most confident, volatile comic opera for a decade”, whilst the Guardian praised the score’s “sheer uninhibited exuberance”. Featuring orchestral parts for pistols and wellington boots, as well as a duet sung through megaphones with a climax of plate smashing, this is no ordinary opera. It is, however, a hilarious and astonishing contemporary work that perfectly captures the spirit of one of Ireland’s best-loved playwrights and Ireland’s greatest living composer.

This brand new production by NI Opera will open in Derry~Londonderry as part of the City of Culture celebrations, before touring Belfast, Cork and Dublin. Directed and designed by the award-winning Antony McDonald and starring a fabulous international cast, The Importance of Being Earnest is a must-see for opera lovers and Oscar Wilde fans alike.