John O'Brien is bringing song to his native city for Cork Midsummer Festival

As well as a production of La Traviata, Cork composer/conductor John O’Brien has a number of other projects on the way, he tells Jo Kerrigan

HE BURSTS into the foyer of Cork Opera House like a tornado. “Sorry I’m late. Had to move a piano,” says John O’Brien. The thirty-something conductor, director, and composer has packed a lot into his life, so far.

He has done 40 productions of opera and musical theatre. Pagliacci, Der Vampyr, Faust, for example, and all nominated for prestigious awards. Easter 1916 was premiered by Fiona Shaw and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. He has done film scores, play scores, short films, choral works, piano pieces, and operatic and orchestral arrangements.