A Question of Taste: Cork soprano Majella Cullagh

By Des O’Driscoll

Cork soprano Majella Cullagh is singing the role of ‘The Moon’ in John O’Brien’s opera The Nightingale and the Rose, which will have its world premiere at The Everyman in Cork on Saturday for a week, before touring to the Civic Theatre in Tallaght, and Lime Tree in Limerick.

Best recent book you’ve read:

I’ve been reading Ronnie by Alison Maxwell, a biography of Dublin soprano and vocal coach Veronica Dunne. Ronnie, now 91, is a legend in Irish music circles.

She is warm and funny, extremely talented and generous. She has led a fascinating life, is an inspirational figure, and she has for many years devoted herself to developing a future generation of Irish singers.

Best recent film:

I went to Mamma Mia! Here we go again with some school pals and we had a great old sing-a-long. I’m looking forward to seeing the Tom Wolf movie Maria by Callas which tells the Diva’s story in her own words via footage of her life and interviews.

I also want to see Bohemian Rhapsody, the Freddie Mercury story and the remake of A Star is Born starring Lady Gaga. I’m a big fan of all three iconic singers.

Best recent concert you’ve seen:

Karen Underwood’s ‘Soul in the City’ concert at Live at St Luke’s. Cork is fortunate to be home to many amazing artists and we have our own queen of soul in the form of an extraordinary lady from Chicago called Karen Underwood.

I love all genres of music and I’m overjoyed that Karen has brought soul, rhythm and blues, and jazz to my very doorstep. I live about a 10-minute walk from St Luke’s Church, which has been converted into an atmospheric live music venue.

Best piece of music you’ve been listening to lately (new or old):

I love Irish traditional music in general. I’m never happier than being ensconced in a pub listening to a mighty session.

I’ve been to many a gig from Cork to Donegal and one of that county’s most famous exports, the traditional music band Altan, are a huge favourite of mine.

They released an album of songs a number of years ago and I come back to it time and again to luxuriate in the exquisite voice of Mairead Ní Mhaonaigh.

First ever piece of music or concert that really moved you:

When I was 11 years of age my father brought me along to Cork Opera House to see my first opera.

At that time Dublin Grand Opera Society brought their spring season fare to Cork city. The opera was La Traviata and it had a huge effect on me.

I was devastated that Violetta died in the end and I cried all the way home. Dad swore that he would never bring me to another opera if it upset me that much.

Neither of us knew that I would eventually sing that very role in a production at Glyndebourne.

Best concert you’ve ever seen (if you had to pick one):

I try and see the band Aslan every time they come to Cork. I love Christy Dignam’s voice, another artist who sings from his heart and whose voice pierces your heart.

The band’s songs are brilliant. My feet didn’t touch the ground on the way home after one of their concerts. I think they have the best fans in the universe.

The air was charged with electricity from the energy created by almost a thousand voices in the Opera House auditorium singing ‘This Is’ and ‘Crazy World’.

Tell us about your TV viewing:

I turn on the television about once a month. I have to protect myself as I’m actually a TV addict and if it’s on, I sit like a zombie watching it until all hours and so I try not to go there.

I’m busy most evenings with teaching or performing or going to gigs. Sometimes I try and follow stuff on RTÉ Player, but it’s hit and miss.

Radio listening and/or podcasts:

I try not to miss Marion Finucane on Radio One at the weekends as that’s when I catch up with what’s happening in the world.

I love Evelyn Grant’s weekend drive programmes on Lyric FM too — her dulcet tones always put me in a good mood.

And I try to listen to the John Creedon Show on Radio One on weeknights; he always has a brilliant play-list of old and new up-and-coming bands. Sometimes on my phone I listen to the ‘Doc on One’ podcasts. They are a treasure trove of infinitely fascinating stories.

You’re curating your dream opera festival — which three artists are on the bill, living or dead?

I know that it’s hackneyed to name Maria Callas as she’s so iconic, but I simply adore her artistry and her voice really speaks to me. All the pain of humanity seems encapsulated in her tone, it is sublime.

There have been amazing tenors over the centuries. My dad adored Gigli, Corelli, and Bjorling.

I must say though that I’ve always had a penchant for the Italian tenor Tito Schipa. There is a wonderful sweetness to his voice and he makes difficult tenor repertoire seem effortless.

My third choice would be Russian bass/baritone Dimitri Hvorostovsky, pictured.

His was another voice that conveyed passion and pain and shook you to your core. The opera world lost one of its brightest stars when he tragically passed away last November.

Your best celebrity encounter:

I was fortunate enough to meet Dimitri Hvorostovsky quite a while ago.

I was invited to audition for a conductor who happened to be working at the Schubert Festival at Schwarzenberg in Austria and so I was transported there.

The audition was mid-morning and afterwards one of the festival staff took me to lunch alfresco in the beautiful sunshine with an incredible view of the mountains.

Dimitri and his wife were seated nearby. I couldn’t stop staring at him as he was so beautiful. I was delighted when my host suggested that she introduce us.

He was warm and sweet and my kind host photographed the whole encounter. In the photos he looks like Prince Charming and I look like a besotted six-year-old.

You can portal back to any period of human cultural history or music event — where, when, and why?

The Harlem nightclubs of New York in the 1930s to meet Billie Holiday. The first time I heard Billie Holiday’s voice I was a small child and I was transfixed.

I was still very young when I bought one of her recordings. I loved Ella Fitzgerald’s voice too, but Billie made me cry.

It must have been a pretty weird sight to see a very pale Irish girl singing ‘God bless the child’ into a hairbrush with tears pouring down her cheeks. I don’t know why I connected so fully with Billie when my experience of life was pretty much the opposite of hers.

Anyway, she opened up to me all that amazing music of the swing jazz orchestra era that I adore.

I would dearly love to portal back to those clubs and hear Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong and many more.

Do you have any interesting ancestors or family?

Not to my knowledge. My mother’s family were working-class people from the lanes around Shandon and my father’s people were farming stock from Co Tipperary.

Unsung hero — individual or group you think don’t get the profile/praise they deserve:

I’m eternally grateful to all the little organisations up and down the country that rescue abused and/or unwanted animals. People do this valiant work out of love and kindness and an abhorrence of cruelty.

It is a national disgrace that Ireland appears to be the puppy farm capital of Europe. Animal cruelty laws are lax and there is almost no regulation.

It is an appalling state of affairs. Animal rescue centres should be properly funded and supported; there should be a zero tolerance policy to animal cruelty from law enforcement; and citizens should adopt and not buy unless the breeder is ISPCA-recommended.

You are queen for a day — what’s your first decree?

My first decree is that immediately after waking/showering/breakfasting, every person has to put on some music and dance in the kitchen, even if you have to shimmy whilst sitting down.