Culture That Made Me: Cork opera singer Niamh O'Sullivan picks her touchstones
 Niamh OâSullivan performs in La TragĂ©die de Carmen at Cork Opera House on Feb 14. Picture: Miki Barlok Â
Niamh OâSullivan, 29, grew up in Douglas, Cork.Â
She studied under Veronica Dunne at Dublinâs Royal Irish Academy of Music. In 2016, as a mezzo soprano, she joined the Artist Studio at the Bavarian State Opera, spending seven years living in Munich.Â
She has performed in the worldâs greatest opera houses, including roles in Carmen, Elektra and Werther.Â
She will perform in La TragĂ©die de Carmen, Cork Opera House, Wednesday, February 14.Â
See: www.corkoperahouse.ie.
My dad had a beautiful natural voice. He sang a lot of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra and Barbara Streisand around the house. I knew the lyrics to these songs when I was six, seven years of age. I was fascinated by them and by my dad's voice. With Barbra Streisand, I could feel her songs suited me.Â
If I'm allowed to say so, we have similar qualities in our voice. Maybe it was the range of them. Barbra Streisand is a mezzo soprano like me â the best colour of her voice is in the lower range. Also her artistry â she was so organic, so natural. Thereâs something special about her. Sheâs unique.
I remember my mom had a Mary Black CD in the car, with the lyrics book, so I knew all the lyrics. I could follow along. Mary Black also had mezzo qualities, and the folk element â the Irish songs she did. I did Song for Ireland for my Junior Cert music practical. It was comforting to listen to her, and also when I went abroad a few years later, just to bring me back to Ireland. The Irish influence was special to me.
A party piece growing up was âSomewhere Over the Rainbowâ. I did The Wizard of Oz when I was about 10 years old in the Everyman, Cork. It was my first formal audition. I sang âSomewhere Over the Rainbowâ. I remember thinking the audition process was scary. They worked with me on it. We changed the key and we got higher and lower. I remember feeling confident with that piece. I would still sing it happily if asked to. The Wizard of Oz is slightly classical sounding so as an opera singer it's satisfying to sing because it's not very poppy; itâs a crossover between musical theatre and classical. Judy Garland sounded quite classical operatic.
Cara O'Sullivan was one of Corkâs most famous opera singers, and the first opera singer I heard. She sang with our school choir in St Columbaâs national school in Douglas. I remember thinking, âWow, this is amazing the sound she can produce with no microphone. I'd love to be able to do that someday.âÂ
She was also a past pupil of my secondary school, Regina Mundi. She did a concert with the school for their anniversary so I got to sing a duet with her in Cork City Hall. That was a massive moment for me because I dragged my mom and my gran to every concert Cara did in my teens in Cork. I'd sit up in the front row and I'd listen to her.
When I was younger, Feis MaitiĂș was a big thing in Cork. I did a lot of competitions in light opera and musicals. The one I remember doing year after year was âThe Son Whose Rays Are All Ablazeâ from Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado. Itâs from an operetta. I had started solo singing lessons with Mary Hegarty, and itâs one she drilled into me.
The most beautiful repertoire we have as mezzo soprano is probably the French. I love singing French opera. Recently, I did Werther around Ireland, a French opera by Jules Massenet. That was my dream role â getting to perform Charlotte â for so long. It was so special, something I'll never forget. I'd studied the arias in such depth with Veronica Dunne. The more I studied the opera, the more I related to Charlotteâs character. Not that Iâve experienced what she did, but it was a role, a complex character, I wanted to explore, to portray on stage.
Samson et Dalila, a French opera by Camille Saint-SaĂ«ns, is another favourite. Itâs one I hope to do in 10 or 15 years because it's meant for a more mature mezzo. Itâs a staple mezzo role that mezzos dream of doing at some stage in their career. It has a famous aria, 'Mon cĆur s'ouvre Ă ta voix' (My Heart Softly Awakens) that I do a lot in concerts. Itâs a role Iâd love to sing from beginning to end.
For the last 10 years, since being introduced to proper opera singers, a stand-out one is the Latvian mezzo soprano, ElÄ«na GaranÄa. Iâve watched videos of her nonstop â to see how she presented herself, how her career developed from year to year, how she spoke to audiences, and how she dressed. And her voice â she has this golden instrument, and a perfect technique. Sheâs the one I still go to if I need some inspiration.
I was so lucky in Munich at the Bavarian State Opera. I was allowed to attend performances in the opera house for free. I went nearly every night. One that stands out was Richard Straussâs Der Rosenkavalier. It was a magical musical moment, one of only a few. I go to so many performances, and I've seen a lot of great things, but it really touched me. A night I'll never forget. Itâs a German opera. There's three main roles: the Octavian, Sophie and The Marschallin. The three together as an ensemble were heart-breaking. Ever since, Octavian, which is the mezzo role, is one I've dreamed of doing; luckily, I will get to sing it in three yearsâ time. I kind of manifested it after seeing that performance.
I love theatre. Veronica Dunne, my teacher in Dublin, always encouraged her students to go to as much as we could, not just opera â to plays, symphonic concerts, live interviews. It was important we broaden our knowledge as much as possible when it comes to performance. I always love plays at the Abbey Theatre. One that sticks out was a performance of Marina Carrâs Portia Coughlan a couple of years ago. Denise Gough was in the lead role. It was intense. I remember coming out of that thinking I actually want to be an actor. Even though as singers we are actors. There was a moment where I thought we could definitely make an opera out of this.
