Cork Proms review: Opera House hosts enjoyable night of hits from musical theatre classics

Favourite tunes from musicals such as Chicago, Les Mis, and Waitress were performed 

Shane O'Riordan, Claire O'Leary, Jacinta Whyte, Juliette Crosbie, and Ben Morris in Epic Icons Of Musical Theatre, part of the Cork Proms  at Cork Opera House. Picture: Celeste Burdon

 There was a touch of Broadway on the boards of Cork Opera House over Easter weekend when Irish talent recreated some iconic scenes from musical theatre history.

The first leg of the Cork Proms 2025 was Epic Icons of Musical Theatre, with soloists Juliette Crosbie, Ben Morris, Claire O’Leary, Shane O’Riordan, and Jacinta Whyte tackling some of the biggest numbers of the genre.

Accompanied by the excellent Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra, curated by Trevor Ryan, and conducted by John O’Brien, the show featured numbers from musicals both old and new, with shows like Chicago, Les Misérables, and Waitress being well-received.

A particular highlight was Crosbie’s emotive interpretation of the ballad She Used To Be Mine from Waitress, a soaring and heartfelt tune, while her duet with O’Leary on Wicked’s Defying Gravity was a crowd-pleaser, with great use of the stage lights for dramatic effect.

Claire O'Leary and Shane O'Riordan in the Cork Proms show. Picture: Celeste Burdon

Another vocally-challenging number is Being Alive from Stephen Sondheim’s Company but it is one O’Riordan sang with ease, the high notes seeming effortless as he explored the character Robert’s feelings about marriage.

Whyte, who has played Grizabella in Cats, brought her experience to Cork in a strong performance of Memory, and Morris impressed with a timely take on Gethsemane from Jesus Christ Superstar, with one particularly high note eliciting impressed gasps from the auditorium.

A special mention must go to the young singers on the night who delighted the audience in ensemble pieces like You’ve Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two from Oliver! and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious from Mary Poppins. Ellie Byrne, Con Curtin, John Gunn, Sadbh Murphy, Emilia O’Brien, and Emma O’Donnell were full of talent and charm on the stage.

The closing number, the stirring ensemble piece One Day More from Les Misérables, seemed a strange choice for a company of just five singers, and while they made a valiant effort, it would have benefited from more voices coming together. Perhaps Do You Hear The People Sing from the same show would have been a stronger choice for the number of singers they had on stage.

Overall, Epic Icons of Musical Theatre was a delightful night of music for fans of the genre, with iconic songs from Broadway and the West End well-represented by a stellar line-up.

• The Cork Proms continue on Wednesday, April 23 with The Ultimate Classics before taking on Kings, Queens and Princes of Pop on April 26 and 27. See corkoperahouse.ie