Maria casting revealed for The Sound of Music in Cork Opera House
Wendy Carr will star as Maria in the Cork Opera House production of The Sound of Music this summer.
Cork Opera House has unveiled the first casting announcement for its highly anticipated 2026 summer production of
Acclaimed singer and actress Wendy Carr has been confirmed to play the iconic role of Maria in the production, which will open on Thursday, July 23.
Carr is an acclaimed soprano and stage performer whose credits span opera, musical theatre, and classical crossover. Her operatic roles include Susanna ( ), Frasquita ( ), and Anne Page ( ).
A graduate of Drama Studio London’s Professional Acting Course, she has performed extensively across the UK, with theatre credits including and
Carr is also a founding member of the classical-crossover group Ida, with whom she has achieved chart success, earned a Classical BRIT Award nomination, and performed at major events including BBC One’s and
@corkoperahouseofficial 🎶 Come with me to The Sound of Music auditions! 🎶 Follow our CEO and Executive Producer of The Sound of Music, EibhlĂn Gleeson for a day of auditions in London for the roles of Maria and Captain Von Trapp. The creative team have been working so hard behind the scenes and we can't wait for you to see what we're cooking up. From 23rd July, Cork Opera House presents The Sound of Music 🎶 Tickets from €37.50* on sale via corkoperahouse.ie or through our Box Office on 021 427 0022. Don't delay, our preview shows are already sold out! 🔥 *Booking Fees Apply #thesoundofmusic #cork #theatretok #comewithme #auditions
♬ original sound - Cork Opera House
EibhlĂn Gleeson, CEO and Artistic Director at Cork Opera House, said: “Maria is one of the greatest musical theatre roles of all time. We wanted to find a performer who could bring real sincerity, vocal power and emotional depth to our Maria.
“And Wendy brings all of that – she is an extraordinary performer — a world-class soprano with serious stage credentials, and we couldn't be more excited to have her lead our production. We can't wait to share more casting news in the coming weeks.”Â
Directed by Davey Kelleher, features a timeless score by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The show includes audience favourites such as and
"We saw a huge number of incredible performers during the casting process, but when Wendy sang the opening bars of 'The Sound of Music', we knew we’d found our Maria,” Kelleher said of Carr.
"She has a warmth as a performer that I think will enchant our audiences. Her technique is matched with a grounded vulnerability that brings a real honesty and freshness to the role. We’re very excited to bring this brand-new staging of The Sound of Music to Cork this summer."
