Lismore is gearing up for its seventh opera festival, with the hotly tipped Rachel Croash starring in a production of Così Fan Tutte, writes Cathy Desmond

1. Picture That

On winning the Concorso Lirico in 1952, Veronica Dunne vowed to helpyoung singers in their careers, says Jo Kerrigan

Fledgling opera singers are travelling from all over the world to compete in an Irish competition with the potential to launch them on the international circuit, it was revealed today.