Il Divo to line out at Musgrave Park

Opera-loving rugby fans who enjoy a game of golf will find all their birthdays coming together in June when Il Divo play Musgrave Park in Cork, on the same weekend Fota Island golf resort hosts the 2014 Irish Open.

Tue, 28 Jan, 2014 - 00:00

Dan Buckley

The concert will also feature the City of Cork Symphony Orchestra as the superstars perform at a fully-seated, five-hour event on Midsummer’s Night, Saturday, June 21.

“This high-profile performance is sure to appeal to a wide audience and is a tremendous coup for the city, and indeed the orchestra and its volunteers,” said orchestra leader Brian Murphy.

“Not since the hugely successful Bocelli concert at Collins Barracks in 2005 has an event of this magnitude been attempted and we hope to replicate that success at Musgrave Park with a fully-seated audience of 14,500 enthusiasts.

“It’s on the Saturday night of the Irish Open golf tournament at Fota so it’s going to be a fantastic weekend to be in Cork.”

The record-breaking classical crossover group were originally formed by music manager Simon Cowell and have sold more than 26m albums worldwide.

Il Divo, with Spanish baritone Carlos Marin, French pop star Sebastien Izambard, US tenor David Miller and Swiss tenor Urs Buhler, have played several concerts in Ireland, each of them sell-outs.

They will be supported by Irish classical vocalists, including The Irish Sopranos, and a full programme of popular music performed by the 75-strong orchestra.

Cork City manager Tim Lucey congratulated the orchestra on attracting Il Divo to Cork. “Having high-profile international superstars of such a stellar calibre performing in Cork continues to prove Cork’s capacity to host events of this nature.

“Having them perform with our much-loved City of Cork Symphony Orchestra on such a grand scale in a fully seated event at Musgrave Park also recognises the world-class quality of the Cork cultural and musical product.

“I anticipate that this will provide a tangible boost to Cork City itself with an influx of visitors drawn to this area by such a special event.”

A first for Musgrave Park, the stadium will have full bar and catering facilities and corporate entertainment facilities.

* Tickets are from €75 and are available on ticketmaster.ie from Saturday, Feb 1 next at 9am, or can be purchased at Pro-Musica, Oliver Plunkett St, Cork (021) 4271659 from that date also.