Cork Opera House's 2017 programme offers everything the heart desires

Gibert O’Sullivan, Tommy Tiernan, and a wealth of opera, musicals, and theatre are just some of the highlights at Cork Opera House this year.

Over the coming months, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Midge Ure, The Three Tenors, Dickie Rock, Mike Denver, and Mary Black will all hit the stage in Cork.

In April Jack L will play for one night only, while Kevin ‘Bloody’ Wilson, Al Stewart, and Aslan will also return to the Opera House.

In May, Billy Ocean, Paul Brady and Andy Irvine, Angel Olsen, and Boyzlife will be in town.

Fans of comedy can look out for Tommy Tiernan, Neil Delamere, Pat Shortt, John Bishop, Omid Djalili, and the Scottish comedian Limmy, who are all set to appear over the next few months.

Cork Opera House will be hosting John B Keane’s The Successful TD this March, starring Jon Kenny and Mary McEvoy, while fans of musicals can enjoy a production of Annie in July.

The dance hit ProdiJig is also back for a short run from June 14-25.

In terms of opera, audiences can expect concert performances of Bizet’s Carmen and Mozart’s The Magic Flute. The performances will feature opera stars Majella Cullagh, John Molloy, Kim Sheehan, and more.

Cork City Ballet are celebrating 25 years in Cork and will be presenting Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece The Sleeping Beauty.

Anousha Bonnemaison, cultural assistant Cork French Film Festival, at the launch of the Cork French Film Festival, which runs from March 5-12 at different venues across the city.

Meanwhile, the 28th Cork French Film Festival runs from March 5-12, with a programme packed with premieres, preview screenings, special events and masterclasses.

Opening this year’s festival is the high-profile biopic of the legendary French underwater explorer, Jacques Cousteau — The Odyssey (L’Odyssée), directed by Jérome Salle and starring Lambert Wilson and Audrey Tautou.

The festival’s special guest is the internationally acclaimed photographer, director, and environmentalist Yann Arthus-Bertrand, who will introduce his latest documentary Human. He will also present a masterclass in UCC.

French-Lebanese star Manal Issa, who plays the main character in the acclaimed Parisienne, directed by Danielle Arbid, will also attend the festival.

Other events include Cine-Concert, with a live score by Cork’s award-winning artist and composer Ray Scannell. He will score and perform a specially commissioned work for the festival, on the silent classic L’Appel du Sang, at CIT Cork School of Music.