International circus, dance and drama for Galway Arts Festival

Songwriter Julie Feeney's first foray into opera, "explosive" South African theatre, Australian circus and a "Big Top Night at the Proms" are among the highlights of this summer's Galway Arts Festival.

A Mark O'Rowe thriller reimagined for RTÉ Love/Hate actor Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, and world premiere of Olwen Fouéré's new adaptation from Joyce's Finnegans Wake will feature among over 190 performances and exhibitions in July.

The programme, published by artistic director Paul Fahy last night, ranges from art with Howard Hodgkin and John Gerrard and music with Imelda May, Mick Flannery and Josh Ritter to laughter with Ardal O'Hanlon, Greg Proops, Andrew Maxwell, David O'Doherty and Gerry Mallon.

Fabulous Beast dance theatre will perform Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and Petrushka, while the South African production of Mies Julie, lauded by London and Edinburgh Arts Festival critics, will be staged.

Spectacle events
"Spectacle" events will include the Spanish Sarruga company's Dragons from Barcelona and flying trapeze artists Les Pepones. The Dream Engine will perform aerial balletics with a giant helium balloon.

The RTÉ Concert Orchestra will perform Galway's first "night at the Proms" in the festival Big Top. The musical lineup includes Glen Hansard, Damian Dempsey and Grizzly Bear.

"First thought" talks will feature author Colum McCann, Terri Hooley of the Good Vibrations music label, Observer editor John Mulholland, and RTÉ broadcasters Áine Lawlor and Gavin Jennings.

See galwayartsfestival.com