A LIVE transmission of Puccini's Tosca, direct from the stage of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, in Valencia, Spain, will be broadcast free to the public at Fitzgerald's Park in Cork this evening as part of the local Midsummer Festival.
One of Puccini's best-known operas , Toscais a tale of love, lust, deceit and murder. Viva Europa 2011 is a transmission of a live performance of Giacomo Puccini's opera via large screens in public places in more than 40 cities across Europe.
Families are encouraged to attend and people of all ages are welcome at the event in Cork, which is due to get under way at 7pm. Admission from 6pm.
The production has a stellar international cast led by Oksana Dyka, Jorge de León and Bryn Terfel. They will be joined by the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana and the Cor de la Generalitat Valenciana, conducted by maestro Zubin Mehta.
Meanwhile, the mirrored Spiegeltent returns to Cork from tomorrow as part of the festival, with Midsummer Nights – a programme of music, performance and laughter.
Festival favourite Camille O’Sullivan will be performing four dates and will be one of the top attractions performing at this unique venue.
Other well-known acts due to perform at the tent include Mick Flannery and Cathy Davey.
The Murphy’s Spiegeltent will be situated in a brand new location, on the old Beamish and Crawford Brewery site on South Main Street.
The Cork Midsummer Festival will run until Sunday week, June 26th.
Spearheading the bill is Laurie Anderson, who will perform her retrospective show Transitory Lifein the newly renovated Triskel Christchurch.
Cork Opera House will see performances from folk musicians Penguin Cafe and an energetic colourful circus from African acrobats Cirque Mandingue.
The Everyman Palace will host the premiere of Man of Valourby the Corn Exchange theatre company.
Thousands of music fans are attending the “Live at the Marquee” series of shows, which got under way over the weekend with a a performance by top Irish band the Frames.
Graham Hopkins, who plays the drums for the Frames, is the son of respected jazz drummer Des. Des Hopkins joined the band on stage at the Marquee on Saturday night for a performance of Star, Star.
His appearance on stage was made extra special by the fact that he was celebrating his 70th birthday.
'BOUNTY' REPLICA: TALL SHIP ON WAY
A TALL ship originally built for the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty, as a replica of the ship in the famous 1789 mutiny against Captain William Bligh, is to arrive in Cork on Thursday and will be open to the public for three days from Friday. Bountywill berth at Albert Quay, Port of Cork, until Sunday. Originally built for the 1962 film, the ship was also used in the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chestand a documentary on Blackbeard. The ship was also seen in 2003 in a documentary on Captain Bligh for the History Channel and was used in a Sponge Bob Square Pants movie, which was released in 2004.