Is opera guru Mike Hunt bonkers? He advocates marrying the hoary old genre to popular culture. Opera in night clubs, techno-Puccini. That sort of thing. Setting out his vision ahead of a two-night, open-air performance of Strauss's Die Fleidermaus at Dublin's Merrion Hotel, the Co-Opera Ireland director makes mince-meat of our prejudices. He yearns to bring opera to the masses. And that's not just fatuous blather either. Co-Opera Ireland - touring wing of Opera Ireland - is just ending a barnstorming countrywide tour and plans are in motion to hold a show at Dublin's winceinducingly hip Red Box venue.
But that's all in the future. Hunt's present priority is rather more straightforward. No rain, please no rain. The twin concerts - running over consecutive evenings - take place in the Merrion Hotel's central courtyard. A downpour would herald disaster.
Tuesday night is hosted by chartered accountants KPMG and boasts a heavyweight line-up. If this were a soccer match, it would be Brazil v France. Thankfully it's not (they'd ruin the artfully appointed flowerbeds, for one thing); instead we make do with a top-notch line-up of business figures. Star of the team is beef magnate Larry Goodman, here with his wife, Katherine. Also along; KPMG managing partner Jerome Kennedy and wife Deirdre, An Post big cheese John Hynes with wife Catherine, and IDA chief executive Sean Dorgan. Strictly a corporate affair - no politicos, although Labour leader Ruairi Quinn's brother Lochlann, chair of AIB and chief executive of Glen Dimplex, is spotted. And it doesn't rain - much.
An equally ostentatious line-up witnesses the follow-up show. Guest of honour Gen John de Chastelain is accompanied by Merrion Hotel co-owner Martin Naughton and wife Carmel, chair of the National Gallery. IIB bank director Jane Neil and A&L Goodbody solicitors partner Eamon Gill also attend.