Annilese combined her Opera Theatre Company work with international directing roles and has just received a South Bank Sky Arts 2012 nomination for Mignon at Buxton Opera Festival.

The next opportunity to see Annilese’s work in Ireland will be at The Merrion Hotel. Annilese will direct Bach’s Coffee Cantata for Opera Theatre Company’s participation in European Opera Days at The Merrion Hotel on May 12 and 13.

What are you passionate about...?

Hopefully opera will appear quite high on the list you've come up with!

Lieschen, the heroine who helps us celebrate European Opera Days this year, has a very particular passion, one that leads her even to defy her father, right up to the threat of being left an old maid! Her passion is for..... coffee!

The Merrion Hotel will host Opera Theatre Company this year on Saturday May 12th and Sunday May 13th for three performances of Bach's Coffee Cantata, so you can enjoy your opera in opulence.

Taking place at 7.30pm on Saturday and at 2.30pm & 6.30pm on Sunday, these performances will be free - however booking is essential as places are strictly limited! Booking will open May 1st on a first come first served basis.

Young Artist Anna Brady will perform the role of Lieschen, here she tells us a little about the piece.

Many Congratulations to Opera Theatre Company’s Artistic Director Annilese Miskimmon and all the creative team of Buxton Festival’s Mignon on receiving a nomination for Best Opera Production in the South Bank Sky Arts Awards.

Photo of Mignon at Buxton Festival by Robert Workman

Conducted by Andrew Greenwood with Lighting Design by John Bishop, Design was by Nicky Shaw, who has worked with OTC many times, including two Irish Times Theatre Awards nominated productions, The Diary of Anne Frank and The Magic Flute.

We shall be watching Sky Arts 1 HD at 9pm on May 1st and cheering for you! Toi, toi, toi!

When Anna Brady, who successfully auditioned for our Young Associate Artists Programme earlier this year, came into our production office to speak with the programme manager, we took the opportunity to ask her to talk to us about her reasons for wanting to be part of the programme and what the audition process was like. Also, we asked, did she have any advice for future candidates?

We'd like to thank Anna for agreeing to this impromptu interview, filmed on iPhone.

The Young Associate Artists Programme is the only programme in the Republic of Ireland for the professional development of young singers. Become a patron of OTC and support the future of opera.

We are delighted to formally announce this year's Young Artist, who will be following in the footsteps of some amazing singers.

OTC's Young Associate Artists Programme - the only professional development programme for young singers in the Republic of Ireland - is proud of the success of its alumni, including last year's graduates - you can read an interview with two of 2011's Young Artists here, to give you a flavour of what the programme means to the participants.

We look forward to getting to know Grace Bermingham, Anna Brady, Jennifer Davis, Fearghal Curtis, Patrick Hyland and Padraic Rowan better as the year progresses, building on their strengths and bringing their talent to fruition.