Are you an opera lover? Or perhaps curious to try opera for the first time?

In that case, it’s time to grab yourself (and your friends) some tickets from either the box office of Gaiety Theatre or Opera Ireland, in order to catch the productions on offer this spring – The Marriage of Figaro and Ariadne auf Naxos. (Images below courtesy of OI)

The season is short, running from 29th March to 6th April. With ticket prices ranging from €25 to €100, it can be as affordable or as luxurious as you’d like to be. If you are worried about this being a fancy hoity-toity event, please don’t. It is perfectly acceptable to enjoy a night at the opera in jeans and shirt/fancy top. Of course, if you want an excuse to be dressy (think suits or dresses), this is your chance!

Dispel any negative opera-related myth that you may have heard of. Opera can be fun and is not reserved for just the upper classes and senior generations.

I was introduced to opera a few years ago by a friend who knows of my love for classical music. I guess I was very lucky – my initiation took place on one beautiful summer evening in Verona. We went to see Aida at the Arena di Verona, and I never got over that amazing experience. Instead it kick-started my love affair with opera.

I have returned several times to Verona since, as well as visited other European opera houses, to catch different productions over the year. Of course, I also try to at least see one opera per Opera Ireland season (in spring and in autumn) in Dublin.

You bet I already have my ticket to The Marriage of Figaro. ;-)