Opera like you’ve never seen before is coming to Thurles this April, and local audiences will have the chance to experience it firsthand. Two Mile Borris native Amy O’Dwyer, Digital Producer with Irish National Opera (INO), is bringing the award-winning Out of the Ordinary/As an nGnách to The Source Arts Centre.
A fully immersive virtual reality (VR) experience, Out of the Ordinary/As an nGnách allows audiences to step into a beautifully animated world through VR headsets. For many, it’s a chance to try VR for the first time while discovering opera in a completely new way.
Amy, a past pupil of the Ursuline Convent Secondary School, has performed at The Source on multiple occasions and is thrilled to introduce this groundbreaking production to her home county. “Bringing Out of the Ordinary to Thurles is really special,” she says. “It’s such a unique way to experience storytelling, whether you’re an opera fan or completely new to it.” Amy’s father, Kieran O’Dwyer, got to test it out recently and was blown away. “I never imagined myself watching an opera in virtual reality,” he said. “It was an experience like no other.”
The 30-minute opera, performed in Irish and English, follows Nalva and her community, who are forced to flee their barren homeland, which, due to their own actions, can no longer sustain them. Their voyage becomes a powerful tale of displacement, resilience, and the search for hope, echoing urgent themes of environmental responsibility and survival in the face of the climate crisis.
Created in collaboration with communities from Inis Meáin, Tallaght, and South Dublin, Out of the Ordinary is written by composer Finola Merivale and librettist Jody O’Neill and directed by Jo Mangan. The production has already received international acclaim, winning the prestigious FEDORA Digital Prize.
Places are limited to six people per session, and the experience is suitable for ages 13 and up.
For anyone curious about VR, opera, or simply looking for a one-of-a-kind experience, this is a fantastic opportunity to try something new.
Advance tickets for all shows are available online at www.thesourceartscentre.ie – or by phone from the Box office on 0504 90204.
Thursday 10th April: (Six performances); 1 pm /2 pm /3 pm / 6.30 pm /7.30 pm and 8.30 pm
Friday, 11th April: (Five performances); 11 am / 12 Nnoon/ 1 pm / 3 pm and 4 pm
Tickets €10. Strictly Limited numbers to each session.