Opera Collective Ireland Performs Irish Premiere of Errollyn Wallen's CAUTIONARY TALES

Opera Collective Ireland will present Cautionary Tales by Errollyn Wallen - a cheeky, high-energy opera for children and families, touring this September for a limited run. A brilliant introduction to opera, it's ideal for first-time operagoers, families, and primary school audiences - inviting everyone to step away from screens and enjoy the power of live storytelling and music. This opera show for young people and families alike opens in Bray's Mermaid Arts Centre (13 September) before it tours it tours to three other venues in Dublin Meath and Louth this September.

This Irish premiere offers a fresh take on Cautionary Tales - a celebration of storytelling, imagination, and the sheer joy of live performance. Lively, witty, and richly drawn, it's aimed at children aged 7+ and makes for a wonderfully engaging experience for schools and families alike.

Composer Errollyn Wallen says: "I am delighted that Cautionary Tales will be enjoyed by Irish audiences. I relished composing this opera about badly behaved children - and their parents!"

Following the success of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Irish premiere 2022), Opera Collective Ireland returns with a second production created especially for children - continuing its commitment to bold, accessible opera for audiences. The production also reflects OCI's core aim: to launch the careers of emerging Irish opera artists by giving them the chance to perform major roles and grow their craft in a professional, collaborative setting.

With five fast-moving stories, Cautionary Tales brings to life a miniature world of mischief and moral mayhem. From zoo antics to fire brigades, each tale captures the chaos of childhood through surprising twists and sharp humour - all framed by a sleepover setting where four singers spin tall tales and draw others into their imaginative worlds.

Mischievous in tone, vivid in character, and playful in its takes on right and wrong, Cautionary Tales sits comfortably alongside the work of Roald Dahl and David Walliams - a forerunner in the tradition of cheeky, irreverent storytelling for children. Fans of Lemony Snicket, Andy Stanton (Mr Gum), and Francesca Simon (Horrid Henry) will find much to enjoy in this fast-paced operatic adventure.

Inspired by Hilaire Belloc's sharply moralistic poems, the opera delivers a thoroughly entertaining mix of mischief, music, and a good old-fashioned telling off.

Wallen's piano-led score is a vivid blend of musical references - leaping from Bach to the Mission: Impossible themewith flair and fun. The music crackles with personality, echoing the stories' twists and tone. This new staging stays true to the spirit of Hilaire Belloc's original poems while reimagining them with fresh energy for today's young audiences.

The Composer: Errollyn Wallen CBE is a multi-award-winning Belize-born British composer, recently named as one of the world's 20 most performed living classical composers. Her opera Cautionary Tales, premiered in 2011 to critical acclaim. Drawing on Hilaire Belloc's famously moralistic poems, Wallen crafted a dramatic opera cantata delivered by a stern quartet of Pink Floyd-esque schoolmasters. The result is a witty parody of once-popular, Victorian style cautionary tales for children, where misbehaviour meets its match and the fun is all in the telling.

Opera Collective Ireland's 2025 staging offers a fresh and timely look at how children today are immersed in screen time - and makes the case for the joy of shared, in-person experiences. Full of bold characters and clever touches, the production brings to life the antics of Rebecca, Jim, Henry, and Matilda, combining dark humour, memorable music, and a twist of theatrical chaos.

With stories that entertain while encouraging just a little self-reflection, this is a brilliantly fun introduction to opera for children and families alike - surprising, smart, and full of character.

There are many reasons why grown-ups might encourage children to go to the opera: enchantment, education, the spark of a lifelong interest in music. You wouldn't necessarily expect them to receive a telling-off for their trouble, but that's exactly what makes Belloc's moralistic Cautionary Tales so peculiarly fascinating. A uniquely entertaining scolding not to be missed this September.

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