Niamh O’Sullivan / Fiachra Garvey

Irish mezzo-soprano Niamh O’Sullivan is praised for her 'bewitchingly beautiful, dark vibrant voice' (SüddeutscheZeitung). A 2023-2025 BBC New Generation Artist and former studio member of the Bayerische Staatsoper, O’Sullivan has quickly established herself as one of the most exciting mezzos today.

The 2024/25 season sees O’Sullivan make a series of house and role debuts, including her house and role debut as Ino Semele and her role debut as Octavian in Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier for Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Ino Semele in her return to the Royal Opera House, and role debuts as Ursule Béatrice et Bénédict and Maddalena Rigoletto for Irish National Opera.

O’Sullivan continues as a 2023-2025 BBC New Generation Artist, with plans to include a gala concert with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and recitals at the Wigmore Hall with pianist Gary Beecher & St George’s, Bristol, alongside her recital work in the UK and at home in Ireland.

In the 2023/24 season, O’Sullivan made her role debut as Wellgunde in a new Barrie Kosky production of Das Rheingold at the Royal Opera House, Wellgunde in Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung and Mercédès Carmen for Opernhaus Zürich, and her role debut as Carmen La tragédie de Carmen at the Buxton Festival.

Other recent plans have included Meg Page Falstaff at Opernhaus Zürich, Mercédès Carmen at English National Opera, Mirza Lalla-Roukh and Paulina Ein Wintermärchen with Wexford Festival Opera. O’Sullivan’s close association with Irish National Opera has seen her sing Charlotte Werther, Mercédès Carmen, Tisbe La Cenerentola, Third Maid Elektra, Asteria Bajazet and Alva in the world premiere of The First Child for thecompany.

In concert, O’Sullivan has performed Elgar Sea Pictures at the Prinzregententheater for the Munich Festspiele, Mozart Requiem and Handel Messiah with the MüncherHofkantorei, the main role of Cain in Scarlatti Il primo omicidio with The Jakobsplatz Orchester cond. Daniel Grossmann, Cousser The Applause of Mount Parnassus at the Wigmore Hall with Ensemble Marsyas cond. Peter Whelan, The Messiah with the Ulster Orchestra, Second harlot in Handel Solomon with the English Concert and Mahler Symphony No.2 with the Irish National Symphony Orchestra cond. Anja Bihlmaier.

As a member of the Opera Studio at the Bayerische Staatsoper from 2016 to 2018, O’Sullivan’s roles included Hänsel Hänsel und Gretel, Kate Pinkerton Madama Butterfly, the Secretary in Menotti The Consul, Flora La traviata, Barena Jenůfa and a concert performance of Der Rosenkavalier at Carnegie Hall conducted by KirillPetrenko.

O’Sullivan studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin and was a participant of the Académie du Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in 2023.

Niamh's website

Leading Irish pianist Fiachra Garvey is possessed of a maturity and profound understanding of his art, which when combined with his infectious enthusiasm for music-making, has already captivated audiences in concert halls across Europe and beyond.

1st prizewinner at the prestigious Jaques Samuel Competition (2012), London, Fiachra made his Fazioli Auditorium (Italy) and Wigmore Hall debuts in 2013. Other notable international competition successes including prizes at AXA Dublin International Piano Competition (Brennan Prize and McCullough Bursary), EU Piano Competition Prague (concerto finalist), 3rd Soirees-Concours Internationales de Piano a Collioure, France (Audience award) and Feis Ceoil Dublin (Morris Grant Bursary and Mabel Swainson award). The National Concert Hall Dublin awarded Fiachra the coveted “Rising Star” prize in 2011, which led to a number of solo and concerto debuts.

Fiachra graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, London in 2013 with 1st class honours and distinction in the M.A. in Music Performance. This follows a 1st class honours B.A. in Music Performance from the Royal Irish Academy of Music in 2011 and a 1st class honours DipMus (performance and teaching) from the RIAM in 2008.

Concerto appearances include the Janáček Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Irish Chamber Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, Cambridge University Symphony Orchestra, RIAM Symphony Orchestra, Hibernian Orchestra and UCD Symphony Orchestra; working with eminent conductors including John Wilson, Duncan Ward, Ruth Reinhardt, Theodore Kuchar, Stephen Bell and Mihhail Gerts.

Recent highlights include Google Dublin (first classical artist to be invited), Spoleto Italy, Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall Manchester, NCH Dublin, Snape Maltings Aldeburgh, Petworth Festival, New Ross Piano Festival, St Martin in the Fields, Kilkenny Arts Festival, Brighton Festival, Geneva Festival Switzerland, West Cork Music, St Magnus Festival Orkney, Wexford Opera House, Ortús Chamber Music Festival, Killaloe Chamber Music Festival, Drogheda Classical Music, Clifden Arts Festival, a series of solo and two piano recitals in Japan and a tour of China.

Fiachra’s debut CD “For the Piano”, under the Lyric FM label, was released in 2012:“brings a deep and infectious enthusiasm, combined with insight and technical comfort.” (Sunday times). His second cd, a live performance from Wigmore Hall was released in 2014.

Fiachra is the founder and artistic director of the West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival (Ireland) described as“One of the best classical music festival in Europe” (BBC Music Magazine) and Classical Vauxhall (London) described as“Everything the classical concert in the 21st Century should be” (iNews).

Fiachra was awarded an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, London(ARAM) in 2018, served on the Board of Directors of the Dublin International Piano Competition from 2016- 2022 and was made a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians in 2021 and a Freeman of the City of London in 2022.

When not performing, Fiachra loves nothing more than returning home to help on the family farm with the yearly lambing, dipping, shearing, harvesting and all the other elegant and refined activities on the farm! Fiachra feels this makes him a more inspired and fulfilled musician.

Fiachra's website