This article is from page 16 of the 2008-09-23 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
The production itself is already an historic one, as it will be the first Opera commissioned by the DIT
Conservatory of Music and Drama’s in more than a quarter of a century. Indeed, the conservatory has already invested more than €500,000 in the redevelopment the Gleeson Theatre in Dublin, where the opera will be staged.
‘This is an incredibly difficult chal- lenge. The opera last for about two hours and | think I’m physically on
stage for about an hour and a half of that. It’s a huge huge challenge so it will either make me or break me as a performer. We have a VIP night on the first night of the show which will have all the industry insiders as well as people like Mary McAleese,” said Peter.
“It’s a huge physical challenge as well. I have been going to the gym
three times a week, haven’t being go- ing out and have been going to bed early every night.
‘The is the fist time in a long, long time that the conservatory has put on an opera so it a very big deal up ite) Kemet
Peter is currently in the final year of his honours degree at the DIT Con- servatory of Music. After he com- pletes his formal studies in Ireland, Peter will have to go abroad, proba- bly to Italy, to continue his training.
‘Next year I’m going to take a year out, go back to Clare and work on the farm with my dad. I’m also go- ing to do a bit of teaching with Ar- chie Simpson from the Lismorahaun Singers and try to save some money, ” he continued.
“I’d like to do a two year Masters in Performance after that and Ill have to go abroad to do that, as it is not available in Ireland. It is very diffi- cult to find a teacher to take you on for this but I’d love to go to Italy and learn from the masters over there.”
Peter began singing as a young teenager with the Lismorahaun Singers alongside fellow Clare sen- sation Naomi O’Connell from Bal- lyvaughan and Dean Power from Clarecastle.