Blackwater Valley Opera Festival has announced two new recipients of its 2025 Bursary Awards, presented in support of emerging operatic talent. Following the recent award to soprano Eva Kavanagh, this year's bursaries have also been granted to soprano Aimee Kearney and pianist Georgina Cassidy. Each artist will receive €5,000 to support their professional development and musical careers.
As part of Blackwater Valley Opera Festival 2025, taking place from 27 May to 2 June, Eva Kavanagh will appear in the chorus for Dido and Aeneas and The Tinker and the Fairy at St Carthage’s Cathedral, and will also perform at the festival’s Opening Ceremony in Lismore. Aimee Kearney and Georgina Cassidy will perform a special BVOF Bursary Recital at Tourin House during the festival – a performance that has already sold out. All three bursary recipients will also serve as ambassadors for Blackwater Valley Opera Festival 2025.
At the heart of Blackwater Valley Opera Festival’s (BVOF) mission is a drive to provide a platform for young artists and support the new musical talent of the future. The bursary awards play a central role in this, offering vital support to outstanding young musicians as they begin to shape their professional journeys. By combining financial backing with valuable performance opportunities, the festival helps launch promising careers at a crucial stage of artistic development.
The annual BVOF bursary award, established in 2020 thanks to a generous private donor and supported since 2023 by Conor and Mareta Doyle, has provided vital financial and performance support to six young artists over the last two years and will continue until 2027. The new Bríd Phelan Emerging Talent Award of €6,000 will be presented annually over a five-year period from 2025 to 2029.
The winners are selected by the festival’s Artistic Director and Co-Founder, Dieter Kaegi, who says: “The programme aligns with our mission to identify and nurture exceptional talent, contributing to a new future for Irish artists with the potential to build thriving solo careers.”
Dublin-born Aimee Kearney, a graduate of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, is currently based in Amsterdam, where she studies with the Dutch National Opera Academy under the tutelage of soprano Hanneke de Wit. Aimee’s journey with BVOF began last summer when she performed in Handel’s Giulio Cesare as part of the chorus, as well as in the open-air concerts.
She said: “The support and encouragement that BVOF provides to Irish talent is so unique and important, and indeed very pivotal for emerging artists. I am currently pursuing my Masters in Opera Performance and this bursary will allow me to focus wholeheartedly on my studies for the next two years. Having had so much fun performing at last year’s festival and having learnt a lot during the rehearsals from the astounding lead singers and creative team, I am really looking forward to this year’s festival.”
Fellow recipient and collaborative pianist Georgina Cassidy from Cork was awarded the BMus Student of the Year from MTU in Cork before moving to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Caroline Palmer. Since her move, she has become a sought-after accompanist in the UK and currently works full-time as a Graduate Music Assistant and pianist at The Harrodian School in Barnes. Reflecting on her award, Georgina said:
“To be recognised by my own community, in a place that has played such an important role in shaping who I am, is an opportunity I appreciate immensely. The bursary will not only enable me to continue pursuing my passion but will also empower me to further develop my skills and reach my professional goals. It will allow me to fund coaching sessions and lessons and give me the freedom to pay for a piano, so I have an instrument at home to practice on. It is a privilege to be acknowledged by such a prestigious festival, and I am more motivated than ever to continue growing and contributing to the arts.”
With over 100 performers across 23 events at 12 venues, Blackwater Valley Opera Festival (BVOF) will deliver an ambitious and artistically rich programme in 2025. For the first time, Blackwater Valley Opera Festival will present two operas: Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Lismore Castle and Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas at St Carthage’s Cathedral. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is now sold out, while a limited number of tickets remain for Dido and Aeneas. Both productions will feature performances from some of Ireland’s most internationally acclaimed artists.
Celebrating its 15th anniversary, Ireland’s Summer Opera Festival promises an extraordinary experience for audiences, combining world-class talent, innovative productions, bespoke dining experiences, and accessible ticket pricing to make opera more inviting than ever before.
Blackwater Valley Opera Festival is supported by grants from the Arts Council of Ireland, Waterford City & County Council, and Waterford Leader. The festival’s lead sponsors are AIB, Kildare Village, Marsh, and the John Pollard Foundation.
Tickets are now on sale at blackwatervalleyopera.ie with concession rates available for senior citizens, students, the unwaged, and disabled visitors. Bespoke group packages include tickets, dining, and VIP experiences.
