Feel Good Festival: Niamh O'Sullivan and Gary Beecher

Irish mezzo-soprano Niamh O’Sullivan is a rapidly rising star on the international stage, praised as being ‘the owner of one of the most sheerly beautiful lyric mezzos…in some time' (Opera Traveller). In the last seasons and beyond O’Sullivan makes a series of high profile debuts in Europe and the United States.

Gary Beecher is one of Ireland’s most versatile pianists, with a varied career as a soloist, chamber musician, accompanist, vocal coach, orchestral pianist, musical director and educator.  Gary is passionate about collaborating with singers and he has recorded and performed as a soloist with both the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and RTÉ Concert Orchestra and has also performed with Camerata Ireland & Southbank Sinfonia London as an orchestral pianist.

O’Sullivan is the owner of one of the most sheerly beautiful lyric mezzos I’ve had the pleasure of hearing in some time.  The voice has wonderful sheen, with a ruby red exterior enveloping a creamy core.  The tessitura of the role held no terrors for her, taking wing effortlessly on top.  Opera Traveller, May 2025

"a subtle, sophisticated player with a maturity of both technique and interpretive outlook" 

 Belfast Telegraph

This event is part of the Feel Good Festival.

The Waters of Life Songs of Sea, Lake, Rain & River
I. Sea
• Joseph Haydn – The Mermaid Song
• Claude Debussy – La mer est plus belle
• Gustav Mahler – Phantasie
• Rebecca Clarke – The Seal Man
• Johannes Brahms – Versunken
• Trad. Irish – Carrickfergus
• Cole Porter – The Tale of the Oyster
II. Lake
• Franz Schubert – Auf dem Wasser zu singen
• Felix Mendelssohn – Schilflied, Op. 71 No. 4 (Auf dem Teich)
• Samuel Barber – Mélodies passageres, Op.27 : No.2, Un cygne
• Hugo Wolf – Morike Lieder: Die Geister am Mummelsee
INTERVAL

III. Rain
• Charles Villiers Stanford – Songs of the Clown: The Rain It Raineth Every Day
• Joan Trimble – Green Rain
• Johannes Brahms – Regenlied, WoO 23
• Samuel Barber – Three songs, Op.10, No.1: Rain Has Fallen
• Korngold – Songs of the Clown, Op.29 (from 9 Shakespeare Lieder): For the Rain It Raineth Every Day
IV. River
• Franz Schubert – Liebesbotschaft
• Franz Schubert – Die Forelle
• Poulenc – La grenouillere
• Franz Liszt – Im Rhein, im schönen Strome
• Copland – Old American Songs 2: IV. At the River
• Clara Schumann– Die Lorelei, S.273