John Gibson’s opera, Judith and Holofernes, receives its first staged performance in Cork on 30 April.

The opera, which was commissioned by the late Cecil Hurwitz and the Cork PEACE movement, received a concert performance four years ago from soloists, staff and students of the Cork School of Music under conductor Richard Craig.

On this occasion, it will be performed in full by Cork Opera Works in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral as part of the Cork International Choral Festival and Cork 2005 European Capital of Culture.

A further work by Gibson, Sounds for string orchestra, will be performed in Cork City Hall on 16 April at 3.00pm. The Cork School of Music Sinfonietta, led by Siun Clinch and conducted by Candace Whitehead, will perform this 1981 work in aid of the charity, Children4Children.

Posted: 2 April 2005