02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Storytelling and music combine in cautionary family tale at Mermaid Arts Centre
Cautionary Tales is billed as an introduction to opera that is ideal for first-time operagoers, families and primary school audiences.
It opens at the Mermaid Arts Centre on Saturday, September 13, and is aimed at children aged seven and above.
The production follows the success of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland as Opera Collective Ireland returns with a second production created especially for children. The production also reflects the aim to launch the careers of emerging Irish opera artists by giving them the chance to perform major roles and grow their craft in a professional, collaborative setting.
With five fast-moving stories, Cautionary Tales brings to life a miniature world of mischief and moral mayhem. From zoo antics to fire brigades, each tale captures the chaos of childhood through surprising twists and sharp humour – all framed by a sleepover setting where four singers spin tall tales and draw others into their imaginative worlds.
Mischievous in tone and playful in its takes on right and wrong, Cautionary Tales sits comfortably alongside the work of Roald Dahl and David Walliams. Inspired by Hilaire Belloc's sharply moralistic poems, the opera promises to deliver an entertaining mix of mischief, music, and a good old-fashioned telling off.
The opera was created by Errollyn Wallen CBE and premiered in 2011 to critical acclaim. The Belize-born British composer was recently named as one of the world's 20 most performed living classical composers.
Her piano-led score in this opera is a blend of musical references, leaping from Bach to the Mission: Impossible theme.
Opera Collective Ireland's 2025 staging offers a fresh and timely look at how children today are immersed in screen time – and it makes the case for the joy of shared, in-person experiences.
As Errollyn Wallen said: 'I am delighted that Cautionary Tales will be enjoyed by Irish audiences. I relished composing this opera about badly behaved children – and their parents.'
Cautionary Tales is on at the Mermaid Arts Centre, on Saturday, September 13, 2025. Tickets are €20 and €60 for a family of four and €70 for a family of five.
