A Taste of Ireland
Friday 27 January 2023
Operatunity Brings A Taste Of Ireland To Kiwi Concert-Goers
Operatunity Daytime Concerts and Travel is thrilled to present its first concert tour of the year, When Irish Eyes are Smiling, a brand new show coming to 22 venues nationwide from 7th February – 10th March 2023. The tour is sure to bring much-needed fun and laughter to senior communities across New Zealand through Operatunity’s special brand of music, care, and camaraderie.
When Irish Eyes are Smiling features a vibrant high-energy cast, with Variety Best Male Artist Award Winner 2022 Karl Perigo, star of London’s West End Russell Dixon, and award-winning soprano Kelly Lim Harris. Joining them and making this show extra special is a stellar line-up of some of New Zealand’s finest instrumentalists, with Marian Burns – mad fiddler and iconic New Zealand entertainer, Tracey Collins – the Asia-Pacific region’s premier piano accordion entertainer, and beloved Hawkes’s Bay pianist Paul Carnegie-Jones.
The show will be filled with toe-topping tunes, beautiful ballads, dancing, virtuosic duelling from the fiddle and piano accordion, and, of course, many an Irish joke – to be sure, to be sure! In true Operatunity fashion, the repertoire is unashamedly mainstream and will include popular Irish favourites such as Danny Boy, Wild Rover, Irish Lullaby, Fairytale of New York, Tell me ma, Galway Bay, Irish jigs, Lord of the Dance and so much more. The audience will also get the exciting opportunity to mingle with the stars of the show over complimentary tea, coffee and sweet treats served before the performance.
With an unwavering mission to spread joy far and wide, When Irish Eyes are Smiling will visit 22 centres from Whangarei to Invercargill, visiting venues such as the Civic Theatre Invercargill, Centrestage Theatre Orewa and Southward Theatre Kapiti. All venues have been chosen for their convenience, accessibility and easy parking, all part of Operatunity’s care for senior communities.
After a tumultuous few years, a feel-good show is just what the doctor ordered for New Zealand seniors celebrating being out and about and living again! What better way than through music presented with Operatunity’s signature love, flair and care. As long-time Operatunity patron Bon from Dunedin wrote in, “Hurrah! Hurrah! What a bottler of a show. We laughed, we cheered, we were treated to a delightful time of music and fun”.