James Joyce’s best-loved short story The Dead is given a thrilling new operatic treatment.

Produced by critically acclaimed theatre and arts company, The Performance Corporation, and Breda Cashe, one of Ireland’s leading independent producers, this new version taps into the deep vein of musical references running through original story, taking us on journey exploring life, love and death.

Acclaimed Irish composer Ellen Cranitch and award-winning playwright Tom
Swift have created a pared back musical telling of Joyce’s classic story that is by turns theatrical, evocative and moving.

Directed by Jo Mangan, four singers accompanied by a string quartet conjure the atmosphere of a Christmas party inhabited by Joyce’s vibrant characters.

The piece conjures the poignant atmosphere of a Christmas party inhabited by Joyce’s vibrant characters. A radio version of The Dead was broadcast on RTE Radio 1 in January 2016 and won the bronze award at the International New York Festivals: Radio Programming and Promotions Awards.

The Dead is part of the Ireland’s 2016 Global and Diaspora programme. The work premiered at Project Arts Centre, Dublin in December 2015, and toured internationally in 2017. It follows last 2014’s highly successful work-in-progress showing at that venue. The Dead was supported by The Arts Council of Ireland.