Cara O’Sullivan to be honoured with concert and city award
Renowned soprano Cara O’Sullivan is to be honoured with a celebratory concert in her native city following her diagnosis with what friends say is a “life-changing illness”.
And she has been chosen by Lord Mayor of Cork, Mick Finn, as the inaugural recipient of a new cultural award to mark her outstanding contribution to the artistic and cultural life of the city.
Mr Finn received unanimous approval from the members of Cork City Council this week for his nomination of Ms O’Sullivan to receive what will be an annual award.
“I think Cara would be a great inaugural recipient of this new award, given her remarkable contribution to the arts in Cork, nationally, and globally.
“It will be presented to Cara in the Lord Mayor’s office in the coming weeks, and it will be awarded annually to someone in the arts sector — be it music, drama, art, or dance.”
Meanwhile, just over a week since going on sale, tickets have almost sold out for Cara: A Celebration, which will be staged at Cork Opera House on April 14, to celebrate Ms O’Sullivan’s remarkable singing career which took her around the world.
Arrangements are also being made for a second concert in Dublin soon.
One of Ms O’Sullivan’s closest friends, soprano Majella Cullagh, said the response so far has been phenomenal.
“Our dearest friend Cara, a colleague with a world-class voice, has had a sterling 30-year career,” she said.
“In that time, she has used her talents to help the citizens of Cork in numerous charity events and benefit concerts. Cara is now dealing with a life-changing illness.
We must be there for her and assist her and raise money for her, while also honouring and celebrating a great artist.”
Thanks to her incredible training and coaching, she also developed “a rock-solid technique”, she said.
Ms Cullagh and Mary Hegarty will be joined by a host of guests for the Cork concert, which is being produced by Pat Talbott, including Kim Sheehan, Bridget Knowles, Joe Corbett, Ryan Morgan, John Spillane, Karen Underwood, Evelyn Grant, and David McInerney, and supported by a 50-piece orchestra conducted by John O’Brien and Conor Palliser.
