If you’re looking for something fun – and cultured – to do this autumn, Opera Collective Ireland’s production of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, might be exactly what you’re looking for.
A contemporary adaptation of the beloved Jane Austen novel, the story revolves around Fanny Price, who stands at the centre of a world shaped by privilege, desire and tension, navigating shifting loyalties as she finds her voice.
Reimagining the literary classic in a new way, the tale has been brought to life by a dazzling new generation of artists – one of whom is Irish soprano Maria Matthews. A graduate of the TU Dublin Conservatoire of Music and Drama and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Maria performs regularly with Irish National Opera as a chorus member, most recently in their production of Bellini’s Norma.
We caught up with her ahead of the show’s premiere next month.
Tell us about your journey into opera. When did you first realise singing could become a career?
My background in singing and opera began like a lot of other Irish singers: in choral music! I sang in a wonderful children’s choir called Riverside Chorus from the age of 8 until I was 15/16. The choir was directed by Derek Mahady, who then became my singing teacher. He was (and still is) one of my biggest inspirations and with his encouragement, and of course the help of my parents and siblings, I decided to take the plunge.
What are some career highlights? I’m sure there have been many!
For the 2025/26 season, I was a young artist at Wexford Festival Opera. In the first year of the programme the young artist’s opera was Pagliacci by Leoncavallo, which is one of my all-time favourite operas. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have the opportunity to sing Nedda (the female protagonist) on the Wexford mainstage. The role had been on my list of dream roles for years, and it was also the first role I ever learned and performed in full. It was a really incredible experience! Another highlight is of course singing with the National Symphony Orchestra in the National Concert Hall. There is nothing quite like the feeling of singing with an orchestra of that skill and magnitude, and they are so supportive in every sense of the word.
Opera can sometimes feel like an art form that belongs to another era. What do you think surprises people most when they experience it for the first time?
I think people are surprised by how accessible opera is as an art form, and how funny and entertaining it can be. It can be very daunting for first-time operagoers, especially considering a lot of very popular and famous operas are not sung in English, but it really is a marriage of music, text and drama and so much of the story can be understood from the music alone.
Why do you think Jane Austen’s work continues to resonate with a modern audience?
Despite the fact Jane Austen’s novels are from the late 1700s and early 1800s, the material is still so relevant in the present day: societal pressures, human nature, the stresses of relationships and marriages. Her characters are so human, each with their own positive and negative attributes, all of them with their own narratives, so there is something for every reader and listener to relate to. Also, we love a woman with a great sense of humour, and Jane Austen’s wit was so ahead of her time!
What can attendees expect from this version of Mansfield Park? How does bringing the story to life through opera change the way audiences experience it?
I think audiences can expect a bit of an emotional rollercoaster! The source material is amazing, but it is really brought to life by Jonathan Dove’s score. There are some moments of complete hilarity, and some extremely tender moments that the music elevates. The great thing about this production in particular, is that the majority of the cast have worked together before and have been good friends for years. I think this will really shine through the characters and the music, bringing the show to another level.
What does life look like behind the scenes during a production like this? How do you balance the intensity of rehearsals/performances with everyday life?
For me, it’s a lot of rest and a lot of water! It’s really important to get enough sleep and keep hydrated so my vocal cords have time to recover after a long day of singing.
For someone who has never been to the opera before, why should they consider booking a ticket for Mansfield Park?
It’s a great story, the music is amazing and the cast and creative team are fabulous. The opera is in English too, and the plot is very relatable so for a first-time operagoer, it’s the perfect choice. We’re going to have a lot of fun and if we’re having fun, the audience will feel it too!
Finally, what do you hope audiences take away from this production?
I hope the audience members are moved. I think that’s what opera and music are all about. I hope they laugh; I hope they feel for and relate to the characters, and I hope they come away from the show feeling a little bit different than when they went into the theatre.
‘Mansfied Park’ runs at the Pavilion Theatre in Dún Laoghaire from 25-27 September. For more, visit operacollectiveireland.com
