About Us
The Lyric Opera Company was founded in 1948 as an amateur operatic society in Belfast, Northern Ireland, its first production being New Moon in the now defunct Empire Theatre. The company disbanded and re-formed in 1951 as the New Lyric Opera Company. In 2002, the name changed again, this time to the New Lyric Operatic Company. It is accepted as a charity by the Revenue & Customs.
From its inception, the New Lyric has never failed to present at least one production each year. Even at the height of the troubles here in Northern Ireland the New Lyric continued to present either a show, or a concert version of Songs from the Shows.
Over the years, the company has enjoyed success in competing against the other amateur operatic societies in Ireland. In 1977, we entered for the first (and so far, only) time, the Waterford International Festival, bringing home a number of prestigious awards. In more recent years we have received a considerable number of awards under the adjudication scheme of AIMS (the Association of Irish Musical Societies, our all-Ireland representative body)
Our patrons’ support is still very much appreciated. If you are not a formal Patron of the Company and would like to enrol, you would be more than welcome. Please email the Secretary for more information.