On Bloomsday, James Joyce talks us through his Opera

Based on the Penelope chapter of Ulysses, Old Ghosts is a new opera by composer Evangelia Rigaki and playwright Marina Carr.

It imagines James Joyce in conversation with Nora Barnacle, Homer and Penelope herself as possible inspirations for the character of Molly Bloom and the final chapter of Ulysses.

In a first-time collaboration for two of Ireland’s leading companies, Irish National Opera and ANU Productions, Old Ghosts was performed at the Museum of Literature Ireland in February 2023. It marks the culmination of Ulysses 2.2, a curated year of multidisciplinary artistic responses to the 18 episodes of Ulysses that chronicle an ordinary day in the life of Leopold Bloom.

The live stream by Slippedisc, courtesy of OperaVision, coincides on 16 June with Bloomsday, a commemoration and celebration of the life of the Irish writer observed annually in Dublin and by Joyce fans across the world. Old Ghosts is a co-production between Irish National Opera and ANU and is part of Ulysses 2.2 by ANU, Landmark Productions and MoLI.  the role of Joyce is sung by Christopher Bowen, Nora by Jade Phoenix, Homer by William Gaunt and Penelope by Doreen CurrAN.

Subtitles in English

The Plot: James Joyce and Nora Barnacle are living in Trieste. Joyce has embarked on his great enterprise, the composition of Ulysses. After a night on the town, he sits at his writing desk, working on his masterpiece. As he begins to write, he is visited by two ghosts, Homer and Penelope, who have a thing or two to say to him and to each other. As morning approaches, Joyce composes a letter to his aunt, inquiring after everyday Dublin life, details of which will become the thread of his iconic masterwork. Meanwhile, Nora pines for home, longing to return to her beloved west of Ireland.

Live stream available 16 June2023 at 1900 CET/ 1800 London / 1300 New York