Recent Reviews
DON PASQUALE
Irish National Opera 2022
★★★★★ Bringing laughter from 19th century Italy to 21st century Donegal: before the premiere, Donizetti knew success would depend on factors beyond his brilliant score and the funny libretto. And it is these same factors that INO nails in 2022. All of them click. Director Orpha Phelan opens a direct channel to laughter by updating the story to the present day.
The Irish Times
LALLA - ROUKH
Wexford Festival Opera 2022
Phelan is a storyteller with a gift for comedy, a director with a light touch whose eye for comedic detail extends well beyond main characters.
The Irish Times
RAISING ICARUS
Barber Opera 2022
Each of the leads is crisply defined...The ending, when four of the characters come together as a Greek chorus to reflect on Icarus’s fall, is beautifully handled... The performances are all strong...
The Guardian
LA CENERENTOLA
Irish National Opera 2022
The staging and production values here were fabulous and totally irresistible… Rossini had a gift for comic confusion and director Orpha Phelan captured that aspect outstandingly well… overall, a triumph – and an important one for INO.
The Sunday Business Post
WUTHERING HEIGHTS
Opera National de Lorrainne 2019
Orpha Phelan is simply fantastic - she integrates the essence of text, angle and cinematography in authentic theatre and visual magnificence.
Opera Online (France)
A QUIET PLACE
Opera Zuid 2018
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
Malmo Opera 2017
DEAD MAN WALKING
Royal Danish Opera 2016
FIDELIO
Longborough Festival Opera 2017
A challenging, provocative and highly rewarding evening. This is a director-designer duo whose careers will be fascinating to follow.
The Independent
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POWDER HER FACE
Royal Danish Opera 2016
A captivating, convincing, virtuosic staging. A production with the same warmth as Adès' music.
Berlingske
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BILLY BUDD
Opera North 2016
Orpha Phelan's attentive, top notch production brings this tremendous work into focus.
The Observer
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LA BOHEME
Malmo Opera 2014
Pitch perfect. A brilliant female opera director.
Opera Magazine, Sweden
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COSI FAN TUTTE
Opera Theatre Company 2012
It’s a thoroughly entertaining but also strongly thought-provoking staging, and shouldn’t be missed.
Opera Britannia
An intelligent and sensitive production
The Irish Times
LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN
Malmo Opera 2011
Lively, stylish and entertaining. The Tales of Hoffmann must be considered gaming year's biggest bet at the Malmö Opera. Viewed from any angle it is of international class. Orpha Phelan’s result is outstanding: it is lively, elegant, entertaining.
Skanska Dagbladet
JENUFA
Malmo Opera 2011
Absolutely one of the most complete stagings I’ve ever seen in an opera.
Skanska Dagbladet
Orpha Phelan’s production packs a strong emotional punch.
Opera Now
I CAPULETI E I MONTECCHI
Opera North 2008
Opera Australia 2009
At the Grand in Leeds, Orpha Phelan directs an expectedly hard-hitting and contemporary account of Bellini’s Romeo and Juliet opera, I Capuleti e i Montecchi and takes an audacious theatrical tilt at Bellini....
The Sunday Times