Performer: Amy Ní Fhearraigh

A tiny stage and five musicians prove no obstacle to Irish National Opera’s lively, witty Bartered Bride, where sharp casting and clever direction turn modest means into genuine delight.

Rain cannot wash away the charm of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Lismore Castle, a visually clever, if uneven, outdoor staging with moments of real enchantment.

Brian Irvine and Netia Jones pull no punches in telling the story of Rosemary Kennedy, sister of JFK and Bobby, left permanently disabled by a lobotomy at the age of 23