Dublin’s newest venue, the Grand Canal Theatre, celebrated one year in business this week, and announced its plans for the rest of 2011.

Having sold more than half a million tickets for events in its first year, the theatre's general manager Stephen Falloon said that he is "confident that our second year will be even more successful".

The Grand Canal Theatre was designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, and opened on March 18th 2010 with a performance of Swan Lakeby the Russian State Ballet, who returned to the theatre this week for another sold-out run.

Gigs already on the schedule for 2011 include Jedward (April 17th),

Chris de Burgh (May 27th), Michael Ball (May 24th), Emmylou Harris (May 28th), Englebert Humperdinck (Nov 11th) and The British Pink Floyd Show (July 3rd). There will also be numerous musicals, including Grease, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Spamalot, Thriller Live, Mamma Mia!, White Christmasand Sister Act. A West End production of Dirty Dancingis pencilled in for January 2012. There will also be a run of the Verdi opera La Traviatain November. grandcanaltheatre.ie