Madam, – Tony O’Dalaigh’s Irishman’s Diary (July 19th), brought back great memories for me. In 1967 when we lived in Donegal town the Irish National Opera came to the town and performed La Bohème with Dolores Burke and Mary Sheridan (I can’t remember the male lead!), with Veronica McSweeney on the piano.
A committee headed up by Bob and Nancy Simpson, Mervyn and myself and others took on the organisation, and after enormous difficulties the opera went on in the local cinema to a full house.
I always remember Dolores saying when she, as Mimì, was dying in the last scene she could not concentrate for the sound of the sobs coming from the school children in the front row.
All in the cinema that night were opera fans after that performance. – Yours, etc,