Saturday, October 14 - ‘Out of the Ordinary’: A Virtual Reality Community Opera

Friday, October 13

11.00, 12:00, 13:00, (Break) 15:00, 16:00, 17:00

Old Convent Hall, Mercy Road

Admission: €6

Duration: 30 minutes 

In partnership with Ballina 2023 and the Irish National Opera

A virtual reality community opera about winning/losing society’s battle for survival. Your in-the-moment reactions decide what ending you will see.

Winner of the Fedora Digital Prize 2021.

Sung in Irish and English with subtitles for both.


Experienced through a virtual-reality headset, this is opera like you’ve never encountered it before . . .”

“Finola Merivale composed her spare, eighteen-minute score for two singers, small chamber ensemble and two amateur choirs.

Its haunting power is as unforgiving as the story, a myth-like allegory of the relationship between humanity and the environment it endangers.” – Michael Dungan, The Irish Times


Out of the Ordinary has been co-created with communities around Ireland, through activity that took place online and in person in 2020 and 2021.

The opera is composed by Finola Merivale, with libretto by Jody O’Neill, and is directed by Jo Mangan. Creative production company Algorithm has created the virtual world with support from Virtual Reality Ireland.