THERE’s a new man at the helm of University Concert Hall (UCH), one who brings with him several decades experience running arts bodies. David Collopy spent a score of years at Opera Ireland, rising to chief executive. He managed Wexford Opera Festival prior to OI and was acting director for Glór, Ennis while Katie Verling was on leave.
David Collopy came to Limerick 20 months ago for the new role of company manager at our concert hall.
He takes over from UCH’s founding father Michael Murphy, who retired to be open to new projects as freelance accountant and event director.
From Wexford, married with children, Mr Collopy brings energy and vision to the demanding post in these hairshirt times.
Heading up six full-time staff in Education & Outreach, Administration, Marketing, Technical and Box Office departments, UCH employs almost 50 in toto if you include part-timers who work in technical, on the floor and so on, according to each production, he tells Arts page. “We work in partnership with bodies such as the Association of Irish Choirs and will be host to Irish Youth Choir for a week this year. We also have a relationship with the European Opera Centre which is rostered to come back to us in 2011.
“We are also looking to build a stronger relationship with the National Chamber Choir and the Irish Chamber Orchestra Choir, which is here in Limerick”.
This leaning towards matters choral plays to the strength of such an audience in Limerick.
Still, snobbery has no place in an events hall. Big acts such as Jedward sold out and seats are scarce for joyful Crystal Swing, coming to UCH on Friday May 13: “All of this is good news for us”.
Acknowledging that we are in the teeth of a recession, “UCH is affected, as all business is. I would be fibbing if I said otherwise”, the new director says there is a hardening of market with bookings sought by promoters and tours from September 2010 on.
There’s a definite upturn compared to this timeframe last year.
“It looks as if we are turning the corner. People gravitate more towards performing arts in hard times. We have had very healthy box office numbers for shows so far this year”.
Chalk in the sell-out at Millennium Theatre of Menopause the Musical over five days and the near full house commanded Leon and Kathleen Fleisher’s concert with the Irish Chamber Orchestra at UCH. His optimism is credible. Conference marketing presents a further plumping of receipts. The Irish League of Credit Unions has just held its AGM in Plassey, bringing 1,500 delegates with their inevitable spend. Summer is high season for the conferencing and athletics sectors, given UCH’s lucky placement on UL’s campus facilities.
Back to the music: Ronan Tynan, The Priests and Daniel O’Donnell pay respects locally at this state-of-the-art venue over the next couple of months. If there’s a ticket left at this stage to any of them, you are lucky.
Limerick Post wishes Mr Collopy the very best in leading LIT Millennium Theatre and UCH further into the light for 2010 and beyond.
