For years Wexford Festival Opera has used the phrase – "Enjoy a Rare Experience" to describe itself. As someone who has ‘experienced’ the festival from many perspectives and throughout many stages of parenthood, I think this is an accurate assessment of Wexford.

What I’ve ‘experienced’ during each festival changed from year to year depending on time, finances, child minders and the health of my children - one year I sat in a very uncomfortable seat in Wexford Hospital with my daughter instead of sitting in my coveted uncomfortable seat in the old Theatre Royal.  On the upside my daughter was fine and I won best-dressed in Wexford A&E that evening.  Still it didn’t stop me from experiencing the festival that year, as there are so many aspects to it.  Some aspects of it require planning, some aspects are spontaneous.

For instance, what local would miss the fireworks and the opening ceremony on the quay, followed by a walk around the town to look at the window display competition and stop for a bag of chips on the way home?  Or attend the many art exhibition openings on the opening weekend - which always turned out to be a delightful day of drinking wine and meeting friends that you haven’t seen in ages.  Of course the highlight of each festival for me was, and continues to be, the heated discussion with friends (sans champagne) about which of the 3 operas was ‘the REAL discovery of the festival’ that year.

Artistically it is always something to look forward to and enjoy – but there’s also something about the people who attend Wexford Festival Opera that add to this ‘rare experience’.  Some come from abroad, some just travel from down the road, some literally from just across the street!  But all come together to form an instant community – a flash mob of opera goers! (Now there’s an image!)

Speaking of a flash mob of opera-goers, I recently had the luxury of attending the Glyndebourne Festival – something I’d tried to do for years – but couldn’t (another casualty of my childcare crisis).  I had heard so much about it for so many years, I couldn’t believe that I was finally going.  Of course before I attended, I did my homework, reading up about the production, the opera, the cast, the creative team, how to get there, etc.  I was able to read all about it on their website and study every aspect.  I felt fully informed.  But something you can never really experience from the website is the atmosphere – the ‘experience’ that is Glyndebourne.

It started well ahead of the raise of the curtain, in London’s Victoria Station, where men in dress suits carried luscious picnic baskets while women in summery frocks led the way to the correct train car.  The camaraderie grew in transit, with old friends meeting up and new acquaintances acquired before the journey’s end.  All on a sunny afternoon in May!  It is something very special and that’s why people go year after year and make the most of it – not just an event – but an ‘experience’.  The atmosphere was decidedly relaxed and laid-back, although expectations of a top-class opera were high and met. 

The same can be said for Wexford.  Perhaps to people who only read about it – it may seem inaccessible – a private club, dry, boring.  But nothing could be farther from the truth.  It’s for anyone who wants to reach out for the unordinary.  To me the most unique thing about Wexford is that very first voice you hear in the Opera House is that of the audience singing the Irish National Anthem.  It is also the last voice you hear at the close of each festival, as everyone joins hands and sings ‘Auld Lang Syne’.  The voice of the people.  The voice of Wexford Festival Opera. 

Recently an Irish man, Dan Mooney, established the 366 project whereby he is undertaking a new experience every day for a year, or as he puts it, “A project to complete 366 brand new things that I’ve never done before in one year and one day.”  He is several months into his project and has tried everything from sushi to introducing himself to all of his neighbours.  So Wexford Festival Opera suggested that he experience an opera this year in Wexford – and not just an opera – but a new opera – a European premiere of ‘The Golden Ticket’.  He thought this was a brilliant suggestion and fit perfectly into his project.  Amazingly,he has NEVER been to Wexford before either, so he has many ‘firsts’ to ‘experience.  I think he’ll have to stay for the entire Festival.  He’d have no trouble finding 15 new experiences in Wexford!  Can’t wait to meet you Dan!

I’m also looking forward to reading about his experience on his blog after he attends.  I love hearing about people’s experiences of Wexford Festival Opera.  Everyone has a different take on their experience and yet the common thread to all these tales is the warm positive feeling that they come away with year after year.  It is also why they return – and bring friends.  I’ve heard and read many stories and reviews from opera critics, opera enthusiasts, volunteers, students, opera singers and new audience members, young and old.  I’d love to hear about your experiences of Wexford!

Til next time –

Lilly