An enormous welcome to the most recent, new media element, of Wexford Festival Opera’s (WFO) website.

My name is Justin Murphy and I have been involved in various ways and capacities with WFO. As a child, WFO was always a magical time in the town, for me, even more than Christmas. There was always a great sense of something special and unique happening, even though I had no idea where the theatre even was then.

So as my interest in theatre, music and the arts grew, I grabbed the opportunity as a young teenager to be a volunteer extra in ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ . Then, years later in 2001, I worked as an Assistant Stage Manager for three consecutive years (Sapho, Il Giuramento and Die Drei Pintos) and now as Assistant Company Manager for the Festival since 2007. A challenging role, that is ever changing on a daily basis (sometimes hourly!) but very rewarding none the less. I get to see things behind the scenes of the Festival that, ordinarily, the general public wouldn’t. From popping into rehearsal rooms to see how productions are progressing to scheduling meetings with directors, conductors and designers. A rather odd looking prop being made in the prop room to a technician suspended from the gantry. From finding local people to perform small roles in the operas to co-ordinating three choirs, seven percussionists, two pianists and somebody called Carmina Burana, while driving a sick singer to the doctor!

So with that in mind, the Festival asked me to be their sort of “Ambassador of Blog”, an “Ambloggador”, (sorry, won’t use that again) to show a side on the World Wide Web, of the Festival from a backstage, behind the scenes point of view. An informal slant to the official website and a personal diary of my dealings with the Festival, the artists, the design teams and a lost looking stage manager needing pointing in the right direction to their rehearsal room!
I thought it was a really interesting idea and agreed to do it. So, here I am!
I don’t really know yet how it’s all going to pan out or evolve yet, but you have to start somewhere…

Wexford Festival Opera is a beautiful, talent filled, 58 year old diva who now resides in the magnificent, multi-award winning palace, which is Wexford Opera House. She has lived on the same site since 1951, along a little cobble locked street, and never strayed from her home except when she got tired of the living room, then the kitchen, then the bathroom and decided the whole lot had to come down. So, she then took herself off to Dún Mhuire, (her younger sister’s place) and the magical surroundings of Johnstown Castle (she was a bit jealous of this one), until the builders were done. The building was finally completed last year and she graced her beautiful new home with a successful season of operas and concerts. 

More seriously, but not to go on too much about what’s happening in the ‘09 season because you can get that information from the main homepage, on Thursday July 23rd, a very successful ‘Friends Summer Concert’ was held in St. Stephen’s Church, Dublin. It featured Giovanni Botta (Tenor), Pervin Chakar (Coloratura Soprano) and Rosetta Cucchi (Music Preparation/Piano).  I wasn’t in attendance personally, but am reliably informed; it was a very special event for all those who did.

This year WFO are producing: The Ghosts of Versailles by John Corigliano (in co-operation with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis); a Double Bill of Une Éducation Manquée/La Cambiale di Matrimonio by Emmanuel Chabrier and Gioachino Rossini respectively; and last but not least, Maria Padilla by Gaetano Donizetti.
With just a few short weeks to go, the first task will be with the Company Manager, Giuliano, to sit down with Cast Lists and decipher a schedule for the first day of rehearsals, distribute them and hope to get all the right people to the right place at the right time. With some artists in more than one production, then the fun starts! “Artist X needs to be here and there at 10am…right…let me call the directors, we need to have a meeting…!”

Ok, so I think that’s enough for now. Introduction’s done, now we’re friends (lend me a tenor?). Sorry.  I’ll post some more over the next weeks and then when the rehearsals start after the arrivals weekend, I’m sure there’ll be plenty more tales to tell…and secrets to keep.

Watch this space…

Justin