Wexford Festival Opera News

Wexford Festival Opera updates plans for 2020 Festival

Wexford Festival Opera today announced that it has taken the difficult decision to reschedule the previously announced artistic programme to October 2021. This is due to the ongoing worldwide uncertainty regarding the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing restrictions into the autumn, and in the best interests of the health and welfare of the Festival’s audiences, artists, staff, and volunteers.

However, the spirit which enabled a small provincial town to create a world-renowned opera festival continues to this day, inspiring Wexford, with the support and guidance of its board of directors, to develop a crisis-inspired formula by presenting a reimagined, online Festival.

‘The Veiled Prophet’ by Irish composer Charles Villiers Stanford now available on the RTÉ Player

At a time when more people than ever are turning online to enjoy their favourite opera productions, the first-ever professional performance in English of The Veiled Prophet by Dublin-born composer, Charles Villiers Stanford, is now available to view on the RTÉ Player. The project presented at last year’s Wexford Festival Opera in association with Heritage Music Productions, founded and produced by international pianist and broadcaster Una Hunt, was a momentous milestone in the quest to recover Irish opera from oblivion and was thus supported by a major grant from the Arts Council of Ireland. The opera was recorded live by RTÉ lyric fm for radio broadcast and was included as part of the European Broadcasting Union Premium Opera Series which is heard by millions of listeners across the globe. This is the first complete presentation to take place in more than 125 years, making it a ‘must-see’ for newcomers to opera and connoisseurs alike.

Participants announced for the first ever Wexford Factory

The twelve singers chosen to take part in the inaugural Wexford Factory have been announced. This new professional development initiative, established for the first time this year by WFO Artistic Director, Rosetta Cucchi, is a two-week academy for young Irish / Irish-based singers, which will take place in early September, prior to the beginning of rehearsals for this year’s Festival and will feature top international guest tutors including world-renowned tenor Juan Diego-Flórez.

Programme and casting details announced for 69th Wexford Festival Opera

Ahead of the opening of priority booking for the 69th Wexford Festival Opera, newly appointed Artistic Director Rosetta Cucchi has revealed further details of her inaugural artistic programme including the casting for the three main evening operas, which comprises inspiring operatic talent from16 countries from across the globe, including Ireland, most of whom will make their Wexford Festival Opera debuts.

This year the festival is inspired by William Shakespeare. Each of the three main evening productions in the National Opera House will be based directly, or indirectly, on the life and work of this great poet and playwright. Three day-time operas entitled, Pocket Operas / Opera Beag, will continue this Shakespearean thread, with new productions on the themes of love, fun, and the darker side.

Wexford Opera at The Merrion

The Merrion Hotel and Wexford Festival Opera are proud to present an evening of the best entertainment and dining as they come together once again this year to present Wexford Opera at The Merrion for two exclusive performances on 17 and 18 June, set against the backdrop of The Merrion's historic Georgian Salons.

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