Wexford Festival Opera News

PwC/Wexford Festival Opera 2020 ‘Emerging Young Artist’ Bursary Announced

Mezzo-Soprano Anna Brady from Co. Dublin and Bass-Baritone Rory Dunne from Co. Kildare were named winners of the PwC/Wexford Festival Opera 2020 ‘Emerging Young Artist’ Bursary. This initiative serves to support and celebrate Ireland’s Emerging Young Artists from the opera world and helps to contribute towards the many costs associated with furthering their careers. 

Wexford Festival Opera and RTÉ join forces to bring the Festival magic to your home this October

This October audiences across Ireland and around the world will have a chance to experience a taste of the magic of Wexford Festival Opera at home. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, this year’s reimagined Festival Waiting for Shakespeare… The Festival in the air will be an online celebration, starting on 11 October and running over eight consecutive days.
This reimagined Festival aims to bring together audiences and the wider worldwide Wexford community through the power of music.
Wexford Festival Opera, RTÉ and ARTE have joined forces once again to ensure that every magical moment will be available for audiences to enjoy for free from the comfort and safety of their own homes. 

Experience every moment via RTE.ie, Lyric FM, ARTE Opera & Wexfordopera.com from Sunday, 11 October – Sunday, 18 October 2020 

The Wexford Factory

14 singers, in a new Wexford academy, with guest tutors including world-renowned tenor Juan Diego Flórez as part of Wexford Festival Opera's reimagined Festival 2020

Earlier this summer Wexford Festival Opera, had to take 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, free-to-view Festival.

Waiting for Shakespeare… The Festival in the air is an online celebration of music which will still encompass many of the artistic ambitions already set out by Artistic Director Rosetta Cucchi earlier in the year, principally to nurture the talents of the best young Irish singers through the mentorship of world-renowned artists who share a love of Wexford. This reimagined Festival aims to bring together audiences and the wider worldwide Wexford community through the power of music.

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.