Our orchestra and chorus
We’re proud to attract some of the world’s best talent to our Orchestra and Chorus. We welcome many of them back year after year, and they have repaid us with their outstanding ability to raise our performances to inspiring new levels.
WFO Orchestra
The orchestra plays a pivotal role in bringing our opera performances to life.
Each year a specially assembled festival orchestra join together comprising some of the best soloists, recitalists, chamber musicians and principals from musical ensembles and distinguished orchestras in Ireland and abroad.
Many musicians have been part of the festival for many years and consider this to be their second artistic home.
WFO Principal Guest Conductor Francesco Cilluffo
Wexford Festival Opera’s Principal Guest Conductor is currently Italian Francesco Cilluffo. Cilluffo was appointed in 2020. A graduate of Turin University, Francesco lived and studied in London at GSMD (composition and conducting fellowship, Master in Composition - distinction) and at King’s College (PhD in Composition).
His studies led him to realise that composing and conducting is very much like two sides of the same coin. They are two different yet complementary sides of creativity. His experiences as a conductor span the core Italian operas and choral masterwork to some more unusual works and new commissions, and he feels at home writing as much as conducting opera and vocal music. Francesco is based in Milan but conducted operas last season at The Grange and Opera Holland Park.
WFO 2025 Main Stage Opera Guest Conductors
Le trouvère (1857) by Giuseppe Verdi, Marcus Bosch
Deidamia (1741) by George Frideric Handel, George Petrou
The Magic Fountain (1895) by Frederick Delius, Francesco Cilluffo
Strings
First Violin
Lynda O'Connor, Concertmaster
Jesús Merino Ruiz, Guest Leader - Deidamia
Lara Rosemary O'Sullivan, Co-Principal
Jennifer Murphy
Cillian O'Breachain
Feilimidh Nunan
Christine Kenney
Conor Masterson
Katie Mercer
Second Violin
Paul O’Hanlon, Principal
Justyna Dabek, Co-principal
Rachel Du
Robert Mahon
Rachel Masterson
Ji Sun Min
Viola
Adele Johnson, Principal
Cheryl Law, Co-Principal
Katherine Veekman
Cian MacGarry
Eleanor Chapman
Cello
Adrian Mantu, Principal
Martin Johnson, Principal - Le trouvère
Aoife Burke, Co-Principal
Siobhan Lynch
Eoin Quinlan
Sokol Koka
Double Bass
Dominic Dudley, Principal
Maeve Sheil, Co-Principal
William Hollands
Harp
Dianne Marshall, Principal
Claire O’Donnell - The Magic Fountain
Woodwind and Brass
Flute
Deirdre Brady, Principal
Kieran Moynihan
Mairead English
Martina Rosaria O’Connell
Oboe
Aoife McCambridge, Principal
Ben Gannon
Ruth Berresford
Maria Rojas
Clarinet
Jessie Grimes, Principal
Seamus Wylie
Patrick Burke
Ben O’Brien
Bassoon
Bartosz Kwasecki, Principal
Aidan Murphy
John Leonard
Sarah Byrne
Horn
Liam Duffy, Principal
Peter Mullen
Caoime Glavin
Javier Fernandez
Trumpet
William Palmer, Principal
John Kerr
Eoin Daly
Trombone
Ross Lyness, Principal
Paul Stone
Paul Frost
Tuba
Leslie Neish, Principal
Timpani and Percussion
Timpani
Noel Eccles, Principal
Percussion
Patrick Nolan, Principal
John Rouasso
Lloyd Byrne
Harpsichord
Panos Iliopoulos, Continuo
Theorbo
Francesco Tomasi, Continuo
Orchestra Team
Orchestra Manager
Noel Eccles
Orchestra Librarian
Sarah Burn
Assistant Manager
Lloyd Byrne
WFO Chorus
Wexford Festival Opera is internationally recognised as the premier festival of rare operas. For singers, the WFO Chorus offers an unrivalled opportunity to explore more diverse repertoire, the prospect of reviving an opera which has not been performed in modern times, professional experience and international exposure.
The WFO Chorus was formally set up back in 1994, with previous Chorus Masters including Anthony Hose, Myer Freedman, Kenneth Montgomery and Gregory Rose.
The current Festival Chorus Master is Andrew Synott.
Soprano
Victoria Harley
Eleri Gwilym
Charlotte Baker
Roisin Walsh
Olivia Carrell
Cerys Macallister
Mezzo
Heather Sammon
Eleanor O'Driscoll
Camilla Seale
Sarah Richmond
Erin Fflur
Helen Stanley
Tenor
Dafydd Allen
Vladimir Sima
Gabe Clarke
Conor Prendiville
Jonah Halton
Sam Britner
Bass
Philip Kalmanovitch
Ross Cumming
Seamus Brady
Meilir Jones
Conor Cooper
Josh McCullough
CHORUS MASTER
Andrew Synnott
CHORUS ADMINISTRATOR
Oskar McCarthy
To learn more about which members of the chorus will feature in each of our Festivals programmed event, please consult the opera performance or event cast list in the seasons Festival Programme.