Programme 2020 - Preview
69th Wexford Festival Opera
20 Oct – 1 Nov 2020
1 Festival – 13 Days – 70 Events
Priority booking for Bravura, Aria, Cabaletta, Ensemble + Saturday, 21 March 2020, and Ensemble Friends: Saturday, 28 March 2020
The Programme:
Ein Wintermärchen
by Karl Goldmark
An opera in 3 acts. Sung in German
Performance Dates: 20, 23, 26, 29 October 2020
O'Reilly Theatre, The National Opera House.
Conductor: Marcus Bosch
Director: Dmitry Bertman,
Set & Costume Designer: Astrid Janson
Le Songe d’une nuit d’été
by Ambroise Thomas
An opera in 3 acts. Sung in French.
Performance Dates: 21, 24, 27 October and 1 November 2020
O'Reilly Theatre, The National Opera House
Conductor: Guillaume Tourniaire
Director: Walter Le Moli
Set Designer: Tiziano Santi
Costume Designer: Gabriele Mayer
Edmea
by Alfredo Catalani
An opera in 3 acts. Sung in Italian.
Performance Dates: 22, 25, 28, 31 October 2020
O'Reilly Theatre, The National Opera House
Conductor: Francesco Cilluffo
Director: Julia Burbach
Set & Costume Designer: Cécile Trémoliers
POCKET OPERAS / Opera Beag
The previously titled Short Works programme is being reimagined as a new series of daytime operas, called Pocket Operas / Opera Beag, which will be performed in different venues in Wexford town, including both the O’Reilly and Jerome Hynes theatres in the National Opera House as well as the Wexford Arts Centre.
These Pocket Operas will continue the Shakespearian theme and act as an important showcase for young Irish and international Festival artists. The Pocket Opera production of Falstaff will also feature the SinfoNua Orchestra of young Irish based musicians tutored by members of the Wexford Festival Orchestra.
- Shakespeare in Love
A collage of the most famous love scenes, arias, duets and quartets from operas related to Shakespeare.
Performance Dates: 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31 October 2020
Jerome Hynes Theatre
Director: Lyaysan Safargulova
Dramaturg: Jessica Traynor
- The Dark Side of Shakespeare
A collage of the darker, more obscure and mysterious Shakespearian characters in opera from Otello to Macbeth.
Performance Dates: 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31 October 2020.
Wexford Arts Centre
Director: Wayne Jordan
- Shakespeare for Fun
A reduced production of Falstaff by Verdi with singers from the Wexford Factory and SinfoNua orchestra.
Performance Dates: 22, 24, 27, 29 October 2020
O'Reilly Theatre
Director: Roberto Recchia
LISETTE OROPESA CONCERT
Performance Date: 30 October 2020.
O'Reilly Theatre
A special concert with full Wexford Festival Orchestra, starring the internationally-renowned American lyric coloratura soprano Lisette Oropesa.
GALA CONCERT
Performance Date: 24 October 2020.
O'Reilly Theatre, National Opera House.
Always a Festival favourite, featuring a collection of popular arias from members of the Festival company.
LUNCHTIME RECITALS
Performance Dates: 21, 22, 23 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 October 2020
St Iberius Church, Wexford
PETITE MESSE SOLENNELLE
By Gioachino Rossini
Performance Date: 1 November 2020.
Rowe Street Church.
Rossini's final composition before his death, one of the most delightful examples of a solemn mass performed in Rowe Street Church on the closing afternoon of the Festival.
DR. TOM WALSH LECTURE
Date: 30 October 2020.
Jerome Hynes Theatre, the National Opera House.
Speaker to be announced in spring 2020.
LATE- NIGHT CABARET DES ARTISTES
Performance Dates: 22, 25, 28, 31 October 2020.
Late-night performance series. Four theatrical events featuring music, recitation, dance and drama, featuring an ensemble of the Festival's singers, actors and dancers, exploring French, German, English and American cabaret.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
W F 0 2.0 (W-F-O-2- point- zero) A series of free pop-up, multi-disciplinary performances featuring music, drama, singing and dance which will be performed in non-traditional settings in various locations around Wexford town. This exciting new initiative is designed to bring the Festival back into the community of Wexford, making it more accessible and inviting for new and diverse audiences. A map indicating the location of these free, ‘pop-up’ performances will be created to lead the public to the venue where these artistic spectacles will take place, adding a ‘Treasure Hunt’ element to the experience.