2011 introduction:

The stunning Wexford Opera House is as much of a draw as the music performed within during the annual opera festival. The site of the old ‘Theatre Royal’ has been dramatically transformed and expanded, whilst managing to retain its subtle external appearance - the copper clad fly-tower is hardly perceptible against the low-lying buildings of Wexford. The new auditorium provides excellent acoustics, sight lines and comfort.

It is fitting that the famously innovative music programme should be presented in such an architecturally innovative setting. Wexford specialises in little-known and long-neglected works, three each year, allegedly ‘one for the heart, one for the head and one for fun’.

Commenting on his 7th season as Artistic Director of Wexford Festival Opera, David Agler said,
“First of the three operas is ‘La cour de Célimene’, an opera-comique by Ambroise Thomas, the composer of ‘Mignon’ and ‘Hamlet’, immensely successful in its day, now fallen by the wayside. We will also produce ‘Maria’, written in 1903 by Roman Statkowski, a magnificent composition strangely ignored even in his native Poland. And in honour of our 60th season, we will make use of the most popular of Wexford’s composers, Gaetano Donizetti, and produce his 1839 melodrama ‘Gianni di Parigi’”.

To participate in the festival is to partake of a delicious gallimaufry of musical and extra-musical experience, liberally seasoned with surprises. The festival is enriched with chamber concerts in St Iberius church, some reduced concert performances of well-known operas (the shortworks), and fringe events.
Our package includes tickets for all three operas and a recital, as well as excursions and visits and talks by our lecturer.

Read the 2011 itinerary