Wexford Festival Opera has announced that Paul Cleary has been appointed as its new Chairman of the board of Wexford Festival Trust, effective this month.

Cleary has volunteered with WFO for nearly 40 years in various administrative and artistic roles. He joined the board of the Wexford Festival Trust in 2014, and served as Vice Chairman from 2016-18; currently, he is the chairman of the Artistic Advisory Committee as well as the Finance Committee. A Wexford native, Cleary graduated from UCD with a degree in Science, going on to hold different positions in the wastewater industry, with extensive experience in sales, marketing, business development, and logistics. Since 2021, he has worked in supply chain consulting with an emphasis on circular economy and sustainable supply chain.

“For over seventy years, Wexford Festival Opera has occupied a unique place in the opera world,” says Cleary in an official press release. “In October 2022 our audiences returned for their first ‘restriction free’ festival in three years. Their joy and happiness being back in Wexford was palpable, a testament to the dedication and commitment of the people of Wexford who over the years have made the festival a truly unique experience. I am honoured to be appointed to the role of Chairman of Wexford Festival Trust. I wish to thank my predecessor, Dr Mary Kelly for guiding the organisation through perhaps the most challenging period of our history. While the emergence from the pandemic still presents challenges, I am confident Wexford Festival Opera will continue to attract and delight opera lovers for many years to come.”

Wexford Festival Opera will lift the curtain on its 72^nd season, centered on “Women and War,” on Oct. 24, 2023.