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Reviews, Stage Reviews

Wexford Festival Opera 2022 Review: Lalla-Roukh

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-2022-review-lalla-roukh/

(Photo: Clive Barda) For this year’s Wexford Festival Opera, its artistic director, Rosetta Cucchi, decided upon “Magic & Music” as its defining theme. As an umbrella term, it gives plenty of scope for selecting the operas for performance. The term can be applied narrowly, restricted to spells, wizards and witches, or more widely, bringing in fairy tales, legends, myths, ghosts, {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Wexford Festival Opera 2022 Review: Cinderella

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-2022-review-cinderella/

(Photo: Padraig Grant) One of the attractions for the young singers participating in Wexford Festival Opera’s Factory program is the chance to perform on the main stage in an opera in front of a large audience. Last year, they starred in a very successful production of Bellini’s “I Capuleti e i Montecchi” which featured such artists as Jade Phoenix and {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Wexford Festival Opera 2022 Review: La Tempesta

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-2022-review-la-tempesta/

(Photo: Clive Barda) Once upon a time, a magician named Prospero was overthrown and expelled from his kingdom by his brother Antonio. He eventually found refuge, with his daughter Miranda, on a small island that belonged to an evil sorceress called Sicorace, whom he imprisoned in a rock, then turned her monstrous son, Calibrano, into his slave. Using his powerful {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Wexford Festival Opera 2022 Review: The Spectre Knight

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-2022-review-the-spectre-knight/

(Photo: Padraig Grant) Few people will be familiar with the operas of the 19th century British composer Alfred Cellier. Yet during his day, he was well-known for his comic operas, which are very much in the mould of Gilbert & Sullivan, although he never really posed a threat to their dominance. In 1886, his opera “Dorothy” broke all records with {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Wexford Festival Opera 2022 Review: The Master

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-2022-review-the-master/

(Photo: Padraig Grant) As part of Artistic Director Rosetta Cucchi’s remodeling of the Wexford Festival Opera, the afternoon performances of “opera shorts,” shortened versions of well-known operas played to piano accompaniment, have been replaced by a production for young singers from the Wexford Factory program and “pocket operas,” new or rarely performed operas, aimed at providing members of the Wexford {…}

News

Wexford Festival Opera Names Volunteer of the Year

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-names-volunteer-of-the-year/

The Wexford Festival Opera has named Ethna Ryan as its “Volunteer of the Year” for 2022. The award, which is presented in conjunction with Ecclesiastical, was voted on by fellow volunteers, the board, and the staff of the festival. Ryan has been a volunteer with the festival for over 20 years, starting with her participation in the Lunchtime Recitals Programme. {…}

Behind the Scenes, Interviews

Q & A: Wexford Festival Opera’s Artistic Director Rosetta Cucchi on This Year’s Festival

https://operawire.com/q-a-wexford-festival-operas-artistic-director-rosetta-cucchi-on-this-years-festival/

(Photo: Armati Bacciardi) It is that time of year again when the temperatures start to drop and the nights start to draw in, which also means it is time to head off to Wexford for its annual opera festival, which will run from October 21st to November 6th. After two years of disruption caused by the measures aimed at controlling {…}

News

Wexford Festival Opera Announces Special Concert to Close out 70th Anniversary Celebration

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-announces-special-concert-to-close-out-70th-anniversary-celebration/

(Credit: Kristin Speed) The Wexford Festival Opera has announced the final celebration of its 70th anniversary for a special one-night event at the National Concert Hall in Ireland. The showcase, which is slated for August 26, 2022 will feature tenor Konu Kim, Irish soprano Celine Byrne, Irish mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught, and Irish bassist Juana Molloy. Music director Michele Mariotti will {…}

News

Wexford Festival Opera Announces 2022-23 Factory Artists

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-announces-2022-23-factory-artists/

(Photograph: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland) The Wexford Factory has announced its 2022-23 artists as well as the extension of a partnership with PwC for an additional two years. “PwC has been a valued supporter of Wexford Festival Opera for many years. Their values perfectly reflect our own objectives: to support emerging artists and provide platforms to further their careers. {…}