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Reviews, Stage Reviews

Wexford Festival Opera 2019 Review: Manuel Amati in Recital

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-2019-review-manuel-amati-in-recital/

(Photo: Michele Monasta) One of the delights of the Wexford Festival is the lunchtime recital which takes place in the mid-18th century church of St. Iberius on Wexford’s North Main Street each day at 1 o’clock. Lasting around an hour, it leaves just enough time for a quick lunch before the afternoon Opera Short presentation at Whites Hotel begins at {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Wexford Festival Opera 2019 Review: Dorilla In Tempe

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-2019-review-dorilla-in-tempe/

(Photo: Clive Barda) There is certainly something of a Vivaldi revival going on in the opera world at the moment. In less than seven days, I managed to catch Irish National Opera’s splendid presentation of “Griselda,” the first ever production of a Vivaldi opera in Ireland, followed by Wexford Festival Opera’s production of “Dorilla in Tempe.” They employed two very {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Wexford Festival Opera 2019 Review: The Veiled Prophet of Khorassan

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-2019-review-the-veiled-prophet-of-khorassan/

Irish composer Charles Villiers Stanford (1852 – 1924) is a largely forgotten name in the opera world, being better remembered for his church and orchestral music. Occasionally, productions of his operas do crop up, but they tend to be performed by small-scale companies operating on the fringes. Recordings of excerpts from his operas do exist, and a live recording of {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Wexford Festival Opera 2019 Review: L’Inganno Felice

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-2019-review-linganno-felice/

(Photo: Paula Malone) Rossini’s one act farsa, “L’inganno felice,” premiered in 1812 at Venice’s Teatro San Moise and was an instant success for the young, 19-year-old composer. However, along with most of his other operas, it faded from view following his death in 1868. Even the renewed interest in Rossini’s work following the Second World War has done little to {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Wexford Festival Opera 2019 Review: Cendrillon

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-2019-review-cendrillon/

(Photo: Paula Malone) “Cinderella” is a popular subject for operas, and has attracted its fair share of composers over the years. However, one of the lesser known compositions must be by the French composer, Pauline Viardot, who today, is largely remembered as a famous mezzo-soprano for whom Gounod and Meyerbeer created important roles. However, her influence went much further, for {…}

Business, News

Wexford Festival Opera Artistic Director Takes Final Bow

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-artistic-director-takes-final-bow/

David Agler took his final bow on stage on Nov. 2, 2019, as Artistic Director at the National Opera House after the closing performance of the 68th Wexford Festival Opera. During his final bow, Agler thanked both the company and the audience for their loyal support throughout the years, before formally handing over the reigns to the incoming Artistic Director {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Wexford Festival Opera 2019 Review: Don Quichotte

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-2019-review-don-quichotte/

(Photo: Clive Barda) Massenet’s “Don Quichotte” may not be an opera you would usually associate with Wexford. Judged a success at its premier in Monte Carlo in 1910, in which Chaliapin featured in the title role, it has since struggled to establish itself as part of the mainstream repertoire. It can, therefore, hardly be deemed a forgotten or rarely performed {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Wexford Festival Opera 2019 Review: Doctor Miracle

https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-opera-2019-review-doctor-miracle/

(Credit: Paula Malone) In 1856, the 18-year-old Georges Bizet won joint first prize in a competition for an opéra comique to be played at Offenbach’s theatre, the Bouffes-Parisienes, with a one act operetta, “Doctor Miracle.” The work was premiered in 1857, received 11 performances, and was then forgotten until it was revived in 1951. Lasting around one hour, with a {…}