(Photo: Padraig Grant) Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” premiered at Rome’s Teatro Apollo in 1853 and proved to be an immediate box office success that led to further productions across Italy, Europe, and the Americas. Following its Parisian premiere at the Théâtre Italien in 1854, Verdi was commissioned to adapt it for a production at the city’s Opéra, which required changes to {…}
The Irish National Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with a darkly comic new opera, “MARS,” a commissioned work from Jennifer Walshe and Mark O’Connell. The work will star sopranos Nina Guo and Jade Phoenix, and mezzo-sopranos Doreen Curran and Sarah Richmond. Performance Dates: July 25–27 & August 7–9, 2025. The company will present “Viva Verdi, Viva Wagner” with Irish soprano Sinéad Campbell Wallace, US {…}
The Irish National Opera has announced its 2024-25 season. The company will open with a double bill featuring “Mary Motorhead” and “Trade.” Naomi Louisa O’Connell, Oisin O’Dalaigh, and John Molloy star in the production. Elaine Kelly conducts and Tom Creed directs. Performance Date: August 8–Oct. 23, 2024 Paula Murrihy and David Portillo lead Berlioz’s “Béatrice and Bénédict,” alongside Anna Devin, {…}
(Photo: Clive Barda) In 1943, Italy was a country wracked by the turmoil of war. Not only had the allied armies invaded, but internecine conflict had broken out amongst the Italian people. Communities and families were against each other as the patriots and fascists fought for control. The situation was depicted in Alberto Moravia’s 1957 novel “La Ciociara,” which later {…}
One of the headline operas for this year’s Wexford Festival Opera is Marco Tutino’s 2015 work “La Ciociara,” written for San Francisco Opera. The opera is based on Alberto Moravia’s 1957 novel, which was later turned into a film directed by Vittorio De Sica and starring Sophia Loren, for which she won an Oscar for best actress. The film now {…}
(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 {…}
(Photo: Clive Barda) Jade Phoenix was one of the first students to pass through Wexford Festival Opera’s Factory, a learning program for young singers starting out in their careers. As part of the course, she performed on the festival’s main stage in the role of Giuliette in Bellini’s “I Capuletti e i Montecchi.” Such was the strength of her interpretation {…}
(Photo: Frances Marshall) Opera Collective Ireland’s mission is to promote the country’s next generation of opera talent “by producing quality productions that provide valuable performance opportunities in major roles.” Since its establishment in 2011 many singers have passed through its doors and gone on to establish successful careers, with names such as Jennifer Davis, Sarah Richmond and Marie Flavin springing {…}
The Wexford Festival Opera has announced its 2022 showcase, which kicks off on Oct. 21 and runs through Nov. 6, 2022. The season opens with “La Tempesta” by Halévy. The work will star Niklay Zemlianskikh, Hila Baggio, Giiorgi Manoshvili, Andrew Morstein, Jade Phoenix, Rory Musgrave, Conor Prendiville, Richard Shaffrey, and Emma Jüngling. Roberto Catalano will direct the opera with Francesco {…}
One of the successes of this year’s Wexford Festival Opera was undoubtedly the Wexford Factory, a program of masterclasses introduced by the festival’s artistic director Rosetta Cucchi aimed at developing young talent. The participants are also given the opportunity to sing in an opera on the main stage during the afternoon, replacing the 60 to 90 minute opera short productions, {…}
(Photo: Clive Barda) On taking up the post of Artistic Director for Wexford Festival Opera in 2020, Rosetta Cucchi introduced a number of innovations, one of which was the establishment of the Wexford Factory aimed at offering professional and financial support to young singers in the early stages of their careers. A central part of the initiative is the presentation {…}