Wexford scooped best festival award at London’s Coliseum

IT HAS been an exciting year already for Wexford Festival Opera, which won the highly coveted Best Festival category at the International Opera Awards, held in the prestigious surroundings of London’s Coliseum earlier in the year.

The ceremony hosted by BBC Radio 3 presenter Petroc Trelawny was attended by all of the world’s leading opera professionals. Wexford was crowned Best Festival ahead of the other shortlisted leading international opera festivals: Festival d’Aix-en-Provence (France); Festival Verdi (Parma); Garsington Opera (UK); Lyon Festival (France), and Spoleto Festival (USA).

Artistic director David Agler went to the heart of Wexford’s success in his acceptance speech on behalf of the Festival. He said: ‘A group of opera enthusiasts from the rural seaside town of Wexford started out with a clear and ambitious but risky vision 66 years ago, to put on a festival that explored the neglected and often obscure opera repertoire.

‘With the unstinting support of the local community, as well as the Arts Council of Ireland, the festival has grown from strength to strength and now performs in a new state-of-the-art theatre, the National Opera House, which allows us more scope and opportunity.

‘This award validates the founders’ conviction and determination: a winning combination of a shared vision, artistic quality and a warm welcome, truly second to none.’

The International Opera Awards are an annual celebration of excellence in world opera.