Eoin Colfer’s hit play will be performed during Opera Festival
PUBLIC booking is now open for the Wexford Festival Opera.
Now in its 66th year, this internationally renowned festival, once again nominated for ‘Best Festival’ in the forthcoming International Opera Awards, will run over an extended 18-day period, from Thursday, October 19 to Sunday, November 5.
A variety of performances and talks and even a play are on offer during the festival, which runs over three weekends. A total of 61 events is open to the general public, while additional events are exclusive to ‘Friends of Wexford Festival Opera’. Tickets for daytime events are priced from just €10 and main evening operas from just €20.
The Festival will open with Medea by Luigi Cherubini directed by Fiona Shaw who will also deliver the 2017 Dr Tom Walsh Lecture. Stephen Barlow makes a welcome return to Wexford to conduct, while newcomer Annemarie Woods will design both sets and costumes.
This year’s other two main evening operas include the highly anticipated Margherita by Jacopo Foroni and Risurrezione by Franco Alfano, based on the Tolstoy novel. Margherita will be conducted by Tim Myers, who conducted the much celebrated opera, Vanessa, last year. Director Michael Sturm and designer Stefan Rieckhoff will make their Wexford debuts in this co-production with Oldenburghisches Staatstheater. Wexford veterans, director Rosetta Cucchi, set designer Tiziano Santi, costume designer Claudia Pernighotti, and conductor Francesco Cilluffo form the creative team for Risurrezione. Christopher Akerlind will serve as lighting designer for all three main evening productions.
In addition to the three main evening operas there will also be the world-premiere of two one-act operas entitled Dubliners. Based on Counterparts and The Boarding House from Joyce’s Dubliners, the opera is composed by Andrew Synnott, with adaptation and text by Arthur Riordan.
Adding to the artistic diversity of the Festival, the play, My Real Life, by Wexford-man and New York Times best-selling author Eoin Colfer has recently been added to the programme. My Real Life will have four weekend performances in the Jerome Hynes Theatre on October 27, 28 and November 3, 4 at 8.30 p.m. Presented by Theatre Royal Productions, My Real Life is a one-man show staring Don Wycherley and directed by Ben Barnes.
Described as a play that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure, this touching and entertaining play tells the story of Noel, who has advanced MS and decides to end it all. While waiting for his overdose to take effect, he records an increasingly rambling message full of humour and small-town anecdotes for his best friend.
To book visit www.wexfordopera.com. THE Fitbit is still going strong. Himself says he’s getting fitter by the day. Meanwhile I sit watching him in amusement whilst getting fatter. In the space of a week, he’s turned into a ‘Reformed Slob.’ I liked him better when he was a slob. At least then I had a partner in crime.
‘I’ve burnt 2,365 calories today,’ he informed me proudly on Sunday night.
‘Go way outta that! You have not! If you burnt that many calories you’d be anorexic.’
All he did was walk the dog and play a game of tennis, not exactly high intensity training is it? And he’s become quite pass remarkable about other’s people’s physiques. As if having a fitbit has transformed him into some sort of Adonis. Trust me, it hasn’t. He looks the exact same to me, although I have to say he’s walking with a bit of a swagger these days.
Meanwhile I’m still a slob with good intentions. My new tennis gear arrived in the post. I thought maybe if I bought the right clobber, I might get better at the game so I ordered a white tennis skirt and top.
The skirt wouldn’t fit a ten year old and as for the top – I only got one boob into it.
‘What size did you buy?’ he asked me.
‘Small,’ I replied. ‘I went by the inches on the size guide.’
He looked incredulous. ‘What did you buy a ‘small’ for?’ Pause. He looks at my face. ‘Eh, not that I’m saying you’re a ‘ large’ or anything.’
‘Bloody better not be!’ I muttered.
To make matters worse, I’ve discovered Dealz, my new favourite shop. You go in, fill a basket with crap and still only spend a tenner. In the space of two days I’ve gone through two six packs of scampi fries and a Toblerone. This does not bode well for my physique.
So of course I get moody. That’s what us women do when we can’t stop eating/putting on weight and know it’s our own fault. I give out to everyone even the dog, then I start to sulk.
‘Right!’ I said settling down to watch the telly the other night. ‘You have to help me. I have to lose weight before the holidays. Don’t let me eat any crap. Please!’ I beg as if I have no say in the matter.
‘ This wouldn’t be a good time to suggest getting out the Bombay Mix then?’ Himself jokes. I shoot him daggers and go back to sulking.
Ten minutes later he turns to The Eldest and says, ‘Is there any Easter eggs left?’ The Eldest replies that there’s loads. He goes to the kitchen and returns with two Lindt chocolate bunnies. They sit there chomping them up in my face.
I can only pray what goes around comes around!