Most Irish towns are settling in for a quiet winter. Not Wexford!

THE WILD applause which greeted Wexford Festival Opera’s declaration as ‘Best Festival’ at the International Opera Awards in the London Coliseum earlier this year is still ringing in the ears of management and staff in the National Opera House.

‘ The level of applause in the Coliseum was a testament to how highly the festival is regarded abroad,’ said festival chairman Ger Lawlor. ‘Wexford is one of the few truly international Irish cultural events which has worldwide recognition and naturally we are tremendously proud of it.’

Following an extension to three weekends this year, the festival is set to sell more than 20,000 opera and recital tickets with 43% of the audience coming from overseas.

‘Each year, we see a steady increase in international visitors and working with Fáilte Ireland, the Festival continues to promote Wexford at home and abroad’, said the chairman.

‘Winning Best Festival has been a huge accolade for the town itself because it is not just the operas that make Wexford such an attractive place to visit each autumn.’

‘ The Fringe and Spiegeltent festivals provide many more layers of visual and performing art with every available space in the town pressed into service.’

‘During the festival, our hospitality sector works flat out to showcase the very best that Ireland Wexford, can offer at a time when most Irish towns are settling down for a long, quiet winter,’ said the chairman.

‘ This year the Opera Festival Company includes singers from 17 countries. Along with our festival design and production teams and the Wexford Festival Orchestra of more than 70 musicians we are presenting three outstanding Italian operas with a full programme of daytime events which will, once again showcase the very best that Wexford can offer as a truly international player on the world’s operatic stage.’

‘On behalf of the entire festival company, our board, staff and our volunteers, numbering some 600 people in all, can I invite you to attend an opera, whether mainstage opera in the National Opera House, or a popular opera or a lunchtime recital in our ShortWorks daytime programme – get dressed up and make a night of it!’

‘And of course, remember to visit all of the other events and exhibitions throughout the town as well’.

Have a great festival, everyone!