Wexfordopera.com
64th Festival
21 October – 1 November 2015
‘Leading the way with a piece that deserves to be seen widely in Europe’ Sunday Telegraph
Silent Night, 2014, Kevin Puts. Photo © Clive Barda/ArenaPAL
‘Winningly sung, it’s a work that should be neglected no longer’ The Times
‘Mariotte’s operatic version of Oscar Wilde’s tale is given a successful makeover at the Wexford Festival’ The Telegraph
Don Bucefalo, 2014, Antonio Cagnoni. Photo © Clive Barda/ArenaPAL
Salomé, 2014, Antoine Mariotte. Photo © Clive Barda/ArenaPAL
Wexford and its Opera Festival In October each year, Wexford, a town on the southeast coast of Ireland, is transformed by opera when great performers, local volunteers and visitors from many countries come together in a shared enterprise. The idea of producing an opera in the old Theatre Royal in Wexford had sprung into being early in 1951, led by Dr Tom Walsh, a Wexford doctor, a few months after Sir Compton Mackenzie, the Scottish novelist and founder of Gramophone magazine, had given a talk to the newly formed Wexford Opera Study Circle. Inspired by a programme for the Aldeburgh Festival, Dr Tom thought that if a festival could be held in a small town on the Suffolk coast, it might be possible for Wexford to transform its own forthcoming opera production into a festival. Most people in the town thought it could not succeed but Dr Tom went ahead and, assisted by friends who shared his vision, and cajoling others who didn’t, Wexford’s Festival of Music and the Arts began on 21 October 1951 and featured four performances of The Rose of Castile by Michael Balfe, who had once lived in Wexford. The Festival rapidly consolidated its niche position by selecting operas that had fallen out of favour and were almost never staged, and by booking exciting young singers on the threshold of international careers – Nicola Monti, Graziella Sciutti, Sergei Leiferkus, Joseph Calleja, Mirella Freni, Elizabeth Connell, Janet Baker, Ann Murray, Angela Meade, Bryan Hymel, amongst many others, all
Photo © Wexford Festival Opera
Photo © Ger Lawlor
sang at Wexford. Leading music critics, particularly from Britain, wrote enthusiastically about the operatic rarities that were performed at Wexford. They praised the singers, the directors and their imaginative productions, and they were charmed by the town and its people. Developments in recent years include the creation of a professional orchestra and chorus and a new Opera House, which was built on the site of the old Theatre Royal. The highly praised Orchestra of Wexford Festival Opera is largely constituted of Irish-born and Irishresident musicians, and each season young professional opera singers are engaged to form the Chorus of Wexford Festival Opera. Wexford’s opera productions have received many awards and are regularly nominated in various categories in the International Opera Awards and in the Irish Times Theatre Awards. Exciting productions by internationally renowned directors and designers not only bring life to operas that may have lain on dusty shelves in archives for a century or more, but also enable the lives of characters in an opera to connect with our own lives.
Photo © Ger Lawlor
Photo by Patrick Browne
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Funders and Sponsors Principal Funder
Grant Funders
Principal Production Sponsor
THE DELIUS TRUST Corporate Leaders
Corporate Sponsors
Official IT & Communications Partner
Community & Education Partners
Accommodation Partners
Preferred Hotel Partner
Hospitality and Media Partners
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Artistic Director’s Welcome Greetings. If you have never attended a performance in Ireland’s National Opera House, may this Brochure be your invitation. If you are a Festival regular, have a good look at what is on offer in the 2015 Festival season. Every October Wexford comes alive with musicians and creative artists from many countries. Wexford is rich in creativity: in music performance and composition, theatrical production, art and literature. All these lifeenhancing gifts come together in opera. The Festival was created by Dr Tom Walsh with the people of Wexford in 1951 and retains a deep connection with the community. It now attracts internationally renowned singers, conductors, directors and designers. In Wexford we explore less-frequented areas of the operatic repertory, so our focus is on reviving and rehabilitating operas that have fallen out of favour. Many of Wexford’s re-discoveries have become part of the popular repertory. The Wexford writer Colm Tóibín, described his lifechanging experience of opera in Wexford as a boy: ‘Opera offered me a relationship to soaring beauty, to the idea that there was a world beyond the visible world’. You too can be touched by the emotions in an opera, which music and staging transform into a heart-opening and heartfelt experience, as they did for Colm, who discovered that ‘opera paved the way for a life open to possibility’. Our revivals in the National Opera House this year are Koanga by Delius, a powerful drama of a man’s renunciation of his beliefs; Guglielmo Ratcliff by Mascagni, a Gothic melodrama of a tormented man unable to accept rejection in love, and Le Pré aux clercs by Hérold, a story of love triumphing over obstacles in seventeenth-century France. The other events in this year’s Festival are described within these pages. With a setting and atmosphere unique in Ireland, Wexford enthusiastically anticipates your participation. Be part of the occasion. David Agler, Artistic Director Photo by 21stops.com
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Koanga FREDERICK DELIUS (1862–1934) Lyric drama in a prologue, three acts and an epilogue Libretto by Frederick Delius and Charles F Keary after the novel The Grandissimes: A Story of Creole Life by George W Cable First performance (in German translation by Jelka Delius) in the Stadttheater, Elberfeld, Germany on 30 March 1904 Sung in English Stephen Barlow | Conductor Michael Gieleta | Director James Macnamara | Set Designer Sarah Roberts | Costume Designer 4 | WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA 2015
Koanga was Delius’s third completed opera, composed in 1895–7, about ten years before A Village Romeo and Juliet (Wexford, 2012). Delius framed the original story (The Grandissimes: A Story of Creole Life by George W. Cable) with a prologue and epilogue in which the plantation owner’s daughters ask an old slave, Uncle Joe, to tell them the story of Koanga and Palmyra. Koanga, a Voodoo priest and Dahomean prince, has been brought to the Louisiana plantation where he meets Palmyra, a mulatto, also of Dahomean ancestry. Koanga promises to be an obedient slave if he can marry Palmyra, and when this is granted he renounces the beliefs of his people. He and Palmyra love each other, but their marriage is stopped because the overseer wants to marry her himself and enlists the support of Palmyra’s halfsister, the plantation owner’s wife. Palmyra is abducted and Koanga repents of his betrayal of his heritage, calling on his Voodoo gods to curse the plantation. The story of Koanga and Palmyra ends violently, and in the epilogue the girls reflect on Uncle Joe’s tale.
SPONSORED BY
THE DELIUS TRUST This story appealed to Delius and it probably recalled memories of his time spent in Florida in 1884 on an orange plantation. His glowing, colourful music creates the opera’s powerful characterisations and atmospheric setting. In Koanga he used melodies and improvised harmonies he had heard sung by the black workers in Florida, and the authenticity of his collected material led to Koanga being recognised as the first opera in the European tradition to have much of its melodic material based on African-American music. Delius’s lyricism and admired orchestration complement the poignancy and exoticism of the story. Although the opera was premiered in Germany in 1904, excerpts had been performed in London in 1899. Delius’s champion, Sir Thomas Beecham, conducted Koanga in England in 1935. The orchestral interlude La Calinda has remained popular in the concert hall.
O’Reilly Theatre | National Opera House Tickets ¤25 – ¤145
WED
OCTOBER SAT TUE
FRI
21|24 |27|30
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
21 OCTOBER PERFORMANCE SPONSOR
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Guglielmo
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Ratcliff
PIETRO MASCAGNI (1863–1945) Tragedia in four acts Libretto based on Andrea Maffei’s Italian translation of the play Wilhelm Ratcliff by Heinrich Heine First performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan on 16 February 1895 Sung in Italian Francesco Cilluffo | Conductor Fabio Ceresa | Director Tiziano Santi | Set Designer Giuseppe Palella | Costume Designer
Heine wrote his play Wilhelm Ratcliff in only three days and Mascagni too was captivated by the young Scottish romantic anti-hero outsider. He began composing his opera Guglielmo Ratcliff (translated into Italian) in 1882 whilst a student in Milan but laid it aside in order to compose Cavalleria rusticana for a competition. He won the competition with Cavalleria rusticana, triumphing over seventy-two other entries, and it made his name as a composer. The Gothic plot and stylistic and melodic mannerisms of Guglielmo Ratcliff, reminiscent of Verdi and Ponchielli, were thought old-fashioned, and it was only moderately successful when first performed in 1895. In addition, the role of Guglielmo Ratcliff has the reputation of being one of the most demanding ever written for a tenor. Cavalleria rusticana is clearly anticipated in the music, particularly in the atmospheric orchestral writing, full-blooded melodies and dramatic pace. The opera is set in northern Scotland and concerns the tragic consequences of broken relationships in two generations. Maria MacGregor has rejected Guglielmo Ratcliff as a husband but he is determined that no-one else shall marry her and challenges other suitors to duels, killing two of them. As Maria prepares to marry Count Douglas, she learns that her mother and Guglielmo’s father had once loved each other. However, her mother changed her mind and married MacGregor. The erstwhile lovers later resumed their relationship, but Maria’s father, MacGregor, killed Guglielmo’s father out of jealousy and Maria’s mother died of a broken heart. Guglielmo is haunted by the ghosts of the men he has killed and in his final delirium he kills Maria, her father and himself.
O’Reilly Theatre | National Opera House Tickets ¤25 – ¤145
THUR
OCTOBER SUN WED
SAT
22|25|28 |31
SUPPORTED BY
8 p.m.
5 p.m.
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
Made possible through the generous support of Stephen Vernon
In association with Italian Institute of Culture – Dublin
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Le Pré aux clercs FERDINAND HÉROLD (1791–1833) Opéra comique in three acts Libretto by François-Antoine-Eugène de Planard after Chronique du temps de Charles IX by Prosper Merimée First performed at the Opéra-Comique (Salle de la Bourse), Paris on 15 December 1832 Sung in French Jean-Luc Tingaud | Conductor Éric Ruf | Director Éric Ruf | Set Designer Renato Bianchi | Costume Designer
Three women are at the heart of Hérold’s last and finest opéra comique, but because the year is 1572 they are little more than pawns in a male-dominated society. Nicette is the exception, happy about her forthcoming marriage to Girot, hotelier from the Pré aux Clercs (‘the Clerks’ Meadow’), across the Seine from the Louvre Palace. Marguerite de Valois, godmother of Nicette, is the wife of King Henry of Navarre and the sister of the king of France, Henri III, but she is held in Paris as a virtual prisoner and hostage to peace (the conflict between the Roman Catholic Henri of France and the Protestant Henry of Navarre was to culminate in the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in August 1572). A young countess, Isabelle, Marguerite’s lady-inwaiting, is in love with Baron de Mergy from Navarre and he with her, but Henri wishes her to marry Comte de Comminge. Marguerite is told that she may return
O’Reilly Theatre | National Opera House Tickets ¤25 – ¤145 FRI
OCTOBER MON THUR
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
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Hérold’s libretto drew on a novel by Prosper Merimée, Chronique du temps de Charles IX, the same source as the libretto for Meyerbeer’s opera Les Huguenots. Hérold was primarily an opera composer whose opéras comiques were extremely popular in his native France. By the end of the nineteenth century Le Pré aux clercs had received more than 1,500 performances in Paris. Zampa (Wexford, 1993) and Le Pré aux clercs are regarded as Hérold’s masterpieces, but at the premiere of Le Pré aux clercs in 1832, Hérold was too ill from tuberculosis to appear on the stage to enjoy his triumph and the wildly enthusiastic applause. He died five weeks later, aged forty-two. A co-production with L’Opéra-Comique de Paris in partnership with La Fondazione Palazzetto Bru Zane – Centre de musique romantique française and La Fondation Gulbenkian
NOVEMBER SUN
23 | 26 | 29 | 1 8 p.m.
to Navarre but Isabelle must marry Comminge. Marguerite helps Mergy and Isabelle to marry secretly. Mergy kills Comminge in a duel and escapes with Isabelle across the border to Navarre.
5 p.m.
SUPPORTED BY
Presented with the support of the Bravura Friends of Wexford Festival Opera
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ShortWork
The Portrait of Manon Jules Massenet (1842–1912) Sung in French
Manon Lescaut, a young woman with an ardent and loving nature, as well as extravagant and luxurious tastes, who came to the moralist’s ‘bad end’, was the heroine of a short novel by Abbé Prévost, the seventh and final volume of Memoirs and Adventures of a Man of Quality, which was banned in France when it was published in 1731. Nevertheless, the story became extremely popular and was the subject of operas by Massenet, Puccini, Auber and Hans Werner Henze, and of several films. The character of Manon was also mentioned in a large number of literary works, by Dumas, Oscar Wilde, Stendahl, Foucault, James Joyce, Dorothy L. Sayers, and many others, attesting to her hold on the public imagination. Massenet wrote The Portrait of Manon in 1894 as a oneact opéra comique sequel or epilogue ten years after his superlatively successful 1884 opera Manon, which established him as the leading French opera composer of his generation. In The Portrait of Manon (Le Portrait de Manon), to a libretto by Georges Boyer, Massenet returns to the character of the Chevalier Des Grieux, now an old man who is obsessed with memories of Manon, his lost love. Des Grieux’s nephew Jean is in love with Aurore but she is neither wealthy nor of noble birth and Des Grieux forbids their marriage, possibly not wanting Jean to be hurt in love as he was hurt by Manon. However, it turns out that Aurore is the niece of Des Grieux’s beloved Manon and so all ends happily. After the tragedy of Manon, The Portrait of Manon is a charming and exhilarating sequel.
Whites Hotel | Tickets ¤25
THUR
OCTOBER SUN
WED
11 a.m.
3.30 p.m.
22|25|28
The Festival ShortWorks are made possible by the generous support of The Lord Magan of Castletown
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3.30 p.m.
ShortWork
Hansel and Gretel Engelbert Humperdinck (1854–1921) Sung in English
Humperdinck, whose music shows the influence of Wagner, for whom he worked from 1880 until shortly before Wagner’s death in 1884, wrote much vocal music, but his best-known and most popular work is Hänsel und Gretel, which grew out of four songs he composed in 1890 to words by his sister Adelheid Wette, who re-told (and modified) one of the tales collected and published in 1812 by the Grimm brothers. This was the story of a young brother and sister in the forest and their escape from the witch who intended to eat them. The story probably originated in the Great Famine (1315-1317) in Northern Europe, when desperation, caused by starvation and disease, led to child abandonment and cannibalism. Humperdinck developed Adelheid’s songs into a Singspiel, sixteen songs with piano accompaniment, and gave it to Hedwig Taxer at Christmas 1890 as an engagement present. He followed it up a year later with a draft of the full three-act opera as a Christmas present for her and completed the opera in September 1893, family and working life having restricted his time for composition. His friend Richard Strauss directed the first performance in Weimar on 23 December 1893.
The Festival ShortWorks are made possible by the generous support of The Lord Magan of Castletown
It was an immediate and outstanding success and spread throughout Europe: Mahler gave the first performance in Hamburg in September 1894 and Weingartner conducted it in Berlin in October in the presence of the Kaiser; Cosima Wagner directed it in Dessau in November and Vienna in December, attended by Humperdinck, Brahms and Wolf. Performances in London and New York soon followed, in English as well as German versions, and in 1923 a performance at Covent Garden was the first complete opera to be broadcast from an opera house in Europe.
Whites Hotel | Tickets ¤25
THUR FRI
OCTOBER OCTOBER WED MON SAT THUR
SAT
22|28|31 23 |26|29|31
3.30 p.m.3.30 p.m.
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ShortWork
Tosca
Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924) Sung in Italian
Puccini’s fifth opera, Tosca, was an immediate success with the public at its premiere in 1900 and has remained one of the most enduringly popular of all operas. Written four years after La Bohème and four years before Madama Butterfly, its tremendous vitality is a tribute to Puccini’s technical skill. He succeeded so well that the tragedy of the singer Floria Tosca, her republican lover, the painter Mario Cavaradossi, and the scheming, sadistic chief of the Rome police, Baron Scarpia, has remained vividly present in the collective imagination ever since. Victorien Sardou’s 1887 melodrama La Tosca, written for Sarah Bernhardt, was immensely popular and Puccini made great efforts to obtain the rights to make it into an opera libretto. His librettists, Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giocosa, eventually succeeded in creating a libretto that satisfied Puccini. Three opening chords, which represent the vindictive character of Scarpia, are heard at the beginning, so the opening scenes in the church are underpinned by an atmosphere of political instability. Menace and fear are frighteningly normal and reflect the historical reality of the political background of Rome in June, 1800, when the Kingdom of Naples’ control of Rome was threatened by Napoleon’s invasion of Italy. This instability is increased by the contrasting lyrical beauty of the arias and duets of Tosca and Cavaradossi. But their happiness is doomed. Cavaradossi helps Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner, to hide, which brings him to the attention of Scarpia, who lusts after Tosca and will do anything to make her his own, including destroying Cavaradossi. Puccini’s intention was to represent reality by putting music at the service of the drama. He does this so well, with such expressive economy and tension, that the dramatic finale is inevitable.
The Festival ShortWorks are made possible by the generous support of The Lord Magan of Castletown
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Whites Hotel | Tickets ¤25
SAT
OCTOBER TUE
FRI
NOVEMBER SUN
24 | 27| 30 | 1
3.30 p.m.
3.30 p.m. 3.30 p.m.
11 a.m.
Daytime Events Package St Iberius Church, Stable Diet Restaurant, Whites Hotel Tickets ¤60
Discover the world of opera with our Daytime Events Package. This is the perfect introduction to Wexford Festival Opera and can be comfortably enjoyed over a few hours in Wexford without the necessity of making an overnight stay. It has proved particularly attractive to groups of people as a day out for their organisation. The package includes two Festival favourites – a Lunchtime Recital in St Iberius Church and a ShortWork opera in the afternoon in Whites Hotel – as well as lunch. Depending on the date you choose, your lunch will be served either in Whites Hotel or in the spectacularly situated Stable Diet Restaurant in the National Opera House.
Photo by Sean O’ Riordan
Daytime Events Package 1.05 p.m. Lunchtime Recital at St Iberius Church, given by one of the principal artists of the Festival. The schedule of performers will be announced at the beginning of the Festival 2.15 p.m. Lunch at Whites Hotel or at the Stable Diet Restaurant, National Opera House (see schedule below)
Come and find out more about an art form that has captivated Wexford’s locals and visitors for over sixty years.
3.30 p.m. ShortWork opera in Whites Hotel – a small‑stage opera production, duration approx. 60–90 minutes (see schedule below)
For groups of fifteen or more the group organiser receives a complimentary ¤60 Daytime Events Package ticket.
Thursday, 22 October Lunch (Stable Diet Restaurant) – The Portrait of Manon
Group bookings must be made through the Box Office: +353 53 912 2144 Individual bookings may be made online or through the Box Office.
Friday, 23 October Lunch (Whites Hotel) – Hansel and Gretel Saturday, 24 October Lunch (Stable Diet Restaurant) – Tosca Tuesday, 27 October Lunch (Whites Hotel) – Tosca
THUR
OCTOBER FRI SAT
TUE
22|23 |24 |27
WED
THUR
FRI
SAT
28 |29|30 |31 1.05 p.m.
Wednesday, 28 October Lunch (Stable Diet Restaurant) – The Portrait of Manon Thursday, 29 October Lunch (Whites Hotel) – Hansel and Gretel Friday, 30 October Lunch (Stable Diet Restaurant) – Tosca Saturday, 31 October Lunch (Whites Hotel) – Hansel and Gretel
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Lunchtime Recitals St Iberius Church Tickets ¤15
The very popular Lunchtime Recitals provide an insight into the artistic personality of some of the principal singers of the Festival and are a way to ‘meet’ them in an informal setting. In the beautiful and acoustically excellent eighteenth-century church of St Iberius in the centre of Wexford, audiences appreciate the musical versatility of solo singers who perform a wide variety of music from across the repertoire, including operatic arias, lieder, oratorio, concert and popular songs. One of the delights of attending a Lunchtime Recital is that the programme is not advertised beforehand, so everyone shares the same degree of anticipation and expectation. Unsurprisingly, the Lunchtime Recitals sell out very quickly. The artists and their performance dates will be announced at the beginning of the Festival.
THUR
OCTOBER FRI SAT
TUE
22|23|24|27
WED
THUR
FRI
SAT
28|29|30|31 1.05 p.m. Photo by Sean O’ Riordan
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Dr Tom Walsh Lecture
John Julius Norwich
Jerome Hynes Theatre | National Opera House Tickets ¤10
Photo by Jonathan Himoff
The 2015 Dr Tom Walsh Lecture will be given by John Julius Norwich (John Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich, CVO) one of the most distinguished and charismatic writers and broadcasters of our time. After a career in the diplomatic service he became a writer, particularly on history, art and travel subjects. His many books include acclaimed works on Venice, Byzantium, Mount Athos, Glyndebourne (Fifty Years of Glyndebourne), the Normans, the Popes, Shakespeare, architecture and his Christmas Crackers collections of trivia and witticisms. He has edited the diaries of his father, Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich, and letters from his famously glamorous mother, Lady Diana Cooper (Darling Monster: The Letters of Lady Diana Cooper to Her Son John Julius Norwich).
He has been a witty, erudite and popular broadcaster on television and radio and has written and presented some thirty television documentaries on art, architecture and history subjects. He is a regular speaker at lunches and dinners and in 2006 and 2007 he gave one-man shows in two London theatres. Tea and coffee will be served from 10 a.m. before the Lecture. Kindly supported by Victoria Walsh-Hamer
OCTOBER SATURDAY
24 11 a.m.
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Gala Concert O’Reilly Theatre | National Opera House Tickets ¤50 – ¤80 The Gala Concert is one of the highlights of Wexford Festival Opera and features a collection of favourite party pieces from members of the Festival company. All proceeds go toward supporting the programmes of Wexford Festival Opera. The 2014 International Opera Award for Best Rediscovered Work was won by Wexford Festival Opera’s 2013 production of Cristina, regina di Svezia by Jacopo Foroni. The audience at the Gala Concert during the 2014 Festival was treated to a celebration of the Award by Helena Dix, who sang the role of Cristina (for which she was nominated as Best Young Singer). Early booking is advised.
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Photo by Patrick Browne
OCTOBER SUNDAY
25 9 p.m.
Tara Erraught Celebrity Recital | O’Reilly Theatre | National Opera House Tickets ¤25
Tara Erraught (mezzo-soprano) Henning Ruhe (piano) Dundalk-born mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught garners critical praise and enthusiastic audience acclaim wherever her increasingly busy international opera career takes her. A graduate of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, she continues to study with Veronica Dunne and Brigitte Fassbaender. Tara came to worldwide attention in February 2011 when she learned the role of Romeo in five days for a new production of Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich, in order to replace an indisposed colleague. She had already sung solo roles in a number of productions at Glyndebourne, the Wiener Staatsoper, Theater an der Wien and the Bayerische Staatsoper, being hailed by the press as ‘the new queen of bel canto’. She has been a member of the opera studio at the Bayerische Staatsoper since 2008.
OCTOBER MONDAY
26 11 a.m.
In 2010 she received the National Concert Hall, Dublin’s Rising Star Award, and in 2013 the Bavarian government awarded her the prestigious ‘Pro meritis scientiae et litterarum’ prize, which recognises outstanding contribution to the arts. Tara performs with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in Dublin in March, 2015. During the spring and summer of 2015 she will sing with the Hamburg Staatsoper, the Bayerische Staatsoper, Washington National Opera and in the Dominican Republic.
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Piano Recital O’Reilly Theatre | National Opera House Tickets ¤25
Winner of the 2015 Dublin International Piano Competition The Tenth Dublin International Piano Competition takes place between 15 and 26 May 2015, when sixty‑nine selected applicants from eighteen countries, including six from Ireland, will compete in front of a panel of distinguished judges for monetary prizes and professional engagements. A recital in the National Opera House in Wexford is part of the portfolio of national and international recitals awarded to the winner of this highly regarded triennial competition. The first prize includes recitals in world-class concert halls in London, New York and Dublin, concerto performances and prize money, as well as invaluable mentoring and career-nurturing support. At Wexford in 2012 the Festival audience
was thrilled by the recital given by that year’s winner, Nikolay Khozyainov. The Wexford recital will be an early opportunity to hear the winner of this prestigious competition, which, like Wexford Festival Opera, prides itself on presenting the very best performers on the threshold of their careers.
OCTOBER SATURDAY
31 11 a.m.
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Wining and Dining
Pre-Opera Suppers at the National Opera House Relax and enjoy a meal in the MacKenzie Room on the third floor of the National Opera House before the performance. The popular Pre-Opera Suppers are served on each performance evening during the Festival, from 22 to 31 October, at 6 p.m.
Champagne and Canapés Treat yourself to a little luxury! There is a Deutz Champagne and Canapés interval reception in the MacKenzie Room at the National Opera House every night during the Festival.
On Sunday 25 October the Suppers will be served after the 5 p.m. performance, and on Sunday 1 November they will be served at 2 p.m. before the performance.
Tickets ¤25
Supper ¤40
Friends of Wexford Festival Opera may book their tickets from 28 February at Wexfordopera.com and by telephone (+353 53 912 2144).
Booking for the Pre-Opera Suppers opens on 28 February. Priority will be given to Friends of Wexford Festival Opera.
Public booking opens on 28 March.
To make a booking contact Michael O’Keeffe, Conference and Banqueting Manager, Ferrycarrig Hotel, Wexford: michaelokeeffe@ferrycarrighotel.com or phone +353 53 915 3664. BOOK ONLINE AT WEXFORDOPERA.COM | 19
Friends’ Membership
Membership benefits for all Friends: • Access to the Priority Booking period before booking opens to the general public • Receive a Programme Book, loyalty card, CD and lapel pin • Receive complimentary tickets to Friends’ Lunches, Buffet and Parties during the Festival • Opportunity to purchase additional tickets for Friends’ Parties, Lunches and Buffet • Exclusive access to the Friends’ Lounge on level 3 of the National Opera House • Exclusive access to the Friends’ Welcome Receptions held during the Festival • Receive Friends’ News updates • Receive invitations to the Friends’ Recitals and other membership events held in Dublin, London and continental Europe • Opportunity to join the annual Friends’ European opera trip The various categories of Friends’ membership are outlined below, with the specific benefits and annual membership charge for each one. Ensemble Friends ¤185 • Access to six tickets per performance during Priority Booking • Four complimentary tickets to Parties, Lunches and Buffet Teatro Friend ¤1,000 • Access to six tickets per performance during Priority Booking • Four complimentary tickets to Parties, Lunches and Buffet • A seat endowment, which includes a plaque on the seat, in the National Opera House.
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Photos by Patrick Browne
Aria Friends ¤500 A very rewarding way to support young singers. • Access to eight tickets per performance during Priority Booking • Four complimentary tickets to Parties, Lunches and Buffet • Invitations to special events during the Festival • Invitations to the Aria Friends’ reception at Dublin and London events • Nominate the artist of your choice for the Aria Friends of Wexford Festival Opera Bursary Bravura Friends ¤2,000 Provide direct philanthropic support for one main stage opera production each year. • Unlimited access to tickets during Priority Booking • Ten complimentary tickets to Parties, Lunches and Buffet • Invitations to a private reception with the artistic team during the Festival • Recognised as the Philanthropic Supporter of a Wexford Festival Opera production Prelude Friends (Under 35s) ¤80 • Two complimentary evening opera tickets • Purchase additional tickets for only ¤35 • Discounted tickets to operas and Lunches For further information about our different levels of Friends’ membership, contact Lucy Durack, Development Executive on +353 53 916 3525 or by email: lucy@wexfordopera.com. Visit Wexfordopera.com/friends
Corporate Membership
If you are looking for a memorable way to entertain clients or reward your team, Wexford Festival Opera Corporate Membership is the ideal solution, offering exclusive access to one of the most prestigious events in the Irish cultural calendar. An unforgettable evening for you and your party of six begins with a champagne reception before a delicious four-course dinner in a private dining room in the National Opera House. You will enjoy the evening’s opera performance from premium seats, followed by a champagne reception during the interval. After the performance you will mingle with other guests at a special post-opera party. Platinum membership also includes the added benefit of accommodation in a superior room at one of our four-star partner hotels. Membership includes admission to our Friends’ events in Dublin, London and continental Europe during the year. Whatever your business, Wexford Festival Opera Corporate Membership offers a unique experience that your clients will long remember.
Photo by Patrick Browne
For more information on our Gold and Platinum packages or to request a printed brochure, contact Lucy Durack: +353 53 916 3525 or e-mail lucy@wexfordopera.com.
BOOK ONLINE AT WEXFORDOPERA.COM | 21
Book Your Seats
Post If you choose to have your tickets posted to you, they will arrive at least six weeks before the event. A fee of ¤1.50 applies to international post and ¤1.00 to domestic post.
Group Bookings If there are eight or more people in your group, please contact Box Office management about group discounts: e-mail boxoffice@wexfordopera.com or phone +353 53 912 2144.
Ticket Collection If you choose to collect your tickets, they may be collected from the Box Office from 28 March and up to two hours before the performance.
Refunds Wexford Festival Opera has a ‘no refund’ and ‘no exchange’ policy on all tickets purchased. Friends of Wexford Festival Opera who book tickets during the Friends’ Priority Booking period have a limited exchange and refund facility.
Booking Fees A booking fee of ¤1.00 per ticket applies to all credit and debit card transactions. Exclusive Offers Receive exclusive Festival offers and updates by joining our mailing list online at Wexfordopera.com/media/ subscribe-to-our-newsletter and by following us on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t be late Please arrive at the venue at least thirty minutes before the performance and allow ample time for traffic and parking delays. Latecomers cannot be admitted once the performance has commenced.
22 | WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA 2015
Special Needs For information on our special needs’ access, visit Wexfordopera.com. Please Note The Management reserves the right to refuse admission and to change or cancel the advertised programme or artists. Dress Code In keeping with Wexford Festival Opera tradition, evening dress is strongly recommended for the evening opera performances.
The Ghosts of Versailles, 2009, John Corigliano. Photo by Patrick Redmond
BOOK ONLINE
BY PHONE
From 28 March at Wexfordopera.com
From 28 March +353 53 912 2144 or 1850 4 OPERA
IN PERSON Festival Box Office, The National Opera House, High Street, Wexford Box Office opening hours to 17 October: Monday-Saturday, 9.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. 18–20 October: 9.30 a.m. – 8 p.m. 21–24 October: 9 a.m. – 8.30 p.m. PAYMENT 25 October: 9 a.m. – 9.30 p.m. 26–31 October: 9 a.m. – 8.30 p.m. Payment may be made by credit or debit 1 November: 9 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. card or cheque. Cash payments may be made only by personal customers. BOOK ONLINE AT WEXFORDOPERA.COM | 23
Seating Plan and Pricing O’Reilly Theatre | National Opera House Photo by Ros Kavanagh
CIRCLE (Level 2)
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 H 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 2 12 13 14 15 16 21 G G 1 7 8 9 10 11 17 6 18 19 4 5 3 20 2 21 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 22 F F 1 7 8 9 18 19 5 6 20 21 3 4 22 12 13 14 15 16 17 2 23 E 8 9 10 11 18 19 E 1 6 7 20 21 4 5 22 3 12 13 14 15 16 17 23 2 8 9 10 11 18 19 24 D 6 7 D 1 20 21 4 5 22 3 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 2 10 11 24 22 23 8 9 C 1 25 C 24 7 15 16 17 12 13 14 18 19 25 6 10 11 20 21 5 26 4 8 9 27 22 7 3 23 28 6 24 29 2 5 25 30 4 26 B 1 3 27 2 28 29 A 1
H
Rows A–B Rows C–G Row H Side Stalls I
BOX
D
Centre
E
17 18
20
A
F
Side Stalls Wheelchairaccessible Seat
Boxes D, E & F seat 4 each
15 16
P
2
1
O N 1 M
1
3
4 5
2
3
2
3
1
2
4 3
8
6 7
5
6
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
1
P
O
8
7 6
5
4
7
6
5
4
BOX
A
4
BOX
5
N
M
2 3 4
B
6 7 8
BOX
9 10 11
BOX
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
A B
C
STAGE
Seating Area
Circle
Dates & Prices Founders’ Circle Band A Price CentreBand B 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 23, 25, 30, Rows C–G Side24, Stalls 29 Oct 31 Oct, 1 Nov
Price Main BandStalls C Gala Concert Side Stalls 25 Oct
RowsPrice A–B Row H
Boxes
Stalls
Wheelchair-
Circle
Rows A–B
¤140 Side Stalls
¤140
¤75 accessible Seat
Circle
Rows C–G
Boxes¤85
¤115
¤60
Circle
Row H*
¤40
¤40
¤60
Circle Side Stalls
Row I–J
¤35
¤35
¤60
Circle Boxes (4 seats)**
Boxes A, B, C, D, E, F
¤25
¤25
¤50
Founders’ Circle
A3–A26 A1, A2, A27, A28 Rows B–C
¤145 ¤120 ¤145
¤145 ¤120 ¤145
¤80 ¤60 ¤80
Founders’ Circle
Side Stalls
¤130
¤130
¤80
Founders’ Circle (4 seats)**
Boxes A, B, D, E Boxes C, F
¤50 ¤25
¤50 ¤25
¤50 ¤50
Main Stalls
Rows A–B Rows C–P
¤90 ¤100
¤110 ¤120
¤60 ¤60
Side Stalls
1–6, 13–18 7–12, 19–24
¤100 ¤90
¤120 ¤110
¤60 ¤60
24 | WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA 2015
C
J
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 5 22 23 24 BOX L L 1 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 6 18 1 13 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 22 23 24 25 K K 1 2 3 7 19 2 14 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 3 4 5 6 22 23 24 2 J 1 J 3 8 20 15 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 6 5 4 23 24 I 1 2 3 25 I 4 16 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 9 21 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 21 22 23 BOX 24 H 5 17 H 1 2 3 10 22 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 18 2 3 4 24 25 G 6 G 1 11 23 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 7 19 4 3 23 24 F 12 F 1 2 24 8 20 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 3 4 5 6 23 24 AA AA 25 E E 1 2 9 21 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 3 4 5 6 22 23 24 22 D 1 2 D 10 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Boxes 5 4 11 3 23 24 25 C C 1 2 A, B & C 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 8 24 6 7 4 5 3 22 23 seat 4 24 B B 1 2 12 13 11 14 16 each 15 17 18 19 20 21 7 8 9 10 22 23 24 3 4 5 6 25 A A 1 2
17
Pricing Floor Level
1
9 10 11
alls
E
BOX
14
8
7
6
5
4
3
Side St
D
BOX
Main Stalls
J
A
13
BOX
I
STALLS (Level 0)
1
B
21
Boxes D, E & F seat 4 each
B A
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 C 1 C 9 10 21 22 8 7 23 6 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 24 10 9 20 5 25 21 8 4 22 7 26 6 23 3 27 5 24 25 4 2 28 3 26 29 27 2 28 1 B 2
22
Boxes
15
BOX
F
8
7
6
3
16
BOX
7
6
5
4
5
2
19
Side Stalls
3
4
14
alls
FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE (Level 1)
2
3
13
Side St
Boxes
12
1
Boxes A, B & C seat 4 each
National Opera House
Photo by Ros Kavanagh
Following detailed discussions, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht announced on the opening night of the 2014 Festival that she had approved the request to officially recognise Wexford Opera House as Ireland’s National Opera House. Opened in 2008, the National Opera House remains Ireland’s only custombuilt Opera House and has won numerous national and international architectural awards. Its very specific design and acoustic criteria uniquely qualified it to be
officially recognised as the country’s National Opera House. As the home of Wexford Festival Opera this national designation will further enhance the Festival’s national and international reputation and should present increased opportunities for its productions. It will also heighten the awareness of Irish opera production and continue to develop this culturally and economically important art form for Ireland’s benefit.
BOOK ONLINE AT WEXFORDOPERA.COM | 25
CULTUREFOX.IE
NEVER MISS OUT The Arts Council’s new, upgraded CULTUREFOX events guide is now live. Free, faster, easy to use – and personalised for you. Never miss out again. 26 | WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA 2015
Travelling to Wexford BELFAST
KNOCK
DUBLIN
Photo by Paul Holmes
DUN LAOGHAIRE
Air
SHANNON
WEXFORD
Fly to Dublin International Airport (Dublinairport.com). There are a number of transport options for travelling from there to Wexford, including car hire and a direct coach service to Wexford, as well as bus services to Dublin city for onward travel to Wexford by bus or train.
FARRANFORE
WATERFORD
ROSSLARE
CORK
Waterford Airport is one hour’s drive from Wexford and offers connections from the UK, as well as services for private aircraft.
Bus Wexford Bus operates a direct bus service between Dublin Airport and Wexford (Wexfordbus.com).
Sea Wexford is situated close to Rosslare Europort.
Bus Éireann operates regular bus services to Wexford (Buseireann.ie).
Stena Line operates daily sailings between Rosslare and Fishguard (Stenaline.com). Irish Ferries sails between Rosslare and Pembroke and between Rosslare and Cherbourg (Irishferries.com).
Rail Irish Rail operates regular train services to Wexford from Connolly and Pearse railway stations in Dublin (Irishrail.ie).
Visitors to Wexford Festival Opera are encouraged to make their visit more environmentally friendly. Visit Epa.ie/begreen to discover what you can do to benefit your environment.
Car Hire Enjoy your visit to Wexford with the greater freedom you get when you rent a car from Hertz, Ireland’s premier car hire company (Hertz.ie).
Road Wexford is easily accessed from many main routes in Ireland. Detailed directions may be obtained from AA Route Planner (Aaireland.ie).
BOOK ONLINE AT WEXFORDOPERA.COM | 27
WHERE LIFE SOUNDS BETTER 96-99fm | On Mobile | rte.ie/lyricfm 28 | WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA 2015
Accommodation
Ferrycarrig Hotel Patio. Photo by Lou Metzger
Ferrycarrig Hotel
Preferred Hotel Partner
The nationally and internationally renowned 4-star Ferrycarrig Hotel boasts one of the most inspiring locations of any hotel in Wexford or, indeed, Ireland, with sweeping views across the River Slaney. The hotel is the perfect location for your visit to the 2015 Festival. For more information call reservations directly: T: +353 53 915 3623 E : reservations@ferrycarrighotel.com W: Ferrycarrighotel.ie
Talbot Hotel The Talbot Hotel is ideally located in the heart of Wexford town. This is one of the finest hotels in Wexford, boasting panoramic views of the quays and River Slaney. For more information: T: +353 53 912 2566 E: sales @talbothotel.ie W: Talbothotel.ie
Kelly’s Resort Hotel Whites of Wexford Whites of Wexford is one of the leading 4-star Wexford hotels, conveniently located in the centre of Wexford town. Large parking facilities are available. For more information: T: +353 53 912 2311 E: info@whitesofwexford.ie W: Whitesofwexford.ie
The 4-star Kelly’s Resort Hotel is uniquely situated along five miles of safe sandy beach in Rosslare, Co. Wexford. For more information: T: +353 53 913 2114 E: info@kellys.ie W: Kellys.ie
For further information on accommodation in Wexford and the surrounding area visit Visitwexford.ie | Discoverireland.ie | Irelandhotels.com BOOK ONLINE AT WEXFORDOPERA.COM | 29
Wexford Tourist Office, Quayfront, Wexford. Opening hours: Mon–Sat 9.15 a.m. – 5.15 p.m. Phone: +353 53 912 3111 E-mail: Wexford@failteireland.ie Website: DiscoverIreland.ie
30 | WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA 2015
Wexford Map Festival Venues / Preferred Hotels 5
National Opera House
17
Saint Iberius Church (Recitals)
21
Greenacres Art Galleries
22
Ferrycarrig Hotel
23
Whites Hotel (ShortWorks)
24
Talbot Hotel
25
Kelly’s Resort Hotel
Around Wexford 1
The Ballast Bank
2
John Barry Monument
3
The Ballast Office
4
Keyser’s Lane
6
Saint Patrick’s Church
7
Church of the Assumption
8
Franciscan Friary
9
Church of the Immaculate Conception, Rowe Street
10
Wexford Arts Centre
11
Selskar Abbey
12
Westgate Heritage Tower
13
County Hall
14
The Redmond Monument
15
Nickey Rackard Commemorative Statue
16
Bull Ring (1798 Memorial)
18
National Irish Heritage Park
19
Wildfowl Reserve
20
Johnstown Castle Tourist Office Bus Station Assumed Town Walls Car Park Dun Mhuire Theatre Bus Stop Post Office Toilets Library Garda Station Rail Station
BOOK ONLINE AT WEXFORDOPERA.COM | 31
Festival Calendar 64th Wexford Festival Opera Wednesday, 21 October – Sunday, 1 November 2015
Wednesday 21 October
Saturday 24 October
Opening Ceremony
8 p.m. KOANGA
11 a.m. Dr Tom Walsh Lecture
1.05 p.m. Lunchtime Recital 3.30 p.m. TOSCA
10.30 p.m. Friends’ Party
7 p.m. Pre-Opera Talk
8 p.m. KOANGA
10.30 p.m. Friends’ Party
Thursday 22 October
Sunday 25 October
1.05 p.m. Lunchtime Recital
12 noon Festival Mass, Church of the Immaculate Conception, Rowe Street
2 p.m. Friends’ Lunch
3.30 p.m. THE PORTRAIT OF MANON
7 p.m. Pre-Opera Talk
8 p.m. GUGLIELMO
RATCLIFF
11 a.m. THE PORTRAIT OF MANON
4 p.m. Pre-Opera Talk
5 p.m. GUGLIELMO
9 p.m. Gala Concert
RATCLIFF
Friday 23 October
Monday 26 October (BANK HOLIDAY)
11 a.m. Friends’ Welcome Reception
10 a.m. Friends’ Welcome Reception
1.05 p.m. Lunchtime Recital
11 a.m. Tara Erraught Recital
3.30 p.m. HANSEL AND GRETEL
1 p.m. Friends’ Lunch
7 p.m. Pre-Opera Talk
3.30 p.m. HANSEL AND GRETEL
8 p.m. LE
7 p.m. Pre-Opera Talk
8 p.m. LE
PRÉ AUX CLERCS
32 | WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA 2015
PRÉ AUX CLERCS
Tuesday 27 October
Friday 30 October
1.05 p.m. Lunchtime Recital
1.05 p.m. Lunchtime Recital
3.30 p.m. TOSCA
3.30 p.m. TOSCA
7 p.m. Pre-Opera Talk
7 p.m. Pre-Opera Talk
8 p.m. KOANGA
8 p.m. KOANGA
Wednesday 28 October
Saturday 31 October
1.05 p.m. Lunchtime Recital
3.30 p.m. THE PORTRAIT OF MANON
1.05 p.m. Lunchtime Recital
5.15 p.m. Friends’ Buffet
3.30 p.m. HANSEL AND GRETEL
7 p.m. Pre-Opera Talk
7 p.m. Pre-Opera Talk
8 p.m. GUGLIELMO
8 p.m. GUGLIELMO
RATCLIFF
11 a.m. Piano Recital
RATCLIFF
10.30 p.m. Friends’ Party
Thursday 29 October
Sunday 1 November
11 a.m. Friends’ Welcome Reception
1.05 p.m. Lunchtime Recital
11 a.m. TOSCA
3.30 p.m. HANSEL AND GRETEL
11 a.m. Friends’ Welcome Reception
7 p.m. Pre-Opera Talk
11 a.m. Festival Service, St Iberius Church
8 p.m. LE
4 p.m. Pre-Opera Talk
5 p.m. LE
PRÉ AUX CLERCS
Schedule correct at the time of going to print, but may be subject to subsequent change.
PRÉ AUX CLERCS
The National Opera House High Street, Wexford, Ireland Tel: +353 53 912 2400 Box Office: +353 53 912 2144 Callsave: 1850 4 OPERA boxoffice@wexfordopera.com Wexfordopera.com
patron
Michael D Higgins, President of Ireland
resident Sir David Davies p hairman Ger Lawlor c artistic director David Agler hief executive David McLoughlin c
Editor Sarah Burn
|
Design Miles Linklater, 24pt Helvetica
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