2022 Wexford Festival Opera Opens Next Friday

The 71st Wexford Festival Opera will open on Friday, 21 October, running for 17 consecutive days showcasing over 80 events including three mainstage operas, two pocket operas, a new commission and an Irish premiere, closing on Sunday, 6 November.

Filling the National Opera House this autumn, the programme centres around the theme of Magic & Music and will feature three main stage operas, La tempesta, Lalla-Roukh and Armida; two Pocket Opera|Opera beag: The Master based on the best-selling book by Colm Tóibín, composed by Alberto Caruso and The Spectre Knight by Alfred Cellier; a newly commissioned opera Les Selenites by our 2022 Artist-in-Residence Conor Mitchell, an exciting series of Pop-Up events; III° edition of the Wexford Factory and a production of Cinderella composed by Alma Deutscher, when she was only 12 years old.

La tempesta - Fromental Halévy

The opening production of the festival will be La tempesta (1850), composed by Fromental Halévy, with a libretto by Eugene Scribe after Shakespeare's The Tempest. It was first performed at Her Majesty's Theatre London in June 1850. The production will be conducted by WFO's Principal Guest Conductor, Francesco Cilluffo and directed by Italian Roberto Catalano in his Wexford debut. Nikolay Zemlianskikh will sing Prospero in his international debut with Israeli soprano Hila Baggio singing the role of his daughter Miranda making her WFO debut. Former Wexford factory artist Jade Phoenix will sing the role of Ariele. Sung in Italian. With the WFO Orchestra and Chorus A co-production with Teatro C. Coccia Novara Italy.

Performance dates: O'Reilly Theatre - 21, 24, 29 October and 3 November

Lalla-Roukh - Félicien David

Lalla-Roukh (1862) is composed by Félicien David, with a libretto by Michael Carré and Hippolyte Lucas. The piece had its premiere at the Opéra-Comique in 1862. The production will be conducted by Steven White, and Irish director Orpha Phelan will direct. The title role will be sung by French soprano Gabrielle Philiponet in her Wexford debut, with former ROH Jette Parker artist Argentinian tenor Pablo Bemsch also making his Wexford debut singing Nourreddin. Sung in French, with the WFO Orchestra and Chorus.

Performance dates: O'Reilly Theatre - 22, 25, 30 October and 4 November

Armida - Antonín Dvořák

Armida (1904) is composed by Antonín Dvořák, with a libretto by Jaroslav Vrchlický. The piece was first performed at Prague's National Theatre on 25 March 1904. The production will be conducted by Czech Norbert Baxa and directed by Austrian Hartmut Schörghofer both making their Wexford debuts. After her success as Elsa in Lohengrin at ROH earlier this year, Irish soprano Jennifer Davis will make her Wexford debut in the title role. Austrian-Australian tenor Gerard Schneider will return to Wexford to sing Rinald after singing Prince Dimitri in Risurezzione (2017). Former Factory artist Rory Dunne with sing the roles of Bohumir and Muezin. Sung in French. With the WFO Orchestra and Chorus.

A co-production with Pilsen Theatre (Czech Republic).

Performance dates: O'Reilly Theatre - 23, 28 October and 2, 5 November

Cinderella - Alma Deutscher

Cinderella (2015), composed by Alma Deutscher, will be performed by members of the Wexford Festival Factory in this Irish premiere. At the age of 10, Alma Deutscher began writing her first full-length opera. At 12, she premiered her first piano concerto and she made her debut at Carnegie Hall in 2019. Cinderella had its European premiere in Vienna (2016), conducted by Zubin Mehta, and its U.S. premiere a year later at Opera San Jose. Davide Gasparro will direct with conductor Andrew Synnott in the pit. Wexford Factory artists feature in the cast.

Performance dates: O'Reilly Theatre - 26, 29, 31 October and 4 November.

WFO ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE

Les Selenites Conor Mitchell

WFO is delighted to announce a new opera commission from the WFO Artist-in-Residence 2022 Conor Mitchell. The chamber piece entitled Les Selenites explores the bizarre world of 20th Century film pioneer Georges Méliès. Conor Mitchell is an award-winning Northern Irish composer, librettist and theatre director and is one of the most interesting opera composers in Ireland today. A recipient of the Arts Council Northern Ireland Major Individual Artist's Award, Mitchell was appointed WFO Artist-in-Residence in 2022.

On 26 October, there will be a chance to meet and ask questions in a 'Meeting the Composer' event.

Performance dates: O'Reilly Theatre - 26 October, 6 November.

Audiences can also enjoy some exciting daytime Pocket Opera | Opera Beag, which will include:

The Master - Alberto Caruso

The Master (2016) is based on the novel of the same name by Colm Tóibín, who also wrote the libretto. The Irish premiere will be directed by Conor Hanratty and composer Alberto Caruso will conduct.

Performance dates: Jerome Hynes Theatre - 22, 23, 27, 29, 30 October, 1, 3, 5 November.

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