Wexford Festival Opera Nominated For World's Best Opera Festival

Wexford Festival Opera has once again been nominated in the highly coveted Best Festival category in the upcoming International Opera Awards. This is the third time Wexford has been nominated in this category since the awards were established in 2012. Wexford stands beside similar prestigious international festivals such as Festival d'Aix-en-Provence (France), FestivAl Verdi (Parma), Garsington Opera (UK), Lyon Festival (France) and Spoleto Festival (USA). The set and costume designer on Wexford's 2016 production of Vanessa, Cordelia Chisholm, was also nominated in the Best Designer category.

The International Opera Awards is an annual celebration of excellence in opera around the world and attracts all leading opera professionals from around the globe. The winners will be revealed at the gala ceremony in London's Coliseum on Sunday May 7. Go to www.operaawards.org for more information.

In addition, the critically-acclaimed 2016 productions of Herculanum by Félicien David and Vanessa by Samuel Barber have both been nominated in the Best Opera Production category in the upcoming Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards, now celebrating its 20th anniversary. The awards celebrate the best plays, performances and production work in the Irish theatre, including opera. The public also have an opportunity in selecting an overall best production by participating in the Audience Choice prize, in which members of the public can go online at www.irishtimes.com/audiencechoice to vote for their favourite production from 2016.

As both Herculanum and Vanessa were very well received by critics and audiences alike, it is hoped that the public will take the opportunity to make their voice heard and vote for one of the two nominated productions. Wexford Festival Opera last won the Audience Choice award in 2013 with its stunning production of Silent Night by Kevin Puts. The closing date to vote is Wednesday, February 15th. The winner will be announced at this year's ceremony, which takes place in a gala ceremony in the National Concert Hall, Dublin, on Sunday, March 5th. http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/irish-theatre-awards

Meanwhile preparations for the 66th Wexford Festival Opera, running for an extended 18-day period from Thursday, 19 October until Sunday, 5 November, are well underway. The full programme will be announced in March ahead of priority booking for Friends of Wexford Festival Opera which opens on a staged basis from Saturday, 25 March. General booking opens on Saturday, 15 April. For more information on how to become a Friend of Wexford Festival Opera, and avail of priority booking plus many other benefits throughout the year, visit www.wexfordopera.com/friends

The 66th Wexford Festival Opera is supported by grants from the Arts Council, Wexford County Council and Fáilte Ireland.

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