Nominations Now Open for Special Volunteer Award as Part of the Wexford Festival Opera

Volunteers play a very important role in the life of festivals across the country with many returning again year on year. Wexford Festival was founded by volunteers and their continued support and commitment have been key to its success. Now over 300 volunteers contribute their time annually to this world renowned event.

To highlight this commitment and passion, the Wexford Festival Opera has teamed up with Zurich to celebrate volunteers to choose one recipient of a special award. Nominations are now open for the Wexford Festival Opera / Zurich Volunteers Award for Outstanding Leadership and Development. This award serves to recognise the significant contribution and leadership of Wexford Opera Volunteers, and will be presented to a WFO Volunteer who has served to enhance the development, patron service and longevity of Wexford Festival Opera.

The inaugural winner of this award was long time Festival Volunteer Elizabeth Foley who has volunteered in several departments over the years and currently Heads the Green Room Department, providing refreshments to cast and crew during rehearsals and performances.

Volunteers play roles in many aspects of the Festival including supporting front-of-house activities, cloakroom, backstage, promoting, networking, artistic endeavours, wardrobe, organisational matters, administrative functions, hospitality, and transportation to name a few. Although the first volunteers were mainly from Wexford and the surrounding areas, now they encompass local, national and international opera lovers from all ages, backgrounds and professions who come together to play their part in making the Festival what it is today.

The award which started in 2011 is sponsored by Zurich, who is also production sponsor of L’Arlesiana by Cilèa. With about 160 Zurich employees now based in Wexford, Zurich has shown great commitment to the area by supporting the Wexford Festival Opera for three years running and by recognising the achievements of the 3oo local volunteers through the sponsorship of the Wexford Festival Opera / Zurich Volunteers Award for Outstanding Leadership and Development.

Nominations for this award are now open and anyone can nominate a Wexford Festival Volunteer. For more information and to submit a nomination, visit http://www.wexfordopera.com/about_us/Zurich_volunteer_award

The 61st Wexford Festival Opera will run for 12 days from Wednesday, 24 October until Sunday, 4 November. This year’s programme will include 3 mainstage opera productions: L’Arlesiana by Francesco Cilèa; Le Roi malgré lui (The King in Spite of Himself) by Emmanuel Chabrier; and A Village Romeo and Juliet by Frederick Delius, as well as 2 daytime ShortWork operas: A Dinner Engagement by Lennox Berkeley and The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The 61st Wexford Festival Opera is grant aided by the Arts Council, Failte Ireland, and Wexford County & Borough Councils. This year’s production sponsors are Zurich plc, and INM plc.

Tickets for all daytime and evening performances can be purchased on-line 24/7 on www.wexfordopera.com, or from the Wexford Festival Opera box-office, telephone: Lo-call 1850-4-OPERA or (053) 912 2144. Tickets from €15.

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