WEXFORD OPERA FESTIVAL 2026: Review: THE FIRST FESTIVAL, O’Reilly Theatre, National Opera House

The atmosphere inside the National Opera House for the world premiere of The First Festival was electric before the lights even dimmed. Commemorating the 75th anniversary of Wexford Festival Opera, the evening doubled as a 1951-themed celebration. Attending in full mid-century style, the audience was primed for nostalgia, creating a communal immersion where the line between auditorium and stage felt delightfully blurred.

Commissioned specifically for the rising stars of the Wexford Factory programme, this one-hour chamber opera features a libretto by celebrated author Colm Tóibín and music by Alberto Caruso. Set on opening night of the very first festival in October 1951, the narrative takes place inside the Wexford Motor Taxation Office after hours. Eight characters split between four local tax clerks and four visiting opera singers convene in secret to navigate romantic entanglements and office gossip. Much like the transformation in The Producers when mundane paper-pushing gives way to grand theatrical dreams, the simple act of answering phones and filing paperwork in 1951 Wexford suddenly erupts into an intoxicating reality where ordinary lives are touched by the magic of performance.

Conor Hanratty’s direction keeps the pace swift and sparkling, capturing the charm of small-town Ireland without letting the hour feel cluttered. Alberto Caruso’s score provides an ideal playground for the young ensemble, balancing lyrical romanticism with razor-sharp comedic rhythms.

What makes The First Festival such a triumph is its unapologetic embrace of witty, sharp-edged humor. The libretto lands every beat, poking fond fun at Irish cultural quirks, from potatoes and the sacred tradition of eating dinner at lunchtime to jabs at Oliver Cromwell. It also pokes sharp, playful fun at self-absorbed musicians, offering a hilarious reminder that dating a musician with an ego is a walking red flag. The laughter in the hall was so roaring at points that it nearly drowned out the stage.

For opera lovers, the piece is a treasure trove of meta-commentary. When Brian (Seán Tester) remarks on how marvelous it will be to hear Carmen in Wexford, the joke lands on multiple levels. Wexford Festival Opera is famous for staging rare, forgotten gems rather than popular repertory staples like Carmen, making the line a brilliant insider wink. Equally hilarious is Brian’s romantic pursuit of Facundo (Fraser Robinson / Matthew Mannion), where Brian resorts to speaking exclusively in quotes from famous operatic arias, serving as a hilarious, highly relatable coping mechanism for anyone attempting to bridge a language barrier with operatic enthusiasm.

The ensemble, double-cast across the run with talents including Eilís Dexter, Rachael Conaghan, Eiméar Harper, Deirdre Higgins, Catherine Hooper, Timothy Mays, Cuan Durkin, Olha Palazhenko, Yasmin O’Reilly, Eva Maria Kavanagh, Éadaoin Hassett, and Yu Shao, delivers the material with buoyant physical commitment and deadpan restraint.

Ultimately, The First Festival is a joyful love letter to Wexford and the art form itself. Free of unearned dramatic weight or convoluted plotlines, it proves that contemporary opera can be accessible, smartly composed, and thoroughly entertaining. It leaves the audience smiling from ear to ear.

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