Hanafin to Open Wexford Festival Opera, 10/16

Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Mary Hanafin, T.D. will officially open the 59th Wexford Festival Opera on Saturday, October 16 on Wexford's Quayfront.  Opening for the first time on a Saturday, this year's festival has an expanded programme spanning three weekends which will delight and enthral in equal measure, starting with the official launch.
 
Wexford Quays will be closed to traffic from 5pm when families will be treated to a diverse range of top-class performers including dynamic drumming from Extreme Rhythm - Wexford percussionist Nicky Bailey's international ensemble. There will also be a performance from Festival Productions' The Wizard of Oz, ahead of its highly anticipated run in Wexford Opera House at Christmas.  The Lords Of Love, who have already wowed Opera House audiences, will be bringing their hilarious musical to the Quays. So too will Maurice McCarthy and his Beatlemania show, which promises to be as fabulous as the Fab Four themselves. At 7pm, Minister Hanafin will officially open this year's festival ahead of a magnificent fireworks display set to illuminate Wexford. There is always a great buzz in the town on the night and people are encouraged to also go along the Main Street to look at the creative window displays. Large crowds are expected for the opening ceremony so it is advised to arrive early.
 
Following the official launch on the quay, the Minister will also attend a ceremony in the Opera House to recognise the achievements of the Wexford Festival Foundation in raising over €5.3m in private donations towards the redevelopment costs of the new building, before attending the opening night opera at 8pm, which will be broadcast live on RTÉ Lyric FM.
 
The 59th Wexford Festival Opera opens on Saturday, October 16, with Italian lyric tragedy Virginia by Saverio Mercadante, followed by the European Premiere of The Golden Ticket by Peter Ash on Sunday, October 17.  The third opera on offer is the Czech folk opera, Hubi?ka by Bed?ich Smetana with this year's winner of the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition, South-African soprano Pumeza Matshikiza, in the lead role.
 
This year also marks the welcome return of the full daytime programme, including the very popular ShortWorks operas. The performances last little more than an hour and this year, audiences will be treated to a condensed version of Puccini's La bohème, Italian comic opera La serva padrona (The Maid as Mistress) by Giovanni Battista and Winners by Richard Wargo, based on the Brian Friel play.  All three ShortWorks feature world-class singers from the evening operas, giving audiences more opportunities to hear the national and international talent that Wexford attracts.  Tickets for the daytime ShortWorks at Whites Hotel are €25. 
 
With an increased seating capacity in the internationally award-winning Wexford Opera House and an extended festival, tickets are still available for many events. Tickets can be purchased online at www.wexfordopera.com  or from the Wexford Festival Opera box-office, telephone: Lo-call 1850-4-OPERA or (053) 912 2144.  Daytime events from €15.  Evening Operas from €25. No booking fee applies.
 
The 59th Wexford Festival Opera runs from Saturday, October 16 until Saturday, October 30

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