The Wexford Festival Opera has announced its 71st edition which will run for 17 days from Oct. 21 to Nov. 6, 2022.

The program will be built around the theme of Magic & Music and will feature three main stage operas, two Pocket Opera|Opera beag, a new commissioned opera by our 2022 Artist-in-Residence Conor Mitchell, and after hours Cabaret des Artistes. There will also be an exciting series of Pop-Up events; III° edition of the Wexford Factory and a production of “Cinderella” written by the 16 year old composer Alma Elizabeth Deutscher.

Main Stage:

The opening production will be “La Tempesta” composed by Fromental Halevy, with a libretto by Eugene Scribe. It was first performed at Her Majesty’s Theatre London in June 1850 and will be conducted by Francesco Cilluffo in a production by Arturo Cirillo.

Performance Dates: Oct. 21-N0v. 3, 2022 at the  O’Reilly Theatre

“Lalla Roukh,” composed by Felician David to a libretto by Michael Carré and Hippolyte Lucas will be conducted by David Angus and staged by the Irish director Orpha Pheelan.

Performance Dates:  Oct. 22-Nov. 4, 2022 at the O’Reilly Theatre

The third work will be “Armida” by Dvořák. The production will be conducted by Norbert Baxa and directed by Dmitry Bertman in a co-production with Pilsen Theatre.

Performance Dates: Oct. 23-Nov. 5, 2022 at the O’Reilly Theatre

The final work will be “Cinderella” by Alma Elizabeth Deutscher. The production will be performed by members of the Wexford Festival Ensemble.The stage director will be Davide Gasparro.

Performance Dates: Oct. 26-Nov. 5, 2022 at the O’Reilly Theatre

Wexford Festival Opera will present a new opera commission from the WFO Artist-in-Residence 2022 Conor Mitchell. Details will be announced in the coming months.

Pocket Opera | Opera Beag:

“The Master” by Alberto Caruso, based on the novel of the same name by Colm Tóibín who also wrote the libretto. This will be performed in the Jerome Hynes Theatre in a production by Sinead O’Neil.

“The Spectre Knight” by Alfred Cellier, with libretto by James Albery will be staged by Laysyan Safargulova.

Concerts:

Daniela Barcellona will be featured in a gala with conductor Alessandro Vitiello and the Wexford Festival Orchestra.

Performance Date: Oct. 27 2022 at the O’Reilly Theatre

The ever-popular Gala Concert will also take place.

Performance Date: Nov. 1 2022 at the O’Reilly Theatre

Lunchtime Recitals will return to their traditional home at St Iberius Church.

Performance Dates: TBA

The festival will come to a conclusion with a final concert performed at the piano and conducted by the acclaimed Barry Douglas and the Wexford Festival Orchestra.

Performance Date: Nov. 6, 2022

The Tom Walsh lecture, Shakespeare’s Rough Magic, will be delivered by Patrick Spottywoode.

Performance Date: Oct. 27, 2022