FRIENDS 2021 FESTIVAL NEWS 19 OCTOBER | 31 OCTOBER 2021 FUNDERS &SPONSORS Principal Funder Grant Funders Corporate Leaders Corporate Sponsors Official IT & Communications Partner Community & Education Partners Media Partners Accommodation & Hospitality Partners 2 WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA able to share your cherished memories, from your first time in Wexford to your favourite opera or event. The 2021 WFO programme continues what has always been at the core of this much loved festival, our rare opera productions, recitals, galas and concerts. Determined to welcome you inside our beloved theatre once again, we have put all our efforts and investment into a plan to reopen safely. Your presence is the very soul of our mission and we can’t wait to embrace you once again in the National Opera House this October. We will also continue on our path to accomplish a wider goal, offering new and different ways to connect with us from the comfort of your home, as you enjoy our pop- up events, videos on our YouTube channel, lectures and talks. One project that we were able to continue despite the pandemic was the Wexford Factory, our new Academy for Irish singers and I’m proud to announce that our students will have the opportunity to study with us for another year. They will be able to catch-up with their studies led by our award-winning experts and to run for the chance to be hired for a role in our main stage operas. Our ambassadors will continue to spread the word of our Festival around the world and the sublime music of our operas will be WELCOME listened to in London, Moscow, New York and Rome. Our Festival is a musical treasure and my Dear Friends duty is not only to secure it but also to In February 2020 my welcome message ended enhance it. with these words: “…Seventy events in thirteen In sending my sincere and heartfelt thanks days with you, dear friends, bringing you into the to all of you for your support over the past atmosphere of a local yet international Festival year, I want to highlight that your ongoing where leaving is always sadness, but returning is a support is more essential than ever in the joy.” I was so excited to be able to present my first forthcoming season, as we approach our Festival as Artistic Director of a place that is so reopening and move forward with plans for deeply in my heart. the future. Then the world turned upside down, a pandemic Wexford Festival Opera has flourished thanks struck and all of us were forced to re-imagine to the extraordinary artists, exemplary our lives. Yet, here at Wexford Festival Opera we volunteers, amazing audience and loyal didn’t let that catastrophic event stop us. patrons who have brought opera to millions We reimagined the Festival, to become Waiting of people over the last 70 years and we are for Shakespeare... The festival in the air and as particularly proud of what we achieved last year. you couldn’t come to visit us, we came to you and Thanks to the countless messages from our we entertained you with our voices and our souls. friends, colleagues and also our followers This year we must pull together as we move online. We know that our music has helped forward, but we will not simply pick up where we our audience to endure the burden of the left off. The last 12 months have been hard but last months and my message this year is a they have shown us how we can bring the magic of simple one: keep staying with us and help Wexford Festival Opera to an even wider audience Wexford Festival Opera thrive and bring and we are excited to keep exploring that path. music and joy to an even wider audience To mark the 70th anniversary of our Festival we next year and in the future. will bring you a whole year of celebrations from Together we will do it. September 2021 to September 2022. You, along Yours, with the hundreds of thousands around the world ROSETTA CUCCHI who have experienced our past Festivals, will be Artistic Director 3 WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA CONTENTS MOVINg AHEAD 1. FRIENDS 5 A guide to remind you of all the advantages of I’m delighted to add my welcome to that of being a Friend of the Wexford Festival Opera: Rosetta, and also introduce myself to our a world of privileges to experience the Festival Friends as the company’s Interim in the front row. Chief Executive. Having attended Wexford Festival Opera 2. 70 YEARS YOUNG 6 over many years and worked with a number of opera companies in Ireland Discover all the exciting surprises and in England, both as a manager and we have in store for you to celebrate our as an orchestral musician, I am happy to 70th Anniversary. have this opportunity to play a role in this magnificent company. 3. THE 2021 FESTIVAL 8 It is a strange time to join, with the National The Festival in detail: Opera House closed and all communication Opera, Concerts, Talks, Pop-Up events... taking place by zoom and telephone, but we Your Guide to WFO is here. are determinedly confident that ‘normal’ life will resume shortly and offer this Festival programme in the hope and expectation 4. SYNAPSES | The Point of Contact 24 that we will be able to welcome you back to Wexford in October. After its debut in 2020, the Wexford Factory introduces an exciting new project. Notwithstanding this confidence, we are Read all the details here. aware of the rapidly changing environment in which we are living and our plans for this year’s Festival are presented on the 5. BEING FRIENDS 26 understanding that circumstances may Everything you need to know about being a change. Everything described here will Friend of the Festival and of supporting the be presented in full accordance with the Wexford Festival Opera. guidelines in place at the time of the Festival and every effort will be made to ensure the safety, comfort and enjoyment of everyone. 6. BOOKING | CALENDAR 30 We are immensely grateful to you for your If you’re planning your visit to Wexford, start continuing support during this most difficult from here: time and look forward to easier times ahead. Tickets, Booking and more… Yours, RANDALL SHANNON Interim Chief Executive 4 WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA PRIORITY BOOKING Friends have access to Priority Booking. Jump to page 38 to read all the details. RENEW If you have not done so already please make sure to renew your Friends membership with us as soon as possible. This will ensure that you do not miss out on access to the limited number of tickets available. You can renew by contacting us via the Friends contact details or online through the Friends section of the website: www.wexfordopera.com 2021 BENEFITS • 10% discount on accommodation reservations made during booking period (1 June to 30 June) with our hotel partners by quoting ‘Wexford Friends’ • Complimentary Festival programme: available for collection during the Festival from the Friends Desk in the Opera House Foyer (evenings) • Access to the Friends Lounge during Festival (Timings and Venue TBC) • Friends Loyalty Card and lapel pin • Exclusive access to the Friends online events during the year • Welcome Receptions FRIENDS (subject to the government guidelines) 2021 INFORMATION & BENEFITS INFORMATION 55 OPERAWEXFORD FESTIFESTIVALVAL OPERA Being Friends of the Wexford Festival Opera means knowing the origins of one of the highlights of the Irish and international stage WFO 2021WFO 70 YEARSYOUNG When Compton Mackenzie, the David Agler (Artistic Director: renowned novelist and founder 2005-2019) presided over one of Gramophone magazine, of the most exciting phases in suggested to Tom Walsh that, the Festival’s history when the instead of just listening to old Theatre Royal, which served 1951 recordings, he stage an opera the Festival for 50 years, was in Wexford, few could have replaced by Ireland’s first custom- imagined where the idea would built opera house. In 2020 a new lead. But since the first ‘Festival adventure for the Festival began 2021 of Music and the Arts’ took with the appointment of Rosetta place in October 1951, Wexford Cucchi as the new Artistic Festival Opera has grown into Director, having been a regular one of the world’s leading opera presence at the Festival for more festivals. For nearly 70 years the than 25 years as a repetiteur, Festival has breathed new life director and Assistant to the into forgotten masterpieces, Artistic Director. establishing a reputation for high- But of course, the Festival’s quality productions that, every success is due in no small part to year, bring thousands of opera- Wexford itself and the hundreds lovers flocking to Wexford from of local, dedicated volunteers all over the world. who complete the Wexford Since Tom Walsh first guided the experience. With a unique vision, Festival to international success, outstanding production values Wexford Festival Opera has been and spectacular setting in a blessed with a succession of beautiful small town, Wexford talented and passionate artistic Festival Opera is a remarkable directors, all of whom balanced success story that looks set to tradition with bold innovation. continue for many years to come. 6 WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA 70 YEARS WHAT’S IN STORE Our 70th anniversary celebrations will continue throughout 2021/22 with a programme of national, international and online activities. AROUND THE WORLD WEXFORD VOICES AROUND THE WORLD includes 4 recitals in 4 cities in collaboration with Irish Embassies. THE DUBLIN CONCERT An incredible year can only end with a musical fireworks show, an orchestral concert at NCH, with international stars (August 2022).