Musicians to protest at Opera Festival opening night

The Musicians Union of Ireland (MUI) is due to mount a protest at the opening night of the Wexford Opera Festival tonight.

The union has accused the Government of excluding Irish musicians from the event and of breaching its own work permit requirements by allowing a Belarussian orchestra and choir to play at the festival.

The MUI said the event had received more than €2m in taxpayers’ money over the past three years, but the orchestra and chorus in that period has never featured an Irish musician.