Opera fans soak up sun and arias

THE spectacular grounds of Johnstown Castle was the setting for the opening of the 56th Wexford opera festival last night, as men in dapper evening dress and women in fine flowing dresses soaked up the evening sunshine and music on the castle lawn.

For opera festival regulars there was a slight sense of disorientation, this year’s festival having been moved from the usual autumn billing to early summer, because of the €34 million renovations going on at the Theatre Royal in Wexford town, the usual home of the festival just nine miles away from Johnstown Castle.

The shift in season and location made for a great sense of occasion, however, with a capacity 650 audience enjoying the drama and music of Kurt Weill’s Der Silbersee (The Silver Lake), the 1933 German opera receiving its Irish premiere and providing a fitting opening to the 18 day festival.

From now until June 17, when the festival ends, an estimated 30,000 visitors are expected to pass through the Wexford area to enjoy the seven operas being staged as part of Wexford Festival Opera, as the festival is officially known. All in all, the event is estimated to be worth about €30m to the local economy.

For those not passionate enough to shell out up to €100 a ticket on arias, baritones and divas, there are a lot of cheaper fringe events and concerts in Wexford again this year.

Staying with the classical, the Prague Chamber Choir will be playing some favourites at Wexford’s Rowe Street Church on June 2 and June 16. Or, if you fancy something a little different, you could check out Steps of the Soul, the history of tango narrated through the music of Carlos Gardel, at Dun Mhuire Theatre, on June 3 and 9.

Then there’s also the Fringe festival, which runs concurrent with the main festival. With approximately 200 events, ranging from Trad concerts to one-act plays, you don’t have to be an opera buff to head Wexford way over the coming days.

But if you do want to give opera a try, Wexford Festival Opera has made 20 euro tickets available to students for the first time this year, and it’s also possible to pick up tickets for events for as low as €12. So much for accusations of elitism.

Nevertheless, there’s no denying that it was the swankier guest that was sipping champagne in the Wexford sun last night.

www.wexfordopera.com or call 053 9122144.