Wexford festival cuts back to 12 days

WEXFORD FESTIVAL Opera has become a victim of the economic recession. Its 2009 programme has been reduced to 12 days rather than the expected 18.

Festival director David Agler and chief executive David McLoughlin announced the change in a letter sent out to those involved in the festival.

“In light of the general challenging economic environment and unpredictable income projections for the festival this year, it has been decided, very much in the interests of securing the festival’s long-term future, to consolidate this year’s activities into a 12- rather than an 18-day festival.”

The decision was taken “to maintain the high quality of the event and therefore the festival will still present three main opera programmes, but over four as opposed to six cycles”, the letter continued. The 58th Festival opens on October 21st.

The main programme is The Ghosts of Versailles by William F Hoffman; a double bill of La cambiale di matrimonio by Gioachino Rossini and Une éducation manquée by Emmanuel Chabrier, and Maria Padilla by Gaetano Donizetti.

The Government invested €26 million in the venue for the event, the Wexford Opera House. An additional €7 million was raised through private sources.