Sir, – I feel that Michael Dervan’s article on the state of opera in Ireland (Opinion, October 11th) is both timely and well researched.
Is it not ironic that when one of the significant things to emerge from both Farmleigh 1 and 2 was the necessity to actively promote our cultural heritage abroad that we are now dismantling our operatic tradition as if it were not a vital piece of our cultural heritage.
Growing up in Wexford, we had opera seasons in our local theatre and made visits to such places as the Cork Opera House, Limerick, Wexford and of course Dublin.
Despite the great composers, singers and musicians that this country has given to the world, the amounts set aside by our government and the Arts Council for this particular strand of our culture has always been minimal and given somewhat begrudgingly.
It appears, as indicated by Mr Dervan, that due to machinations of these two august bodies we now will have a capital city with no Irish-produced fully-staged opera season.
The philistines are at the gate! Shame, shame, shame! – Yours, etc,