Wexford Opera in Concert

Since its founding in 1951 the Wexford Festival Opera has served as a home for lost operas, breathing new life into works that have long been gathering dust on the shelves. Although I have never been over to see the festival for myself, I have been a strong supporter of the concept and have enjoyed the tales of friends who did go and sometimes experienced its characteristically Irish organisation. In recent years it has boasted a new theatre, which has raised the professional bar for productions, though it always had a reputation for finding and nurturing new musical talent. There are many Friends of Wexford Festival Opera in the UK and there have been annual concert performances in London, but tonight’s was the first to be held in the prestigious St John’s, Smith Square, with its imposing surroundings and superb acoustics. This was doubling fitting as Ireland currently presides over the European Union and the headquarters of the European Commission Representation in the UK and European Parliament are also in Smith Square, at Europe House. Small wonder that the concert and its pre-reception were packed. In keeping with the Wexford informal spirit, there was no programme for the evening’s concert and at times it was difficult to make out what the very gifted pianist/repetiteur and in effect compere of the evening, Rosetta Cucchi, was announcing. But the music, with her on piano and the tenor Daniel Szeili and soprano Mariangela Sicilia singing, was splendid. Ms Sicilia merits special mention as she has one of the most powerful and affecting voices I have heard for quite a long time and deserves wide acclaim.

Link: http://wexfordopera.com