75th Wexford Festival Opera Officially Underway Following Spectacular Fireworks Display

The 75th Wexford Festival Opera is officially underway following a spectacular opening ceremony and fireworks display over Wexford Harbour last night.

Thousands gathered along Wexford's Quays to celebrate the landmark anniversary, with the festival formally opened by Anna Murphy, winner of RTÉ's The Traitors, whose father is originally from Wexford.

The celebrations mark 75 years since Dr Tom Walsh founded the festival in 1951, transforming what was then a small town into an internationally recognised destination for opera.

Festival Chairman Paul Cleary has paid tribute to the extraordinary vision of Dr Walsh, describing him as a man who was decades ahead of his time.

He said the founder deliberately chose to stage lesser-known operas rather than familiar productions, adopting the philosophy of giving audiences not necessarily what they wanted, but what they might like.

That approach has remained central to the festival's identity over the past 75 years.

This year's anniversary programme revisits three operas previously performed at Wexford, including Mascagni's Iris, Rossini's L'equivoco stravagante and Prokofiev's The Gambler.

A special anniversary gala, Croí na Féile, will also welcome internationally acclaimed singers with connections to the festival back to Wexford.

Another highlight is The First Festival, a new opera featuring a libretto by acclaimed Wexford author Colm Tóibín, set against the excitement surrounding the inaugural festival in 1951.

Mr Cleary also paid particular tribute to generations of volunteers, describing them as the backbone of Wexford Festival Opera.

He recalled how Dr Walsh once corrected somebody who referred to those helping with the festival as amateurs, insisting they were volunteers.

Mr Cleary said people from all walks of life have given their time, skills and dedication to the festival over seven and a half decades, and its continued success would not have been possible without them.

Alongside the main productions, the anniversary celebrations feature lunchtime concerts, short operas, pop-up performances around Wexford Town and the return of the traditional Opera Train.

The 75th Wexford Festival Opera continues until October 31st.