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WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA

The National Opera House and Wexford Festival Opera

Since the middle of the last Minister for Arts, Heritage and the 759-seat O’Reilly Theatre
century, Wexford Festival Opera the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys which can be extended to an
has been recognised as one of TD said that the designation 855-seat capacity, and the versatile
Ireland’s cultural highlights. was “in recognition of Wexford’s 176-seat Jerome Hynes Theatre,
It has become a beacon of position as the home of Ireland’s along with numerous meeting and
excellence whose light is felt only custom-built opera house”. hospitality facilities, a café, and
internationally on an annual The designation announced by bars.
basis thanks to the consistent the Minister means Ireland takes The main auditorium is walnut-
quality of its offering. Now its place among Europe’s great lined for acoustic purposes, and
awarded with the title of ‘Best nations with its own specific opera designed to remind the visitor
Festival in the world’ it is no house. Chief Executive David of the interior of a stringed
surprise that the festival is McLoughlin said in the wake of instrument, while the sight-lines,
booked out each season.
the announcement that official layout, flexibility and facilities
ABOVE: The state-of-the-art opera house recognition of the venue “will are all aimed at optimising
Scenes from building was opened in 2008, help secure a legacy in opera in the experience for viewers and
Wexford Festival following government investment Ireland for generations to come, performers alike.
Opera
of over €27 million, as a fitting but perhaps more importantly The venue is a fantastic focal
home for the award-winning deservedly recognises the State’s point of Wexford’s attractive
Festival Opera, as well as an previous significant investment town centre streets, although new
all-year-round multi-disciplinary in the creation of what has been visitors to the area may at first
performance art-form theatre. It internationally acclaimed as ‘the not be aware of its existence, as it
has recently been granted further best small opera house in the is located on a narrow residential
official recognition by being world’.” street in the centre of the former
designated Ireland’s National The National Opera House Viking town.
Opera House.
contains two performance spaces:

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