The 60th season Wexford Festival Opera 2011 will kick off with La Cour de Célimène by Ambroise Thomas, a show that has not been seen since 1855
Friday, October 21 - Saturday, November 5, 2011
La cour de Célimène opéra comique (1855) by Ambroise Thomas (1811 - 1896)
Friday 21st, Thurs 27th, Sun 30th Oct, and Thurs 3rd Nov 2011: 20:00
The conductor is Carlos Izcaray (he conducted ‘Virginia' in 2010). It will be directed by Stephen Barlow, and the designer is Paul Edwards. The opera was recorded in 2008 for Opera Rara. This creative team will mount a new production of ‘Carmen' at St Louis in 2012. Stephen Barlow directed ‘Don Pasquale' at Opera Holland Park this summer.
Maria (1903) by Roman Statkowski (1859 - 1925)
Saturday 22nd, Friday 28th Oct & Fri 4th Nov 2011 : 20:00: Mon 31st October : 17:00
The conductor is Tomasz Tokarczyk. It will be directed by Michael Gieleta (he directed ‘Hubicka' in 2010), the design is by James McNamara who designed ‘Hubicka' with costumes by Fabio Toblini. Michael Gieleta will direct ‘The Magic Flute' conductor Jane Glover for the Chicago Opera Theater in September 2012.
Gianni di Parigi (1839) by Gaetano Donizetti (1797 - 1848)
Sunday 23rd Oct: 17:00 Sat 29th Oct, Wed 2nd & Sat 5th November 2011 20:00
The conductor is Giacamo Sagripanti. It will be directed by Federico Grazzini, with design by
Tiziano Santi and costumes by Valeria Donata Bettella. This production was seen at Martina Franca in July 2010. The lighting designer for all three operas is Declan Randall.
Shortworks
The directors are Michael Shell, Roberto Recchia & Rosetta Cucchi with design
by Kate Guinness.
Singers who have performed at Wexford include Juan Diego Florez, Lesley Garrett, Dame Janet Baker, Mirella Freni, Anita Dobson, Ugo Benelli, Ann Murray, Philip Langridge. Raúl Gimenéz.
Conductors include Vladimir Jurowski, Alexander Anissimov, Sir Charles Mackerras, John Pritchard, Yan Pascal Tortelier and Maurizio Benini.
Directors who have worked at Wexford include Francesca Zambello, Nicholas Hytner, Lucio Dalla, John Copley, Graham Vick, Robert Carsen and Siegfried Wagner.
Artistic Director of Wexford Festival Opera, David Agler said, "As is our custom, the season will contain three operas which, in our opinion, are neglected and need to be heard and seen. First of the 3 operas is, ‘La cour de Célimene', an opera-comique, by the composer of ‘Mignon' and ‘Hamlet', Ambroise Thomas; a work, immensely successful in its day, now fallen by the wayside. We will also produce ‘Maria', by the Polish composer Roman Statkowski, written in 1903. This magnificent composition is strangely ignored even in his native Poland. And in honour of our 60th season, we will make use of the most popular of Wexford's composers, Gaetano Donizetti and produce his 1839 melodrama ‘Gianni di Parigi'. This opera will be the 15th Donizetti opera to be seen at Wexford".
La cour de Céliméne (1855) by Ambroise Thomas
