Performer: Luca Gallo

The 74th Wexford Opera Festival opens with the French revision of Il trovatore that Verdi reforged for the Paris Opera. 

The Comunale had teamed up with Bologna's basketball team Virtus to create a 50%-off ticket deal aimed at drawing new audiences. The subject matter of this opera might not seem the most immediately accessible, but this was playing to capture the imaginations of opera newbies.

Juan Diego Flórez plays the role for the first time on stage and it's a vocal triumph 

A pure and intense evening of music, which deserved the warm ovation of the audience at the end of the execution.