Staging sorcery: Dvořák's Armida played straight in Wexford

Jozef Benci (King Hydraot) and Jennifer Davis (Armida)

Jan Hynk (Petr), Gerard Schneider (Rinald) and Chorus of Wexford Festival Opera

Stanislav Kuflyuk (Ismen)

Jennifer Davis (Armida) and Gerard Schneider (Rinald)

Thomas Birch (Roger), Josef Kovačič (Ubald), Chris Mosz (Dudo) and Andrii Kharlamov (Gernand)

By Roy Westbrook, 24 October 2022

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“Contemporary composers will now be re-reading their Tasso or Tolkein and commissioning Schörghofer”

Reviewed at National Opera House: O’Reilly Theatre, Wexford on 23 October 2022

Dvořák, Armida

Wexford Festival Opera

Norbert Baxa, Conductor

Hartmut Schörghofer, Director, Set Designer, Costume Designer

DM Wood, Lighting Designer

Orchestra of Wexford Festival Opera

Chorus of Wexford Festival Opera

Raffaele Acquaviva, Video

Jozef Benci, King Hydraot of Damascus

Jennifer Davis, Armida

Gerard Schneider, Rinald

Stanislaw Kuflyuk, Ismen

Jan Hnyk, Petr

Rory Dunne, Bohumir

Seán Boylan, Muezin

Josef Moravec, Sven

Andrii Kharlamov, Gernand

Josef Kovačič, Ubald

Libuse Santorisova, Siren, Nymph

Chris Mosz, Dudo

Thomas Birch, Roger

Delius’ The Magic Fountain disappoints at Wexford

Eleanor Knight, 19th October

Frederick Delius' gigantic score is worth a listen but Christopher Luscombe doesn’t circumvent the problems of directing this opera in 2025.

**111

Handel’s Deidamia a triumph for Wexford Festival Opera

Eleanor Knight, 18th October

A rare opportunity to see Handel’s final operatic work, Deidamia, conducted – and staged – by George Petrou at Wexford Festival Opera.

*****

Spanish Civil War Trouvère opens Wexford Festival Opera

Eleanor Knight, 17th October

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

***11

Orpha Phelan delivers farcical Donizetti at the Wexford Festival Opera

Andrew Larkin, 20th October

Superlative singing, hilarious antics and an energetic production make Donizetti's Le Convenience ed inconvenience an exhilarating success.

****1

Stanford's hilarious The Critic proves a Wexford knockout

Andrew Larkin, 19th October

Conor Hanratty's humorous production is a triumph from beginning to end, a must see at this year's Wexford Festival.

*****

Mascagni's Le maschere struggles to take flight in Wexford opener

Andrew Larkin, 18th October

Excellent singing, an amusing production and lively staging showcases Mascagni's Le maschere in the best possible light at Wexford Festival Opera.

***11

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Roy Westbrook

Roy Westbrook gained a diploma in music history at London University (Morley College) and was for some years the head of music day schools at Oxford University, where he also led music summer schools. After some years leading the University's business school he has returned to music teaching and writing, and recently took part in the Arts in Residence courses on Bruckner, Mahler and Bach He is co-author (with Terry Barfoot) of a history of opera, and has taught day schools on Sibelius in Oxford and elsewhere.

Staging sorcery: Dvořák's Armida played straight in fine Wexford production