Stanford's hilarious The Critic proves a Wexford knockout

The Critic

Ava Dodd (Tilburnia)

The Critic

By Andrew Larkin, 20 October 2024

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“allows the myriad of knowing self-referential nudges and winks without ever straying into farce”

Reviewed at National Opera House: O’Reilly Theatre, Wexford on 19 October 2024

Stanford, The Critic

Wexford Festival Opera

Ciaran McAulay, Conductor

Conor Hanratty, Director

John Comiskey, Set Designer

Massimo Carlotto, Costume Designer

Daniele Naldi, Lighting Designer

Orchestra of Wexford Festival Opera

Chorus of Wexford Festival Opera

Tony Brennan, Lord Burleigh

Rory Dunne, Governor of Tilbury Fort, Justice

Gyula Nagy, Earl of Leicester

Ben McAteer, Sir Walter Raleigh

Oliver Johnston, Sir Christopher Hatton

Ava Dodd, Tilburina

Meilir Jones, Master of the Horse, Constable

Dane Suarez, Don Ferolo Whiskerandos

Andrew Henley, Son

Hannah O'Brien, Confidant, First Niece

Carolyn Holt, Justice's Lady, Second Niece

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

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

Erlanger's L'Aube rouge a damp squib at Wexford Festival Opera

Andrew Larkin, 29th October

Erlanger's fractured and clichéd opera isn't helped by confused direction, although soprano Andreea Soare is nothing short of magnificent as the heroine.

**111

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Andrew Larkin

Andrew Larkin is a pianist, composer and teacher from Dublin. Educated at Dublin and at Cambridge, he has performed all around Europe and Mexico. He currently teaches piano and composition in Dublin.

Stanford's hilarious The Critic proves a Wexford Festival Opera knockout