Delius: Koanga ***
Wexford Festival Opera, 21st October 2015
If Waterford is famous for crystal, Wexford is renowned for opera. Sadly, Waterford Crystal was a victim of the recession but, along Ireland’s south-east coast, Wexford Festival Opera continues to trade, dealing in operatic rarities. Each year three operas are presented in Ireland’s National Opera House and the chances are that they will be unfamiliar – even to the aficionados who descend upon the town like hungry seagulls on the quayside. The only La bohème you’d find here would be Leoncavallo’s. This year’s festival opened with Frederick Delius’ Koanga – a tricky piece to get right, but director Michael Gielata largely succeeded.
Norman Garrett (Koanga)
© Clive Barda
Read the full review on Bachtrack.