Six Things to Avoid at the Wexford Opera Festival
I’m just home from this year’s Wexford Opera Festival and had yet another memorable experience there. If you haven’t been already then put it on the to-do list for next year.
So when you get there, here’s some things to avoid to help make your trip as enjoyable as possible:
- Casual clothes: going to the opera means dressing appropriately. You’ll need evening wear – tux for the men and evening dress for the women. And what a wonderful opportunity to get dressed up. Embrace the opportunity and go all out!
- Taxis: I stayed in the Maldron Hotel and ordered a taxi into town for 7.20pm. At 7.45 my taxi still hadn’t arrived. I ended up having to take my own car and nearly missed the beginning of the opera. My taxi driver’s excuse? The people who ordered the taxi after me were there before me and he brought them instead! A bit like a ‘the-dog-ate-my-homework’ excuse. So check that your taxi’s reliable.
- St. John’s B&B. Ireland.com describes this B&B as ‘a lovely, comfortable and friendly house situated in the town centre.’ Only one part of this statement is true. It is situated in the centre of town and as far as location in relation to the opera house goes it’s unbeatable. But the rest certainly isn’t true. This house was decorated in the early 1970s and hasn’t been updated much since. The bed was the lumpiest I’ve ever slept on when I stayed there last year and I had to search for a position in the bed where a spring was not digging into me. The owner is distinctly unfriendly so Ireland.com must have mixed it up with somewhere else.
- Parking: parking is an elusive thing in Wexford. Street parking is impossible so I ended up in a small car park adjacent to the Dunnes Stores car park for the day on Saturday. It had the advantage of being cheap at €3.50 for the full day but I wouldn’t like to walk back there at night (a bit on the dodgy side) and it doesn’t really look like a car park with the potholed surface and back alley entrance.
- Circle Box C or F: ‘Restricted View’ in these boxes actually means no view. I didn’t see any of the opera singers in the first half of the opera. They stubbornly stayed in my blind spot throughout. Directors take note: move the actors around the stage! Best to get a seat somewhere else in this otherwise fabulous theatre.
- Going home too early: don’t think that just because the opera has ended that your night is over. Follow the crowd to White’s Hotel afterwards for Champagne supper and live jazz.
Photo taken from: http://www.marlfieldhouse.com/2013-wexford-opera-festival-and-marlfield-house/
Great review Irene. Parking is a nightmare in Wexford. Great to hear that the night does not end after the opera.
Thanks Siobhan! Yep parking is certainly a nightmare but it doesn’t take from the fact that Wexford is a great place to visit : )
Great pointers Irene as I hope to visit the opera in Wexford soon and I shall make sure to take your advice regarding parking, where to stay and seating plan.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, Sinead. It’s a wonderful event. The best place to stay is Whites Hotel. Great place with good food, excellent service and the location can’t be beaten.