The Wexford Festival Opera is marking its 75th anniversary with a special lineup of performances, many of which are rarely seen on stage today. The festival, which began in 1947, is known for presenting a mix of classic and lesser-known operas. This year's lineup includes Iris by Pietro Mascagni, a moving opera with a libretto by Luigi Illica. Directed by Francesco Cilluffo and staged by Rosetta Cucchi, who has been the festival's artistic director since 2020, the production features soprano Leyla Gu as the innocent Iris and tenor Joseph Calleja as her wealthy seducer Osaka. Another highlight is L'Equivoco Stravagante by Gioachino Rossini, a work first revived by the festival in 1968. After a global audience vote, the opera will return this year. Originally censored for its perceived immorality, it is described as a "delirious opera" by critic Emilio Sagi. The production will be conducted by Riccardo Bisatti and directed by Max Hoehn, with a cast including Maria Bakarova and Stefan Astakhov. The festival will also present Le Joueur by Sergei Prokofiev, an intense and satirical opera that explores themes of obsession and power. Conducted by Valentin Uryupin and directed by Ivan Popovsky, the production features Igor Onishchenko and Taras Prysiazhniuk alternating as Alexei, a young tutor in love with Polina, played by Sophie Gordeladze. The anniversary celebrations will also include a special recital titled "Croí na Féile," meaning "heart of the festival" or "heart of generosity." This event will feature performances by renowned singers such as Ermonela Jaho, Daniela Barcellona, Joseph Calleja, and Giorgi Manoshvili, performing works by composers including Verdi, Puccini, Bizet, and Rossini, under the direction of Daniele Callegari. In addition to the live performances, the festival will offer radio and streaming broadcasts of several operas and concerts. These include I Puritani by Vincenzo Bellini, La Clemenza di Tito by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Oedipus Rex by Igor Stravinsky, among others. The broadcasts will be available on various platforms, including radio stations, streaming services, and television channels, with specific dates and times provided for each performance. The festival's 75th-anniversary concert, Croí na Féile, will also be streamed, along with other notable works such as Le Joueur by Prokofiev and Iris by Mascagni. This wide range of performances aims to make the festival accessible to audiences around the world, celebrating its long history and continued relevance in the world of opera.