Wexford Festival Opera is planning a further major expansion of its premises after acquiring a large site beside the existing Theatre Royal in High Street, Wexford, it was announced last night.
The site currently houses the People newspaper group, which is moving to new premises within 12 months. The purchase represents the biggest investment by the festival company in its 46-year history.
Mr Jerome Hynes, the festival's director, said that in addition to the development of new facilities for performers and audiences, consideration would be given to other artistic activities.
"The recent success of the festival in doubling capacity in the late 1980s and early 1990s and achieving now on a regular basis 100 per cent occupancy indicates that there is room for further growth."
He said the organisation had looked carefully at a number of options to develop the festival and had always believed that an extension to the existing property in High Street was the most attractive.
"This exciting acquisition allows us to achieve that aim", Mr Hynes said, adding that work would begin shortly on the design of the project and on a major fund-raising campaign.
The site of 10,000 square feet now acquired by the company backs onto the existing Theatre Royal, which has long been prized by opera-lovers for the intimacy of its relatively small auditorium.
The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Ms de Valera, welcomed the news from Wexford, saying that it presented "exciting opportunities for one of Ireland's most important arts organisations."
Ms Patricia Quinn, director of the Arts Council, also applauded the company's initiative in embarking on a "remarkable and far-reaching development" which would benefit the performing arts and Wexford's cultural and economic life.
