Madam, - There was a tedious sense of déjà vu about your Editorial of August 9th on Wexford Festival Opera. The sentiments have been recycled many times in your newspaper by your music critic Michael Dervan, especially since the 2001 decision to dispense with the services of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra.
Having attended almost every opera in Wexford for 13 years (37 productions) I disagree that "the drop in orchestral standards has been an embarrassment". But, if so, to whom? To Michael Dervan, perhaps. Certainly not to the ticket-buying public which has given the festival a booking occupancy of almost 97 per cent during the tenure of artistic director Luigi Ferrari.
Tastes will vary. Gus Smith wrote of the 1999 festival: "It was one of those festivals where the critics disagreed so strongly that one wondered if everybody was at the same production."
Your Editorial suggests that the task facing Wexford is to procure a relationship of respect with the musical profession in Ireland - in other words, bring back the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. But why? Because the musicians are Irish?
You suggest an umbilical cord between the nurturing of Irish musicians and the presentation of first-class musical experiences, which is nonsense. A "Buy Irish only" policy has never been the festival's remit, nor does such cultural insularity exist in opera in London, Paris or Milan.
Your Editorial refers to a "well publicised" protest by the Musicians' Union of Ireland last October; it was well publicised by The Irish Times which, alone, put the story on its front page.
You appear to decry the €800,000 subsidy to an 18-day festival with 64 performances, even though it is less than the handout to the Rose of Tralee Festival, a three-day event where, if I am not mistaken, most of the participants are not Irish. Gosh.
Wexford is the only festival in the country where 40 per cent of total income is derived from the box office; Wexford pays its way, and has done so for half a century. Almost 40 per cent of this year's attendance will travel from abroad and stay in Wexford for three days.
The contribution to the local economy is incalculable, as would be the damage to Wexford if the sentiments of your Editorial were translated into reality. - Yours, etc.,
TOM MOONEY,
Ballybeg,
Screen,
Co Wexford.