LINDSAY ARMSTRONG,
Madam, - Reading the reviews of the Wexford Opera Festival in your editions of October 21st and 22nd makes me very angry.
I must register a solemn protest against the festival's policy of employing so much outside artistic talent to the insulting detriment of our own musicians and artists.
The Wexford Festival is a large, one-way import depot: imported artistic director, imported conductors, imported soloists, imported stage, lighting and costume designers, imported chorus, imported orchestra!
The only item not imported is, of course, the hundreds of thousands of euro in Irish taxpayers' money, given to the festival, courtesy of the Arts Council.
Where else but in Ireland could it happen? The artistic policy of the festival is a "thundering disgrace" and it is high time that something was done about it. - Yours, etc.,
LINDSAY ARMSTRONG,
Managing/Artistic Director,
Orchestra of St Cecilia,
Bass Place,
Dublin 2.