Wexford Festival Opera Announces Major Partnership with British Airways Ahead of 75th Anniversary

Ahead of its landmark 75th anniversary Festival in October, Wexford Festival Opera is delighted to announce a new partnership with the airline, British Airways.

Under this new partnership, British Airways will be the Festival’s official airline and production sponsor for Mascagni’s Iris, the highly anticipated production that will open the 2026 Festival on 15th October in Wexford’s National Opera House. Beyond the stage, British Airways will also support the Festival’s learning and engagement programmes.
 
Wexford Festival Opera celebrates its 75th Anniversary with a spectacular programme of world-class performances that will burst out onto the stage and into the streets of Wexford from 15 – 31 October. Since the first ‘Festival of Music and the Arts’ took place in Wexford, Ireland in October 1951, Wexford Festival Opera has grown into one of the world’s leading opera festivals. Through this partnership, Wexford Festival Opera and British Airways affirm a joint commitment to artistic excellence, and to providing access to transformative educational opportunities for young people, students, and emerging artists throughout the 2026 season and beyond.

Executive Director of Wexford Festival Opera, Suzanne Nance said: “We are delighted to welcome British Airways as the Festival’s Official Airline and Production Sponsor in this landmark 75th anniversary year. Each October, Wexford more than doubles in size as we welcome artists and audiences from across the globe, all drawn to Ireland by the power of extraordinary opera and storytelling. This partnership will help us continue to create unforgettable artistic experiences while supporting the singers, musicians, technicians, craftspeople, and young artists whose talent and dedication bring the Festival to life. We are deeply grateful to British Airways for investing in the future of Wexford Festival Opera.”

British Airways’ Director of Marketing, Hamish McVey said: “We’re proud to support Wexford Festival Opera through a partnership built on a shared commitment of championing the arts and providing transformative educational opportunities for young people, students and emerging artists ahead of its 75th anniversary. We’re excited to help connect audiences with this iconic cultural event and look forward to supporting its continued success.”

British Airways will be the lead production sponsor for Pietro Mascagni’s Iris, which is Wexford Festival Opera’s opening mainstage production. Iris is directed by the Festival’s Artistic Director, Rosetta Cucchi, and its cast features both established and rising stars including Leyla Gu as Iris, Jihoon Kim as Il Cieco, and internationally renowned tenor Joseph Calleja – who first graced the Wexford stage in 1998 at the start of his career – as Osaka.

British Airways will also provide crucial support for Wexford Festival Opera’s education and community engagement programme, helping to advance music education in Ireland and nurture the stars of tomorrow. Wexford Festival Opera offers programmes for primary and secondary school pupils as well as members of the local Wexford community through its initiatives: Let’s Sing Together (free workshops in local schools, building confidence and creativity in children), Let’s Work Together (practical workshops for Transition Year students, providing a comprehensive understanding of the industry and creative process), and Let’s Create Together (a Community Opera inviting Wexford residents to perform onstage alongside professionals, helping address the nationwide epidemic of isolation).

British Airways’ support of Wexford Festival Opera fits into its larger commitment to supporting the arts, culture, and arts education in Britain and beyond; other partnerships include London’s new Olympia entertainment venue and The BRIT School for Performing and Creative Arts.