The opera was live streamed internationally last October on RTE’s digital culture platform RTÉ.ie/Culture. This collaboration between RTÉ and ARTE (www.arte.tv/opera) to give audiences another chance to enjoy this outstanding production is part of a pan-European public-service initiative which sets out to promote European culture by offering European cultural content and events on-demand and free-of-charge to audiences worldwide on the digital platforms of partner broadcasters.

Saverio Mercadante was one of the composers to heavily inspire a then unknown young Giuseppe Verdi. Il bravo (The Assassin) is an old tale set in 16th-century Venice about a man who had long ago killed his wife in a fit of jealousy. Unjustly accused of plotting against the state, he has been forced by the Council of Ten to become their secret hired assassin.

The production ( Il bravo) features the vocal talents of Ekaterina Bakanova, Alessandro Luciano, Rubens Pelizzari, Yasko Sato, Gustavo Castillo and Simon Mechlinksi among others. The opera was directed and designed by the duo of Barbe & Doucet. Jonathan Brandani conducts the Wexford Festival Orchestra.

From the outset, Wexford Festival Opera has set itself apart with a bold and unique vision: to introduce audiences to the 'Hidden Gems' of the opera-world by staging rarely performed operas to the highest artistic quality. Named ‘Best Festival’ at the 2017 International Opera Awards, it is a vision to which the Festival has held fast for 68 years and one that continues to give Wexford Festival Opera its distinctive character.

Tickets for this year’s Festival are now on sale and can be purchased online 24/7 at www.wexfordopera.com.