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Keith Williams Architects has been appointed to work
on the design of a new opera house for the world
famous Irish opera festival. The practice will work
in association with the architectural team at the
Office of Public Works in Dublin.
The €30 million project, which received final
ministerial funding approval in December, is
scheduled to start on site in summer 2006, and will
be finished in time for the autumn season 2008.
The new building has been conceived as a secret
opera house, nestling into the backlands within
Wexford’s Medieval street pattern, and will replace
the existing Festival Theatre currently on the site.
Facilities in the new 7,000 sqm theatre will
include a 750 seat state of the art auditorium
specifically designed for opera, (a 36% increase in
current capacity of 550 seats). The new auditorium
will also have adjustable configuration to a smaller
capacity of 430 out of season.
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