The 45th Waterford International Festival Of Light Opera will be officially launched tonight by the Ambassador of Canada.
His Excellency Mark J. Moher, accompanied by his wife Jean, will see the Belfast Operatic Company perform Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore at the Theatre Royal.
This is the first of 15 shows by operatic and musical theatre companies from across Ireland, the UK, Europe and as far as field as Canada.
The festival adjudicator for the second year in a row is Welsh-born Gillian Humphreys, a former principal soprano with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and the founder and artistic director of Concordia Theatre Company.
All 15 shows are competing for the coveted Waterford Crystal International Trophy, which will be presented at the end of the festival on Sunday, October 5th.
