Chinese New Year of the Horse Celebrations in Wexford

Wexford County Council in partnership with the Chinese Embassy in Ireland is delighted to mark the Chinese New Year of the Horse Celebrations 2026 in Ireland, with a special performance of the highly renowned Zhejiang Wu Opera Troupe on Wednesday 18th February at 7.30 pm in the National Opera House’s O‘Reilly Theatre in Wexford.

Wu Opera is a vibrant ancient Chinese opera style from Zhejiang province in eastern China, known for its blend of singing, acting, martial arts, acrobatics, stunning costumes and face- changing techniques. It makes for a visually spectacular and culturally rich performance, with over 500 years of history, captivating audiences globally while embracing modern technology for new audiences.

The Zhejiang Wu Opera Troupe comprises over 30 performers who are travelling from China to Ireland to mark the Chinese New Year Celebrations in Dublin and Wexford in 2026. This is the first time this internationally recognised Zhejiang Wu Opera Troupe will have performed in Ireland outside of Dublin. Having opened in the National Concert Hall Dublin on Monday 16th February, the 30 strong troupe will then travel to Wexford to perform in the National Opera House on Wednesday 18th February at 7.30pm.

The show will include excerpts from a selection of traditional Wu Operas, adapted from ancient Chinese Mythology, showcasing highly skilled singing, acrobatics, visually spectacular costumes, and traditional Chinese music combined with operatic movements.

This special one-off event for Wexford to mark the Chinese New Year is being offered for free and prebooking in advance is essential through the National Opera House Box office. 

This Chinese New Year celebration in the National Opera House is supported by the Chinese Embassy in Ireland, Wexford County Council and the Irish-Chinese Cultural Exchange Society.