▁first ▁permanent ▁staff — an ▁Administr ator , ▁Art istic ▁Director ▁and ▁Ch orus ▁Master . ▁ ▁The ▁volunte er ▁amateur ▁ch orus ▁was ▁given ▁a ▁professional ▁" core " ▁through ▁a ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁National ▁Chamber ▁Ch oir ▁of ▁Ireland . ▁The ▁British ▁theatre ▁and ▁opera ▁director ▁Michael ▁McC af fer y ▁was ▁appointed ▁the ▁company ' s ▁first ▁Art istic ▁Director ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁and ▁the ▁company ▁continued ▁present ing ▁two ▁one - week ▁seasons ▁each ▁year ▁with ▁two ▁produ ctions ▁each ▁season . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Michael ▁Der van , ▁the ▁music ▁critic ▁of ▁The ▁Irish ▁Times , ▁under ▁Michael ▁McC af fer y , ▁there ▁were ▁immediate ▁and ▁major ▁improvements ▁in ▁production ▁values . ▁However , ▁McC af fer y ▁res igned ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁without ▁comple ting ▁his ▁full ▁contract . ▁His ▁successor , ▁Kenneth ▁Richard son , ▁last ed ▁for ▁only ▁two ▁seasons . ▁Richard son ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁Ela ine ▁Pad more ▁who ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁Art istic ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁W ex ford ▁Festival . ▁When ▁she ▁depart ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁to ▁become ▁Art istic ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Dan ish ▁Opera , ▁Dor othe a ▁Gl att ▁took ▁over . ▁Gl att ▁combined ▁her ▁post ▁at ▁D G OS ▁with ▁her ▁on going ▁work ▁as ▁the ▁assistant ▁to ▁Wolfgang ▁Wagner ▁at ▁the ▁Bay re uth ▁Festival . ▁Her ▁ten ure ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁particularly ▁successful ▁one ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9