Aix-en-Provence : Festival d’Aix en Provence — 30 Jun-19 Jul

The Festival International d’Art Lyrique d’Aix-en-Provence is the first France’s opera festival that takes place during the summer in Aix-en-Provence. The first festival was held in 1948 and it was founded by Countess Lily Pastre. Aix is seen as one of the most beautiful cities in France, that is why it is a best place for the festival, as apart from enjoying opera, guests can experience beauty of this city.

Festival lasts for free weeks and consists of 6 different opera productions and diverse concerts. These performances take place in different locations around the city, such as the Grand Théâtre de Provence, the Théâtre du Grand Saint-Jean, the Théâtre de l’Archevêché and other. Many grand opera stars took a part in this festival , including Montserrat Caballe, Jose Carreras, Marilyn Horne. Today, festival is visited by Anna Netrebko, Karita Mattel and Sir Simon Rattle. Compare to other music festivals, these one is young. In 2008 it celebrated it only 60th anniversary.

Summer 2016:

Grand Théâtre de Provence, Aix-en-Provence
France’s leading lyric festival provides three weeks of music making in the open air, in and around the historic buildings of Aix, and in the new Grand Théâtre de Provence

Così fan tutte Mozart. Lenneke Ruiten (Fiordiligi), Kate Lindsey (Dorabella), Sandrine Piau (Despina), Joel Prieto (Ferrando), Nahuel Di Pierro (Guglielmo), Rod Gilfry (Don Alfonso), C Louis Langrée / Jérémie Rhorer, D Christophe Honoré. Théâtre de l’Archevêché: Thu 30 Jun, Sat 2, Tue 5, Fri 8, Mon 11, Wed 13, Fri 15, Sun 17, Tue 19 Jul

Kalîla wa Dimna Adwan. Libretto: Fady Jomar, Catherine Verlaguet, after the 8th century fable. NN (Kalîla), Moneim Adwan (Dimna), Mohamed Jebali (Le Roi), Reem Talhami (La Mère du Roi), Jean Chahid (Chatraba), C Zied Zouari, D Olivier Letellier. Bois de l’Aune: Fri 1, Sat 2 Jul ◊ Conservatoire Darius Milhaud, Auditorium: Wed 6, Fri 8, Sun 10, Tue 12, Sat 16, Sun 17 Jul

Il trionfo del tempo e del disinganno Handel. Sabine Devieilhe (Bellezza), Franco Fagioli (Piacere), Sara Mingardo (Disinganno), Michael Spyres (Tempo), C Emmanuelle Haïm, D Krzysztof Warlikowski. Théâtre de l’Archevêché: Fri 1, Mon 4, Wed 6, Sat 9, Tue 12, Thu 14 Jul

Pelléas et Mélisande Debussy. Stéphane Degout (Pelléas), Barbara Hannigan (Mélisande), Laurent Naouri (Golaud), Franz-Josef Selig (Arkel), Sylvie Brunet-Grupposo (Geneviève), Chloé Briot (Yniold), Thomas Dear (Le Médecin), C Esa-Pekka Salonen, D Katie Mitchell. Grand Théâtre de Provence: Sat 2, Mon 4, Thu 7, Wed 13, Sat 16 July

Oedipus rex Stravinsky. Joseph Kaiser (Œdipe Roi), Violeta Urmana (Jocaste), Willard White (Créon/ Tirésias/ Le Messager), Joshua Stewart (Le Berger), Pauline Cheviller (Antigone), C Esa-Pekka Salonen, D Peter Sellars. Grand Théâtre de Provence: Fri 15, Sun 17 July

Zoroastre Rameau. Reinoud Van Mechelen (Zoroastre), Nicolas Courjal (Abramane), Katherine Watson (Amélite), Emmanuelle de Negri (Erenice), Christian Immler (Zopire), Léa Desandre (Céphie), C Raphaël Pichon. Grand Théâtre de Provence: Mon 18c July

Présentation du Festival d’Aix-en-Provence:

Le Festival d’art lyrique d’Aix-en-Provence 2016:

Tips:

• The main director of the festival is Bernard Foccroulle.
• Last year, due to the crisis, festival did’t have any premieres. This year it will premiere The Monster in the Maze, by Jonathan Dove.
• Ticket price is around 130 euros.
• Visitors under age of 30 can get Le PASS and have free access to almost 50 events.

Festival International d’Art Lyrique d’Aix-en-Provence

13100 Aix-en-Provence

France

Box Tel.: +33 (442) 17 34 34

Fax: +33 (442) 63 13 74

Web: www.festival-aix.com