2026 VOICE RESIDENCY

22 JUNE – 9 JULY 2026

Residency open to singers and pianists vocal coaches in career development.

For over 25 years, the Académie du Festival d'Aix has been committed to nurturing a new generation of artists, by creating inspiring residencies that combine tradition and innovation. Lyric art, the genesis of opera, is one of its special features. The Académie creates a space for international artists to develop their careers, through encounters with recognized voice masters. 

The Voice residency 2026 pursues the objectives of its predecessors, reinforcing the role of musical dramaturgy and vocal coaching in the profession of singers and pianists. Straddling the period between the end of rehearsals for scheduled productions and the opening week of the 78th Festival d'Aix, the Voice residency 2026 gives artists unique visibility in a stimulating setting, punctuated by unique artistic and inter-professional encounters.

Darrell Babidge, professor of voice and Chair of Voice faculty at New York's Juilliard School of Music, will supervise this residency for the fourth consecutive time, offering the artists his attentiveness, expertise and humanity.

"A leading figure on the international opera scene, German soprano Dorothea Röschmann is joining the Academy for the first time to teach lied. Her experience in major roles by Mozart, Strauss and Wagner, her commitment to lied and her concert career make her a sought-after teacher, capable of guiding young singers in exploring their own artistic sensibilities."

A leading figure on the Baroque scene and a regular at the Festival d'Aix, harpsichordist, conductor, choir director and composer Leonardo García-Alarcón joins the Academy this year to share his in-depth knowledge of the repertoire and his interpretative genius. The final concert, dedicated to Handel and his contemporaries, will be prepared in collaboration with Leonardo García-Alarcón and his ensemble Cappella Mediterranea. 

Participation in the 2026 Voice Residency will include a series of private and public activities, including masterclasses, two concerts in the Aix programme in June, a concert in the region, participation in musical events organised in conjunction with the Festival's Passerelles service, and a closing concert with an orchestra. Each concert will focus on a particular repertoire: great opera arias, lieder, Handel in all his European facets. 

The Voice Residency is supported by Société Générale Foundation main corporate patron, Engie Foundation  Adami, Caisse des Dépôts mécénat

DATES

From 22 June to 9 July 2026

DESCRIPTION

— Vocal training by  par Darrell Babidge
— Work on 3 concert programs, including one with orchestra.

Some work sessions (mostly in English) will be open to the public.
The residency will give rise to concerts and public events in June, in and around Aix-en-Provence. Educational events will be organized in conjunction with the Festival d'Aix's Passerelles department.

MENTORS ARTISTS