2027 CHOIR RESIDENCY | Festival d’Aix—en—Provence

22 MAY — 20 JULY, 2027

This residency is open to singers seeking to refine their choral skills.

For nearly 30 years, the Académie du Festival d'Aix has been committed to serving as the foundation for a new generation of artists by creating inspiring residency opportunities that bridge tradition and innovation. Lyric art—the origin of opera—is one of its hallmarks. The Academy gives international artists the opportunity to work and develop their careers alongside renowned vocal masters.

With this new residency, the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence aims to make the choir a central part of its outreach initiative and to guide a new generation of artists toward the contemporary challenges of the profession. Combining immersion in opera productions, collective practice, and exploration of diverse repertoires, the program offers a unique space for professional development and experimentation. In this way, it transforms the choir into a hub for the creation, transmission, and renewal of opera.

The new Choir Residency invites 12 guest singers to participate in two productions as part of the 2027 edition of the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence

Production 1 (18th-century repertoire): 12 singers (total: 12)
Production 2 (19th-century repertoire): 4 singers (selected from the 12), performing “side by side” with a professional opera chorus (total number of singers: 35)

The artists will be offered an employment contract and will be compensated accordingly under the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

In addition to participating in the productions, the 12 singers of the in-residence choir will work on an a cappella program (ranging from early to contemporary music), drawing on a range of vocal techniques suited to the repertoire. The singers will have the opportunity to present this work during a concert and at off-site events.

The 2027 Choir Residency will also includes a series of activities, such as musical events organized with the Festival's Passerelles program.

The program also includes workshops on career management, artists' rights, and physical and mental preparation.

The Voice Residency receives support from the Fondation Société Générale its main sponsor.

MENTORING ARTISTS

Richard Wilberforce, a British-born choir director, countertenor, and composer, trained at the University of Cambridge and the Royal College of Music. As the director of the Jeune Chœur de Paris, the Ensemble vocal de la Maîtrise de Paris, and the Concert d’Astrée choir since 2023, he regularly collaborates with major international ensembles and conductors, while pursuing a career as a countertenor on Europe’s leading stages.

Benedict Kearns is a British chorus master and conductor who has served as Chorus Master of the Opéra National de Lyon since 2022. He studied at King’s College, Cambridge, where he also sang as a baritone in the Choir of King’s College. As a conductor, pianist and singer, he has toured extensively throughout Europe and beyond. He works closely with Daniele Rustioni, Music Director Emeritus of the Opéra de Lyon, serving as his assistant on a number of productions. He has also conducted the artistic forces of the Opéra de Lyon in the production of Billy Budd, staged in March–April 2026, as well as in various concerts over recent seasons.