Idomeneus and Moses cross hostile seas to reach happier lands; Orpheus and Dante travel into the Underworld towards the light: the 2022 edition of the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence continues the period of renewal that it initiated with last year’s exceptional relaunch but approaches it differently and thus lands on unexpected, unknown, and extraordinary shores.
TRIAL AND REBIRTH – to undergo an ordeal, overcome it, and rise again – is the motif that runs through the entire programme. It is the very issue tackled in Resurrection, an exceptional project inspired by Mahler’s Second Symphony which will be performed at the Stadium de Vitrolles: a fascinating place that has been abandoned for over twenty years and to which the Festival will offer a new life.
This rebirth draws its inspiration from the waters of the Mediterranean – cultural crucible to which the Festival is a true heir – whether it be biblical (Rossini’s Moïse et Pharaon, Strauss’s Salome), Greek and Roman (Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea, Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, Mozart’s Idomeneo, Bellini’s Norma), medieval and Renaissance (Pascal Dusapin’s Il Viaggio, Dante) or contemporary (Bushra El-Turk’s Woman at Point Zero).
Two world premieres, prestigious conductors working with a variety of exceptional orchestras, acclaimed theatre and opera stage directors, today’s most remarkable singers and rising stars: this edition will illustrate all the diversity of talents that make the 21st century opera world.
It is with tremendous pleasure that I unveil a large part of the 2022 edition of the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence today. I look forward to sharing with you the entire programme on January 25th in all its richness and variety – including its ambitious series of concerts and the inventive programming proposals of Aix en Juin, the Académie and the Mediterranean.
May we share with Mahler in his own words : “With the wings I have won for myself, I shall fly towards the light!”
Pierre Audi
Conductor
Esa-Pekka Salonen
Stage Director
Romeo Castellucci
With Golda Schultz, Marianne Crebassa
Chœur et Orchestre de Paris
NEW PRODUCTION
In coproduction with Abu Dhabi Festival
STADIUM DE VITROLLES
4, 7, 10, 11, 13 July at 9pm
Conductor
Ingo Metzmacher
Stage Director
Andrea Breth
With Elsa Dreisig, Gábor Bretz, John Daszak, Angela Denoke
Orchestre de Paris
NEW PRODUCTION
In coproduction with Novaya Opera - Moscow
GRAND THÉÂTRE DE PROVENCE
5, 9, 12, 16, 19 July at 8pm
Conductor
Raphaël Pichon
Stage Director
Satoshi Miyagi
With Michael Spyres, Anna Stéphany, Sabine Devieilhe, Siobhan Stagg
Pygmalion
NEW PRODUCTION
THÉÂTRE DE L’ARCHEVÊCHÉ
6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 19, 22 July at 9:30pm
Conductor
Michele Mariotti
Stage Director
Tobias Kratzer
With Michele Pertusi, Adrian Sâmpetrean, Pene Pati, Jeanine De Bique, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya
Chœur et Orchestre de l’Opéra de Lyon
NEW PRODUCTION
In coproduction with Opéra national de Lyon, Teatro Real de Madrid
THÉÂTRE DE L’ARCHEVÊCHÉ
7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 20 July at 9:30pm
WORLD PREMIERE
Conductor
Kent Nagano
Stage Director
Claus Guth
With Jean-Sébastien Bou, Evan Hughes*, Christel Loetzsch, Jennifer France, Maria Carla Pino Cury, Dominique Visse, Giacomo Prestia
Chœur et Orchestre de l’Opéra de Lyon
NEW PRODUCTION
In coproduction with Opéra national de Paris
GRAND THÉÂTRE DE PROVENCE
8, 13, 15, 17 July at 8pm
Conductor
Leonardo García Alarcón
Stage Director
Ted Huffman
With Jacquelyn Stucker, Jake Arditti, Fleur Barron, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian
Cappella Mediterranea
NEW PRODUCTION
In coproduction with Opéra de Rennes, Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía - Valencia
THÉÂTRE DU JEU DE PAUME
9, 12, 15, 18, 20, 21, 23 July at 8pm
14, 17 July at 5pm
WORLD PREMIERE
Conductor
Kanako Abe
Stage Director
Laila Soliman
Ensemble Zar
NEW PRODUCTION
Production LOD muziektheater in coproduction with Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, deSingel Antwerpen, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Concertgebouw Brugge & Muziektheater, Transparant, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Shubbak Festival London, Britten Pears Arts, Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg
PAVILLON NOIR
10 July at 5pm, 11 July at 8pm
With the support of enoa and the European Union Europe Créative programme, Fedora, AFAC (The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture)
CONCERT VERSION
Conductor
Leonardo García Alarcón
With Valerio Contaldo, Mariana Flores
Cappella Mediterranea
Chœur de Chambre de Namur
GRAND THÉÂTRE DE PROVENCE
11 July at 8pm
CONCERT VERSION
Conductor
Riccardo Minasi
With Karine Deshayes, Michael Spyres, Nina Minasyan
Ensemble Resonanz
Chœur Pygmalion
GRAND THÉÂTRE DE PROVENCE
18 July at 8pm
CONCERT VERSION
Conductor
Raphaël Pichon
With Emily D’Angelo, Sabine Devieilhe, Lea Desandre
Pygmalion
GRAND THÉÂTRE DE PROVENCE
21 July at 8pm