Concerts

Alongside its opera programme, the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence is also offering a wide and inspiring range of concerts.

— RECITALS
At the Grand Théâtre de Provence, Jonas Kaufmann and Diana Damrau will be making their eagerly-awaited debuts with an anthology of lieder by Mahler and Strauss; and the charismatic Jakub Józef Orliński will be performing a repertoire of Baroque arias and Polish melodies close to his heart. At the Conservatoire, Stéphane Degout will showcase his incomparable art as a recitalist with the exceptional backing of the Quatuor Diotima; and Ermonela Jaho, the unforgettable Butterfly, will be gracing the Festival’s audience with an original programme of French and Italian melodies.

— SYMPHONIC CONCERTS
The symphonic concerts provide an opportunity for the artists in residence to showcase their talents – to leave their “calling cards”. Meanwhile, at the head of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle will continue to explore his favourite repertoires at the Festival; and for the second year running, Evan Rogister will be conducting the Orchestre des Jeunes de la Méditerranée, which continues to carry a message of peace through dialogue between the cultures of the countries bordering Mediterranean.

— CHAMBER AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
In this Boulez anniversary year, the Festival continues to promote contemporary music, commissioning works by young artists and presenting works by Unsuk Chin and Kaija Saariaho, György Ligeti and Pierre Boulez himself – particularly in the context of the concert by the Quatuor Diotima.

— FINAL CONCERTS OF THE ACADÉMIE’S RESIDENCIES
Under the guidance of Sébastien Daucé, of a woman conductor in residence, and of the Ensemble Correspondances, the singers from the Voice Residency will perform a range of French and Italian Baroque arias; and with the support of the members of the Quatuor Diotima and composer Unsuk Chin, the Instrumental Residency will be exploring the rich and inventive repertoire of the string quartet.

— JAZZ AND MEDITERRANEAN CONCERTS
The Jazz and Mediterranean programme celebrates artists who, with rare sensitivity, convey the richness of ancient songs, such as Waed Bouhassoun. In this same pursuit of excellence, Varijashree Venugopal and B.C. Manjunath, leading figures in Indian Carnatic music, combine their virtuosity with the jazz of EYM Trio for an unprecedented musical encounter, echoing The Nine Jewelled Deer.

— OPERAS IN CONCERT VERSION
The concert versions of the operas enable the Festival to maintain its particular loyalty to certain repertoires and performers while at the same time providing the opportunity for prestigious premieres or much-anticipated role debuts. Les Pêcheurs de perles is being performed for the first time in Aix to mark Bizet’s anniversary and the return of Marc Minkowski directing the Musiciens du Louvre, the Chœur de l’Opéra Grand Avignon and an ideal cast. La forza del destino sees the return of Daniele Rustioni, the Choir and Orchestra of the Opéra de Lyon and a first-rate cast as part of a partnership with the Chorégies d’Orange.