FRENCH SONG AND THE ART OF THE RECITAL | Festival d’Aix—en—Provence

For the seventieth edition of the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence and the twentieth anniversary of its Académie, French song is to be given pride of place!

Very regular partners of recital evenings, the baritone Stéphane Degout (musical personality of the year!) and the pianist Alain Planès will present their favourite repertoire and focus on the great poets such as Mallarmé, Verlaine and Renard. Two generations of poets will be brought together in this programme: on the one hand, Gabriel Fauré who afforded the genre its recognition and importance and on the other hand, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel who exalted its poetic expression.

If Stéphane Degout and Alain Planès can legitimately claim a great intimacy with the French song repertoire, the same thing is true when it comes to the art and the manner with which they sculpt their recitals. As a consequence, they will be in charge of the new residency of the Académie devoted to the art of the recital and they will proffer their advice and expertise with the talent, keenness and generosity which they are renowned for. This residency proposes to duos of singer/pianists to refine their musical, poetical and aesthetic vision, whilst at the same time developing listening skills and a relationship with the public. Master classes and recitals will enable everybody to discover new talents along with a large range of works which make up the French song repertoire (Chausson, Debussy, Duparc, Fauré, Hahn, Franck, Massenet, Poulenc, Ravel, Saint-Saëns) to which will be added a work by the young composer Fabien Touchard.

LISTEN TO THE RECITAL GIVEN BY STÉPHANE DEGOUT & ALAIN PLANÈS
IN 2016 AT THÉÂTRE DES BOUFFES DU NORD

Master classes and recitals of French song to come:

RECITAL by Stéphane Degout and Alain Planès
9 July, 8pm – Conservatoire Darius Milhaud
Broadcast on France Musique

MASTER CLASS by Stéphane Degout
13 July, 12pm – Conservatoire Darius Milhaud

RECITAL given by the artists of the residency
16 July, 9:30pm – Hôtel Maynier d’Oppède

MASTER CLASS by Alain Planès
17 July, 12pm – Conservatoire Darius Milhaud

RECITAL given by the artists of the residency
17 July, 7pm – Eyguières, Parc des Frères Recordier (Parc des Platanes)

RECITAL given by the artists of the residency
18 July, 7pm – Pélissanne, Place Tivoli

RECITAL given by the artists of the residency
19 July, 9:30pm – Hôtel Maynier d’Oppède

And also:

TÊTE-À-TÊTE with Stéphane Degout and Alain Planès
14 July, 6pm – Cour du presbytère