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Reviews, Stage Reviews

Festival Aix-en-Provence 2025 Review: Louise

https://operawire.com/festival-aix-en-provence-2025-review-louise/

Full disclosure: my definition of purgatory is a Christof Loy opera staging. They are not infernal—there is always some redemption—and they used to be good. But now, they are definitely not for me. That mono-scenario, that preference for milk-aisle lighting and the somewhat surreal stagings. I get it, some people might like it. I am even friends with some of {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Festival Aix-en-Provence 2025 Review: Don Giovanni

https://operawire.com/festival-aix-en-provence-2025-review-don-giovanni/

The new Robert Icke staging of “Don Giovanni” might upset more than a few spirits. The scenic proposal is certainly disruptive, and its insistence on intervening digitally in the opera’s soundscape is the most acute symptom of “directivitis” (the terrible disease that has afflicted opera directors for the last seven decades). However, I really had a great time watching “Don {…}

News

Festival Aix-En-Provence Announces Cast Change for ‘La Forza Del Destino’

https://operawire.com/festival-aix-en-provence-announces-cast-change-for-la-forza-del-destino/

(Credit: Fay Fox) The Festival Aix-en-Provence has announced a cast change for its concert performance of “La Forza del Destino” on July 20, 2025. The company noted that Russell Thomas will replace Brian Jagde in the role of Alvaro. Thomas has performed the role at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Paris Opera. He is well-known for his Verdi interpretations {…}

News, Streaming

Arte.TV to Broadcast Festival Aix-en-Provence’s ‘Louise’

https://operawire.com/arte-tv-to-broadcast-festival-aix-en-provences-louise/

Arte.tv is set ot broadcast Charpentier’s “Louise” for the Festival Aix-en-Provence. The broadcast will take place on July 12, produced by Christof Loy. The work will star soprano Elsa Dreisig in the title role alongside Adam Smith, Nicolas Courjal, Sophie Koch, Marianne Croux, Annick Massis, Grégoire Mour, Carol Garcia, Karolina Bengtsson, Marie-Thérèse Keller, Julie Pasturaud, Marion Vergez-Pascal, Marion Lebègue, Jennifer {…}

News

Festival d’Aix-en-Provence Wins Birgit Nilsson Prize

https://operawire.com/festival-daix-en-provence-wins-birgit-nilsson-prize/

President of the Birgit Nilsson Stiftelsen, Susanne Rydén announced that the 2025 Birgit Nilsson Prize of 1 million dollars has been awarded to the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence. The prestigious French Opera Festival is currently preparing for its 77th edition this summer and becomes the first festival to receive the Prize which will be presented on Oct. 21 by His Majesty King {…}

News

Festival d’Aix-en-Provence Names Advisor for 2025 Edition

https://operawire.com/festival-daix-en-provence-names-advisor-for-2025-edition/

Following the death of director Pierre Audi, Bernard Foccroulle has been selected as an advisor for artistic and managerial inquiries for the festival’s 2025 edition. Per a press release, the decision was agreed to by the Festival’s President, Paul Hermelin, in conjunction with the different regional government organizations. Foccroulle directed the festival from 2007 to 2018. Audi had been appointed {…}

News

Jonas Kaufmann, Andrè Schuen, Elsa Dreisig, Lauranne Oliva, Ermonela Jaho, Mané Galoyan Headline Aix-en-Provence 2025 Festival

https://operawire.com/jonas-kaufmann-andre-schuen-elsa-dreisig-lauranne-oliva-ermonela-jaho-mane-galoyan-headline-aix-en-provence-2025-festival/

The Festival d’Aix-en-Provence has announced its 2025 festival. Opera First up is “Don Giovanni” in a production by Robert Icke starring Andrè Schuen, Krzysztof Bączyk, Golda Schultz, Magdalena Kožená, Amitai Pati, Clive Bayley, Madison Nonoa, and Paweł Horodyski. Sir Simon Rattle conducts. Performance Dates: July 4 – 18, 2025 Charpentier’s “Louise” stars Elsa Dreisig, Adam Smith, Sophie Koch, Grégoire Mour, Roberta {…}

News

Festival d’Aix-en-Provence Appoints New Deputy General Director

https://operawire.com/festival-daix-en-provence-appoints-new-deputy-general-director/

Pierre Audi, General Director of the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, has appointed Olivier Leymarie as Deputy General Director of the Festival. The news was announced after the deliberation of a jury chaired by Paul Hermelin, Chairman of the Festival’s Board of Directors, and including state and local authority representatives, as well as several qualified members of the Board. Leymarie will take up {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Festival d’Aix-en-Provence 2024 Review: La Clemenza di Tito

https://operawire.com/festival-daix-en-provence-2024-review-la-clemenza-di-tito/

(Credit: Vincent Beaume) We are in the middle of Sesto’s aria “Parto, Parto,” mezzo-soprano Marianne Crebassa sharing  center stage with excellent clarinetist Nicola Boud, when we hear an explosion. As a long-time resident of the United States, my first thoughts were the most dreadful—gunshots, bomb, the apocalypse. Raphäel Pichon peacefully kept conducting, with longer pauses, perhaps, but, as the fear {…}