WHAT IS A FESTIVAL?

The Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, by virtue of its size, the aura of its productions and its longevity, has been a world-class cultural institution and a benchmark in the operatic world since 1948. Yet it is a singular opera institution: its production schedule, which is limited to a few weeks in the summer, its audiences, and its propensity for creation, innovation and experimentation all contribute to its specific characteristics. Using the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence as an example, we will look at what a festival represents in the world of opera: the role it plays on the world stage, the new artistic events that will be staged there, What makes it special? What opportunities and freedoms, but also what constraints, have characterised it since its inception?

WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF : Pierre Audi (general director of the Festival d’Aix since 2019), Sir Simon Rattle (conductor – Wozzeck), Stéphane Lissner (general director of the Festival d’Aix from 1998 to 2006) and Ivan Alexandre (author, stage director and journalist).