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History

Created in 1948, the festival hosts amateurs of lyric art from all over the world each year, in July.

In the court of the Archbishop’s Palace, the theatre vibrates to the sound of the great voices of the Opera, which interpret not only Mozart under the starry sky, but also Haendel and Britten in prestigious productions.

Since 1998, the festival has taken a new lease of life, the theatre has been renovated, there are new programs and all has been done to ensure it continues to be one of the biggest meeting points of the summer season.

Summer 1947: Gabriel Dussurget goes to Paris with the will to create in Provence a music festival. He is immediately seduced by "la cour d'honneur" of the old archbishopric.

With the complicity of the painter Wakhévitch, the architect-painter Cassandre, the conductor Hans Rosbaud and the casino of Aix-en-Provence, he created, in 1948, the first Don Giovanni of the Festival history, which will run for more twenty years. Straight away, the Aix-en-Provence Lyric Art Festival knew an international success, thanks to the big voices who came like: Luigi Alva, Gabriel Bacquier, Régine Crespin, Teresa Stich-Randall, Teresa Berganza, Gundula Janovitz and a lot more that the music lovers will enjoy. Settings and costumes are made by the biggest artists: Balthus intervenes for "Cosi Fan Tutte", Malclès for "les Noces de Figaro", Derain for "l'Enlèvement au Sérail" and the "Barbier de Séville".

In 1974, with Bernard Lefort, the Festival opened to Bel Canto. The Italian repertory of the XIXth century (Verdi, Donizetti) is performed by divas: Sylvia Sass, Marylin Horne, Monserrat Caballé.
With Louis Erlo, the baroque repertory found again the yard of the Archbishopric. Lully, Campra, Rameau, Purcell and Gluck are competing with Mozart. Nevertheless, the big composers of the XXth century, Prokofiev or Britten are not forgotten.
In 1998, Stéphane Lissner resumed the management of the Festival and to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary, he took up again with the Mozart tradition of Aix. Half a century after the first Don Giovanni, "la cour d'honneur", rediscovers with emotion Leporello, Zerline, Masetto, Donna Elvira, Donna Anna, Le Commandeur and Don Giovanni in a production of Peter Brook.

The European Music Academy

The Academy is a new link between the festival and the public.The Mignet
college hosts over one hundred students wishing to perfect their singing
techniques, instrumental practice and composition with prestigious teachers.The
Academy holds concerts within the town and participates in lyric productions.

Lyrical Art and Dance Video Library

Free access to the consultation on establishment of a fund dedicated to broadcasting arts (opera, dance and theater), including the archives of of the International Festival of Lyric Art in Aix and of the Ballet Preljocaj.
Monthly Schedule free entrance to the Auditorium of the Méjanes Library.

Adress :
Cité du Livre
8-10 rue des Allumettes
13100 Aix en Provence
Tél. 04 42 91 90 89
http://www.citedulivre-aix.com