‘Songs and Fragments’ at Aix is gripping, concentrated theatre

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Festival d’Aix-en-Provence [3] – ‘Songs and Fragments’: Davies, Eight Songs for a Mad King; Kurtág, Kafka-Fragmente: Soloists, Ensemble Intercontemporain / Pierre Bleuse (conductor). Théâtre du Jeu de Paume, Aix-en-Provence, 10.7.2024. (MB)

Eight Songs for a Mad King at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence 2024 © Monika Rittershaus

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Having caught up with Katie Mitchell’s Aix production, Pelléas will never quite be the same again

FranceFrance Festival d’Aix-en-Provence [2] – Debussy, Pelléas et Mélisande: Soloists, Chorus (chorus master: Benedict Kearns) and Orchestra of the Lyon Opera / Susanna Mälkki (conductor). Grand Théâtre de Provence, Aix-en-Provence, 9.7.2024. (MB)

Pelléas et Mélisande at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence 2024 © Jean-Louis Fernandez

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This Aix-en-Provence production quietly, powerfully rethought and reimagined Madama Butterfly

FranceFrance Festival d’Aix-en-Provence [1] – Puccini, Madama Butterfly: Soloists, Lyon Opera Chorus (chorus master: Benedict Kearns), Lyon Opera Orchestra / Daniele Rustoni (conductor). Théâtre de l’Archeveché, Aix-en-Provence, 8.7.2024. (MB)

Festival d’Aix-en-Provence 2024: Madama Butterfly © Ruth Walz

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The pure joy of musicmaking: soloists of Berlin’s Karajan-Akademie in Aix-en-Provence

FranceFrance Aix-en-Provence Easter Festival [1] – Revel, Beethoven: Soloists from the Karajan-Akademie of the Berlin Philharmonic. Théâtre du Jeu de Paume, Aix-en-Provence, France, 15.4.2023. (CC)

Soloists from the Karajan-Akademie of the Berlin Philharmonic © Caroline Doutre

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A Matthäus-Passion of overwhelming impact from Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques at Aix

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Bach, Matthäus-Passion, BWV 244: Ian Bostridge (Evangelist), Benjamin Appl (Jesus), Anna El-Hashem (soprano, Uxor Pilati), Mari Askvik (alto), James Way (tenor), Thilo Dahlmann (baritone, Judas, Petrus, Pilatus), Wei-Lian Huang, Aurélie Moreels (Ancilla I & II), Samuel Namotte, Vlad Vrosman (Pontifex I & II), Namur Chamber Choir, Les Talens Lyriques / Christophe Rousset (conductor). Grand Théâtre de Provence, Aix-en-Provence, 7.4.2023. (CC)

Christophe Rousset © Caroline Doutre

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Aix-en-Provence saw the premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s engrossing, thought-provoking commentary on gun violence and much else

FranceFrance Aix-en-Provence Festival 2021 [2] – Kaija Saariaho’s Innocence: Soloists, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, London Symphony Orchestra / Susanna Mälkki (conductor). 10.7.2021 Performance filmed (directed by Philippe Béziat) at the Grand Théâtre de Provence, Aix-en-Provence, and available on ARTE Concert until 1.7.2024. (JPr)

[r] Vilma Jää (Marketa) & Magdalena Kožená (Tereza) (c) Jean-Louis Fernandez

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‘It’s opera, Jim, but not as we know it’: Simon Stone’s Tristan und Isolde gets on the metro to Aix-en-Provence

FranceFrance Aix-en-Provence Festival 2021 [1] – Wagner, Tristan und Isolde: Soloists, Actors, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle (conductor). Livestreamed (directed by Corentin Leconte) from Grand Théâtre de Provence, Aix-en-Provence, and available on Arte Concert until 30.8.2023. (JPr)

Act I: Stuart Skelton (Tristan) & Nina Stemme (Isolde) (c) Jean-Louis Fernandez

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