Stage Door News
Stage Door News
The 67th season of the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, under the leadership of General Manager Bernard Foccroulle, will present the world premiere productions of operas by Handel and Mozart; the French premiere of Jonathan Dove's children's opera The Monster in the Maze led by Sir Simon Rattle with the London Symphony Orchestra; and a revival of director Robert Carsen's acclaimed 1991 Festival production of Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The Festival's major vocal presentations this season will also include Serbian-Canadian composer Ana Sokolović's unconventional one-act a capella opera Svadba (Marriage), and a double bill presenting Persephone, Stravinsky's melodrama for tenor, female narrator, choir, children's choir, dancers and orchestra, with Tchaikovsky's last opera, Iolanta.
Ana Sokolović: Svadba (Marriage)
Ana Sokolović's a cappella opera for six female a capella voices is a new production of the Festival's Académie Européenne de Musique (European Academy of Music Academy). The hour-long opera offers a glimpse into the life of a Serbian woman, Milica, at a get-together with five girlfriends on the eve of her marriage. Sokolović, born in Belgrade and based in Montreal, has created a mesmerizing score of voices in murmuring patterns of Serbian texts, chords, and folk-song influenced tunes that are sung as Milica's friends drink, play games, and help the bride prepare for her upcoming marriage. The performers also add the instrumental sounds of a drum and ocarina-like instruments worn around their necks. Svadba was given its U.S. premiere at Opera Philadelphia in 2011.
Canadian-based conductor Dárine Ni Mheadhra, co-artistic director of Toronto's Queen of Puddings Music Theatre, is the musical director for Svadba, with staging by L'Académie Européenne de Musique artists Ted Huffman and Zack Winokur. The production will receive five performances at the Théâtre du Jeu de Paume.
Subscriptions, Tickets and info
Subscriptions and single tickets go on sale online February 2nd at www.festival-aix.com, by phone on February 4th at +33(0)4 34 08 02, and at the Festival's box office on February 7th, 2015.
Festival d'Aix-en-Provence's opera performances will take place at Théâtre de l'Archevêché, Grand Théâtre de Provence, Théâtre du Jeu de Paume, and Conservatoire Darius Milhaud. Ticket prices for operas range from 10€ to 250€.
For more information, the box office can be reached by phone at +33(0)4 34 08 02 17 and by fax at + 33(0)4 42 63 13 74.
Photo: Cast of Svadba, Toronto. © 2011 John Lauener.
2014-12-16
Aix-en-Provence: The Festival d'Aix-en-Provence will stage a new production of Queen of Puddings' "Svadba"