A Prospective Vision of the Festival D'aix-En-Provence

A PROSPECTIVE VISION OF THE FESTIVAL D’AIX-EN-PROVENCE

SYNTHESIS – APRIL 2015

Cover: Bows after a performance of Il Turco in Italia at the Théâtre de L’Archevêché (2014) © Pascal Victor / ArtcomArt

A PROSPECTIVE VISION OF THE FESTIVAL D’AIX-EN-PROVENCE

Introduction What will opera be like by the middle of the 21st century? p. 5

THE FOUR MISSIONS OF THE FESTIVAL p. 9 Towards a new balance between repertoire and creation p. 11 Accessibility and participation p. 15 The Festival d’Aix, a centre for training and job insertion p. 19 Local footing and international development p. 23

TOOLS AND RESOURCES p. 28 The challenges of image and communication p. 29 The Festival in the digital era p. 31 Conditions for the sustainable development of the Festival p. 35

Conclusion Make opera live! It’s an art that gives sense to the world p. 39

Final of The Magic Flute at the Grand Théâtre de Provence (2014). This production staged by director Simon McBurney and conducted by Pablo Heras Casado has held a very large audience spellbound, and made them rediscover Mozart’s opera. © Pascal Victor / ArtcomArt 4

INTRODUCTION What will opera be like by the middle of the 21st century?

“There is no favourable wind for he who knows not where he is heading.” Seneca, Letters to Lucilius, book VIII, letter 71

In 2013 the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence was main of classical music but still have to find designated European cultural ambassador. It their way where opera is concerned. Asia goes was awarded the prize for the best opera fes- through a phase of impressive growth in infra- tival at the International Opera Awards the structure and partly in artistic education as following year. Its important artistic develop- well, but lags behind when it comes to re- ment meets with international acclaim. This sources allocated to production and creation. expansion needs reflection and tutoring. That In her 1961 Between Past and Future essays, is why we have decided to think about the Hannah Arendt gives a prophetic analysis of evolution of the Festival, about the path it has the conflicting relation between culture and to follow. What do we want the Festival to consumerism: “The masses do not want cul- become? ture, they want entertainment, and the com- As a result of globalization present-day Euro- modities provided by the entertainment indus- pean opera feeds on non-European cultures. try are consumed by society like any other In his version of Stravinsky’s Nightingale product. The result is, of course, not mass cul- Robert Lepage renews the scenic and sceno- ture but a mass entertainment which feeds on graphic idiom by starting from Vietnamese the cultural objects of the world. To believe water puppets. When the South-African Brett that such a society would become more culti- Baily and the composer Fabrizio Cassol take vated in time through education would consti- on Verdi’s Macbeth, the setting is colonial tute, I fear, a fatal error.” Congo, and the music brimming with African The post-industrial revolution does not bring sounds. Opera thrives on such ‘displacements’ about any fundamental change in the mecha- and enriches itself by them. nism the philosopher describes. Consumer Europe remains the continent of creation and logic continues to extend its hold on the excellence. Although its educational infra- world, and in so doing it jeopardizes cultural structures remain amongst the best in the diversity and imposes new cultural standards world, North America is more commercially – not always devoid of creativity one must oriented: the Metropolitan Opera of New York admit. It is possible to resist this kind of logic now has recourse to an unprecedented strat- by basing cultural action on such essential egy of worldwide broadcasting over the inter- notions as creation, a lively and critical rela- net and in movie theatres. Opera houses tionship with our artistic heritage, and the elsewhere hesitate between this consumerist development of new forms of participation. In model and a more innovative path. Several this respect the evolution of new communica- South American countries prosper in the do- tion tools open up interesting perspectives.

Olga Peretyatko in The Nightingale, directed by Robert Lepage (2010) © Elisabeth Carecchio

Those houses that just continue last century’s  A fundamental need for creativity practices are faced with alarming phenomena: Whether commissioning a new work or their repertoire hardly changes, creation is interpreting a repertoire opera, our atti- virtually non-existent, their public is ageing tude remains the same: to privilege the and their numbers grow fewer. On the other spirit of creation. hand, there are houses who create a new dynamism, enrich the repertoire and renew their  The pleasure of sharing and of public. The difference between the two ap- handing on proaches is fundamental. Our work would become meaningless if it were not intended for reaching the In the middle of last century opera festivals largest and most diverse public possi- played a major role in the evolution of the ble. repertoire. Likewise, should our role in the 21st century not rather be to explore those new fields of creation, creativity and innovation? Since 2013 the Festival d’Aix team has given a To experiment with the new economic models great deal of thought to this prospective di- and the new forms of participation and acces- mension and has identified seven main con- sibility? cerns: creation, accessibility, training, the international dimension, communication, We have chosen as our principal mission: digital technology, and the sustainability of ‘Make opera live! It’s an art that gives sense our resources. The present document is a to the world.’ In so doing we embark upon a synthesis of these reflections. It does not course which implies clear choices, we choose want to predict what the Festival will be like to think of opera as a living art form. Our main by the middle of this century; it wants to concerns are: enable us to take the right decisions and  Excellence, a dynamic process choices to prepare this future. This covers anything from inviting the most prestigious artists to fostering new talents.

Dress rehearsal for Le Nozze di Figaro at the Théâtre de l’Archevêché with many groups of schoolchildren (2012) © Jean-Claude Carbonne 7

THE FOUR MISSIONS OF THE FESTIVAL

 A new balance between repertoire and creation  Accessibility and participation  Training and job insertion  Local footing and international development

Barbara Hannigan (Agnes) and Bejun Mehta (The Boy / Angel 1) in Written on Skin directed by Katie Mitchell at the Grand Théâtre de Provence (2012). This work by George Benjamin has been extremely successful ever since its world première, and has since then been staged in several European and American cities. © Pascal Victor / ArtcomArt 10

TOWARDS A NEW BALANCE BETWEEN REPERTOIRE AND CREATION

Don Giovanni staged by Dmitri Tcherniakov (2011) © Patrick Berger / ArtcomArt

 developing small and medium scale 1. THE ROLE OF CREATION IN A formats with a high innovative value. FESTIVAL: AN OPERA LABORA- Rather than pitting creation and heritage TORY FOR THE 21st CENTURY against each other, we prefer to talk of a re- balancing. We consider our institution as a st th laboratory for the opera of the 21 century. Over the 20 century the repertoire of the For the 2015 to 2017 period we intend to pre- past has become all-important, and lyric crea- sent two new operas each summer, particular- tion a marginal affair. Hence, it is essential for ly favouring works that are accessible to large creation to regain a central position. This re- audiences. quires:  a policy of commissioning new works;  programming major works of the contemporary repertoire;  creative artists in residence; 2. ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE  links between the creations and poign- ant revisiting of the operatic heritage; Having a creative artist in residence means  investing in the younger generation; offering him or her the possibility of getting  a policy of creations for ‘young audi- involved with the world of opera, while we ences’ or ‘all audiences’; gain from the artist’s energy and worldview. A  exploring new modes of collective or residence is a kind of companionship. The first participative creation; artists concerned are composers, especially those from whom the Festival has commis-

Elektra, Patrice Chéreau’s last mise en scène, an absolute success with both the critics and the public, here during a performance at the Grand Théâtre de Provence (2013). © Pascal Victor / ArtcomArt

sioned work, such as George Benjamin who has collaborated with the Festival and the 3. THE GREAT CLASSICAL Académie for several years prior to and fol- REPERTOIRE REVISITED lowing the creation of Written on Skin. Today we maintain close relations with Jona- From Don Giovanni to Elektra the great lyrical than Dove (The Monster in the Maze, creation repertoire constitutes our core activity, the 2015), Ana Sokolović (Svadba, 2015), Ondřej Festival’s raison d’être. To think of opera in Adámek (Seven Stones, 2016), Moneim Adwan terms of creation does not mean that one has (Kalila wa Dimna, 2016), and Philippe Boes- to be ‘novel’ at any price. Gratuitous provoca- mans (Pinocchio, 2017). tion has become the academism of our times; Artists other than musicians (authors, direc- genuine creativity is made of sterner stuff, and tors) have worked in a form of fellowship it is very demanding. Rather than stage works closely resembling the idea of residence. as part of an annual theme we prefer to work along lines which link subsequent festival edi- Furthermore, there are the orchestras in resi- tions over several years. dence: the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Lon- don Symphony Orchestra, the Freiburger Apart from Mozart – undeniably the constant Barockorchester. Each of these residences has of the Festival – we shall produce a Handel left profound positive traces, marking the opera every year from 2014 to 2016, and de- identity and the accomplishments of the Fes- vote a cycle to Stravinsky from 2015 to 2017. tival. For this repertoire we cast singers of the We also pay particular attention to women highest level while dodging the pitfalls of the creative artists: their contribution to art has star system. In this system it is not the singers been steadily increasing and is today a major who are the problem, but the system itself, one. which imposes a very conventional way of 12 working. We like to work with the best singers, including the stars, but the cast choice is discussed at length with both the conductor and the director. For such a modus operandi to be successful extreme attention to each other’s opinion is of the essence.

4. DEVELOPPING SMALL FORMATS

Since 1998 the Festival has given new importance to medium sized, small or very small formats. Britten’s The Turn of The Screw (2001), Didier Puntos’ version of Ravel’s L’Enfant et les sortilèges (2012), Cavalli’s Elena (2013) or Jerôme Combier’s Austerlitz (2011) are but a few points in case. Such small scale productions have the ad- vantage of great flexibility, of creating an often strongly felt emotional intensity, of turning to innovative practices and of touring more easily. It is up to us to show creativity in adapting to these new formats. Such is undeniably our task for the years to come.

5. INTERCULTURAL CREATIONS AS A BARRIER AGAINST THE VIOLENCE IN THIS WORLD

Art and culture can help making our society humane again, can help promoting living together, accepting the other. Collective creations such as AlefBa (2013), the fruit of an encounter between a dozen artists from the Arab world and Europe, show the extraordinary potential of these new aesthetic horizons and the positive charge they can generate. By inviting more artists from other cultures the opera world might boost its artistic and societal dynamism. It is this conviction which lies at the base of our desire to maintain a policy of openness toward the Mediterranean. Emöke Barath (Elena) and Valer Barna-Sabadus (Menelaos) in Elena by Cavalli (2013). This production is an example of the medium scale productions the Festival wants to develop. © Pascal Victor / ArtcomArt 13

ACCESSIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

Junior Orchestra (2012) © Vincent Beaume

1. PARTICIPATION VERSUS Who will be our public in the middle of this century? We cannot but no- CONSUMPTION tice that our public grows older. Is The notion of participation is to us a funda- this unavoidable? There have been mental one, inherent to every artistic repre- successful experiments of attracting sentation. This view engages our responsibility younger audiences, especially in as a cultural institution: we are to keep a close France, as a result of considerable eye on the quality of both the reception and the participation of the public in the work we efforts by several opera houses of propose. If the public can meet the artists, approaching local schools, of a spe- watch rehearsals, enjoy an introduction to the cial youth policy and of special price work and take part in debates concerning it, they will have had a far more memorable, rich categories. What will be the future and profound experience than a mere ‘con- modes of access, of participating, of sumer’ public. interacting? We are at present wit- Moreover, we witness a booming new prac- nessing new practices, e.g. the tice of ‘participative creation’, bringing to- broadcasting of opera productions gether professionals and amateurs. The com- in movie theatres or in open air, im- mitment of major artists and institutions (Si- mon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker, plementing actions for mediation Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Or- and sensitization, interactive prac- chestra, Peter Sellars, Alain Platel…) allows us tices via digital tools… Our goal is to to hope that these practices might provoke st increase and diversify our public. major changes in the cultural life of the 21 century.

lic. Besides, there is an even more important “We need art. It should not be an end in argument: the opera world definitely needs itself, but to trigger something in the so- the presence of spectators from every social ciety. This is the message we must convey and cultural background, and of all ages: it is to young people. And not just the young, their presence which helps opera live. to all ages. We must make it clear to all The pursuit of excellence is one of the things that singing can be part of your life. Espe- we take to heart, and this holds for our educa- cially at a time when more and more tional activities as well. The important thing is people maintain only virtual relations. to remain accessible, not to be content with Music creates human relationships. And just ‘animating’ but to have great ambition. we need that more than anything else. “ Our experience with the orchestras in the Sir Simon Rattle, Artistic Director of the Berliner schools proves that it is possible to make Philharmoniker astounding progress in relatively short time. We continue to experiment with new forms of creation allowing the involvement of the larg- 2. PASSERELLES : THE EDUCA- est possible public whilst maintaining high standards of artistic content. This tightrope TIONAL AND SOCIO-CULTURAL exercise is a permanent challenge as well a SERVICES OF THE FESTIVAL D’AIX real field for research.

These two departments were created in 2007 The evaluation of educational and socio-artistic and 2008 respectively, and their activities practices have recently been merged under the name of The evaluation of educational and socio- Passerelles. In those few years the work they artistic practices involves all the actors in this have done in the educational and associative area. It is a very complex undertaking, as sector with a view to attracting new audiences these projects touch upon everything to do has been impressive, and now yields most with sensibility and humanity, and might encouraging quantitative and qualitative re- therefore resist classic evaluation. It becomes sults. necessary to have recourse to more objective Passerelles has the following objectives: methods of evaluation.  Offer active access to lyric art to the This is why the Festival has commissioned a school going audiences and to audienc- survey by the IMPGT (Institut de Management es isolated from cultural life. Public et de Gestion Territoriale, Université  Become a reference as an artistic and d’Aix-Marseille) of its sensitization activities. pedagogic centre.  Reinforce the Festival’s regional footing.

To attain these goals we have developed several types of activities: cycles of sensitization THE 2014 FIGURES to the operas the participants will see during the Festival, workshops about artistic practic- • Over 5,600 people have participated es, and specific training for teachers, leaders in our discovery activities of associations, and artists. • More than 50 artists and pedagogues were involved • 2,400 people visited the set work- Accessibility shops • Sensitization of 100 school classes Accessibility is a major stake for the opera • Partnership with 107 associations world. It is no longer possible to attribute con- • Events staged in 37 municipalities siderable subsidies to forms of art that would remain inaccessible to large parts of the pub-

Rehearsals of The Monster in the Maze with youth choirs (March 2015). This opera will be premiered in July 2015 with a choir of 300 amateur singers of all ages, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Youth Mediterranean Orchestra. © Vincent Beaume

Here are a few of its findings:  The visits to the Venelles workshops 3. OPERA ON, A SENSITIZATION are greatly appreciated by all partici- PROGRAM FOR THE 18-30 pants  Group participation in the dress re- YEARS OLD hearsals have a positive outcome  The educational and associative work- Although links exist between our educational ers appreciate the flexibility of the service and certain university departments the Passerelles teams, and the quality of Festival is more or less absent from the cam- the partnership pus. Certain ‘barriers’, real or imaginary, cut  Training sessions are unanimously ac- off the Festival from the students’ universe. claimed, by the teachers as well as by the heads of the associations in this By means of Opera ON we try to incite the partnership. young to open the doors of the Festival. The  Some suggestions have been formu- program is conceived as a mediation journey lated for further improvement. They for the discovery of lyric art. It is built up will be fully taken into account by the around two works with as a culminating point Passerelles teams. an evening at the opera in exceptional condi-  The development of the educational tions. The participants can buy high category actions has helped improve the image tickets at the youth tariff (15 euro), and their of opera and of the Festival evening is prepared over the year. Like veritable relay runners their main mission is to pass The survey’s result should yield more perma- on this discovery of Opera ON through their nent evaluation tools that allow the fine- networks, and generate a word-of-mouth tuning and improving of proposed activities. dynamics. In the long run Opera ON should

help turn the Festival into an event looked forward to by a host of young people.

time spectators, including high-contribution 4. AIX, A NATIONAL AND spectators (buyers of highest category tickets). EUROPEAN CENTRE OF The box office income today represents 20% EDUCATIONAL RESSOURCES of the Festival’s revenue. It is one of the pillars of our financial equilibrium. In order to generate a yearly 4 million euros box office income The experience gained from Passerelles, the it is indispensable to market expensive, even putting online of educational dossiers and very expensive tickets, which find their buyers webdocs, developing training sessions: all this because of the Festival’s appeal. The Festival gradually turns the Festival into a centre of aims at reconciling this imperative with the resources. desire to reach a diversified public. One of the Since 2009 we also organize each year the objectives of our patronage campaign is to European Symposium for Culture and Educa- raise funds enabling us to compensate the tion in a partnership with RESEO (the Europe- reduction in number of expensive seats and an Network for Opera and Dance Education) the increase of more affordable categories. and the AFO (French Orchestra Association). These yearly meetings are an opportunity for fascinating exchanges between artists, media- tors, teachers and culture managers. 6. AIX EN JUIN, A CRUCIAL

STAGE IN THE DEMOCRATIZA-

TION OF THE FESTIVAL 5. THE BOX OFFICE, A MAJOR

LEVER IN THE PUBLIC POLICY Since its creation in 2013, Aix en juin [Aix in June] proposes a sort of prelude to the Festi- Over the 2014 Festival, in a total of 87,828 val, festive, congenial and very affordable. It tickets, 46,750 were sold for opera perfor- comprizes dozens of free or quasi-free artistic mances or concerts at prices ranging between performances by major artists (e.g. the yearly 10€ and 250€. The Pass (15€) has allowed Parade[s] concert on the cours Mirabeau, with 12,500 visitors free access to Aix en juin and the singers of our opera productions) as well Académie events for which they normally as by the young artists from the Académie, would have had to pay their ticket. Further- based on themes from the Festival proper. more, 28,579 persons have participated in Thanks to these free events we hope to create free events. These figures, an increase since an interest in those Festival productions the former editions, illustrate the Festival’s which have a public potential exceeding that success. of the mere classic music aficionados. The record occupancy rates of our venues There is a risk of Aix en juin provoking a two- (between 96% and 99% for opera) might lead speed Festival. That is why along with this one to assume that no effort is required. offer of free events we have to closely moni- Nonetheless, audience renewal is one of our tor the accessibility to tickets on sale for the priorities. We are lucky to have several assets: July festival. As soon as possible a system the fact that people can enjoy a festival in the should be implemented that allows the pub- exceptional setting of the Provence, as well as lic to move on from this prelude to the July our artistic policy and its outspoken choices festival. Hence our ambition is to increase the allow us to attract to the opera any lover of number of very affordable tickets. the performing and plastic arts. Not only the choice of our communication channels but also a targeted advertizing policy have brought about a significant increase in first-

creating a real live performance experience. 7. THE CREATION OF A MAISON The tools digital technologies offer us will DE L’OPÉRA hold pride of place and allow an optimal use of the Festival’s considerable resources. The Palais de l’Ancien Archevêché of Aix-en- The Maison de l’Opéra will benefit from a Provence is the cradle of the Festival, and unique situation: it will be housed in a fully remains its emblematic venue. The city of Aix- operational theatre that is not used for nine en-Provence is considering a new museum to months of the year. Visitors will be able to replace the actual Musée des Tapisseries on discover the backstage, understand how the the first floor. They have consulted the Festi- Festival works, and how an opera is made. The val management, who have suggested the Maison de l’Opéra will be a major asset in creation of a Maison de l’Opéra [House of our ongoing mission of broadening our pub- Opera]. lic. Although only in a preliminary stage yet, the project already reveals marvellous potential. The idea is to use the exhibition space for

The free Parade[s] concert on the cours Mirabeau with artists from the Académie before an audience of 5,000 people (June 2012) © Patrick Berger / ArtcomArt

THE FESTIVAL D’AIX, A CENTRE FOR TRAINING AND JOB INSERTION

Closing concert of the 2014 Mozart residency with the young singers of the Académie © Vincent Beaume

1. THE ACADÉMIE, A TRAINING For several years now, all major art CENTRE FOR THE ARTS institutions have been setting up

projects to do with the passing on of A training centre for young singers, instrumen- knowledge and with training. Such talists and creative artists activities prove useful both for the In 1998, the Académie of the Festival d’Aix for young artists, who welcome the singers was founded. Since then it has gradu- support they get, and for the institu- ally opened up to chamber musicians, to creations themselves, who can discover tive artists (the Opéra en création workshops new talents, form them, help them since 2007) and the orchestra practice since 2010 with the Mediterranean Youth Orches- along with their budding career, and tra). All in all, some 200 to 250 artists from all create bonds of mutual loyalty. The over the world are trained here every year, Académie of the Festival d’Aix-en- mainly in June and July, either in training Provence has become a privileged modules coached by well-known pedagogues and major artists, or in productions. place for the training and the pro- The programme of the Académie’s HSBC lau- fessional insertion of young artists, reates, which includes a concert tour, recitals and its good reputation is steadily during the Festival, and the recording of a CD, increasing. We would like to estab- helps to create loyalties and undoubtedly still lish a similar formation project for has a great potential for years to come. the technical skills, in cooperation The Académie’s particularity lies in its trans- with our Venelles workshops. versal approaches: an interdisciplinary approach; a creation approach tutored by com

19 posers of various aesthetics, generations and The Mediterranean Youth Orchestra cultures, offering a residence to young artists; an intercultural approach; a mediation ap- The Mediterranean Youth Orchestra [Orches- proach thanks to the implication of of young tre des Jeunes de la Méditerranée] annually artists in the Passerelles activities and to a organizes sessions in which 2,600 musicians training programme (musiciens-relais [the have participated since its creation in 1984. In musicians-passers on]). 2010 the orchestra and the Festival have joined forces to create an orchestra academy. If the Festival provides young singers with This academy particularly strives to help precious support at the outset of their career, young people with their training and to pro- it also stands to gain from this support. The mote musical creation in the Mediterranean Académie productions, for area. In 2014 the academy has which artists are paid a brought together 91 students more modest fee than their TESTIMONY from 19 different countries seniors, are a testbed for under the aegis of musicians new economic models. The “In offering us the possibility to from the London Symphony public concerts and master practice the contemporary rep- Orchestra and other well- classes of the Académie are ertoire with living composers known orchestras. very much appreciated by the Académie has braced our the public from the larger determination to seek other Within the framework of the encounters and to build up a Aix region. Finally the over- Académie, in which it has repertoire combining classic and all image of the Festival is been integrated in 2014, the contemporary works.” Mediterranean Youth Orches- rejuvenated and given a new dynamism. tra is no doubt destined to The Tana Quartet play an increasingly im- We are happy to notice the Académie 2011, 2013, 2014 portant role in the formation loyalty between the Festi- and professional insertion of val and the artists issued these young musicians, as from the Académie, like well as in the expansion of Stéphane Degout, Olga Peretyatko, Anna music life in the Mediterranean area over the Stephany, e.a. The same holds for the cham- 21st century. ber music ensembles and the composers.

Concert rehearsal at the Académie ( 2013) © Vincent Beaume 20

MEMBERS OF THE enoa NETWORK

enoa, European Network of Opera Academies opment of audiences. Moreover, it wishes to be more structurally active in accompanying In 2009 the Festival took the initiative of pro- the projects of young creators and composers. posing to other European actors (academies, festivals, opera houses etc..) to create a network of opera academies. The idea was to encourage the touring of young artists and The Académie in the Grand Saint-Jean? small or medium scale productions, especially Since the Festival started using the location in newly created ones. In 2011 this network of 1999, the historical site of the Grand Saint- eleven partners has been granted financial Jean has become the favourite theatre for the support by the European Union for a total Académie’s lyrical productions. This unique amount of 2.5 million euros over a period of and magical summery site possesses many five years. major assets: The mid-course evaluation of the project is  In summer its bucolic setting makes it extremely positive. The workshops have made a Provence ‘Glyndebourne’; possible numerous encounters which in their  Its capacity of ca. 500 seats makes it turn have generated projects followed up by an ideal complement to those of the the network. The singers build up their own Théatre de l’Archevêché and the network and some of them have already been Grand Théâtre de Provence; proposed contracts. The network has also  Its restoration would greatly improve given rise to an intense intercultural dialogue rehearsal conditions, while at the between the different music institutions. same time realizing substantial econ- With the know-how of its seven years’ exist- omies. ence enoa is now outlining its program for the The city of Aix has asked the Festival to reflect new period 2016-2020. The main aims of enoa on an artistic project likely to occupy the 2.0 will be creation, innovation and the devel-

21 buildings for a longer period than is now the case. A larger activity on the part of the Académie might find its place there, with residences all the year round. This project would fit in perfectly with the idea of turning the Festival into ‘a laboratory for opera in the 21st century’. In the long run, the Grand Saint-Jean could become a ‘Cultural centre for encounters’ with international influence.

2. VENELLES, A TRAINING CENTRE FOR TECHNICAL OPERA SKILLS

This building not only houses the set and cos- tume workshops but two rehearsal studios as well. The crafts practiced there are specialized and exceptional: carpentry, ironwork, sculp- ture, set painting, sewing, decorating and dyeing costumes, hat making, wig making, prop making, draughtsmanship, etc…

Since 2007 the workshops’ technical staffs have warmly welcomed group visits, mainly organized by Passerelles. Such visits might well engender vocations. And the Festival’s technicians find in it a welcome acknowl- edgement of the value of their work. Training and job insertion activities have also been organized over the last years (training courses, Parcours Professions Opéra). In addi- tion we would like to begin very soon a new phase in the development of this mission in cooperation with several schools. Intensifying these initiatives for training and insertion will prove extremely positive, not only for the Festival but also for cultural life in the area and where it comes to creating qualified jobs for young people in France and in the Medi- terranean.

Designing the sets of Ariodante by the Festival technicians in the Venelles workshops (2014) © Jean-Claude Carbonne

LOCAL FOOTING AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

For its 2013 closing night, the Festival presented Roméo et Juliette in a partnership with the Marseille-based Compagnie Grenade © Vincent Beaume

1. LOCAL FOOTING: A MULTI- In the course of its history our institution has often been perceived as a TUDE OF FERTILE PARTNERSHIPS festival largely attracting Parisians Over the last years the Festival has knitted and foreigners. Since 1998 many close ties with local artists and cultural institu- initiatives have been aimed at tions: Roland Hayrabedian and Musicatreize, Josette Baïz and her company Grenade, providing a solid local foothold for Raphaël Imbert, the Grand Théâtre de Pro- the Festival while in the meantime vence, the GMEM, the Fabrik’s, Seconde Na- taking care of its international re- ture, the Théâtre de la Criée, the MuCEM, the Villa Méditerranée, the Abbaye de Silvacane… nown. Today the local audience is in We also find this local anchorage in the initia- the majority. Far from excluding tives of the Passerelles department and in the non-regional festival goers, this collaboration with about a hundred various proximity strategy helps create a associations. warm and welcoming festival at- The founding of a club of local enterprises who are patrons of the Festival, the Campra mosphere. Club, has allowed to bring together enterprises desirous to support a high standard event. In 2014, more than 35 enterprises accompany the Festival and offer their employees the chance to (re)discover its productions. And finally, the beginning of Aix en juin marks a very noticeable opening up of the Festival to the public of the larger Aix-en-Provence area.

zons. Since 2011 it organizes in Aix the Medi- 2. THE FESTIVAL D’AIX IN THE nea Symposium, aimed at bringing together WORLD professionals in an intercultural perspective. These meetings have laid the foundations for a Mediterranean network complementing the An opening on the Mediterranean work of the Académie and of enoa. This network called Medinea (MEditerranean INcuba- The cultural diversity of the Mediterranean tor of Emerging Artists) is meant to provoke, area constitutes a veritable riches. The differ- accelerate and vitalize the mobility and visi- ent music styles – whether written or orally bility of emerging artists from the music sec- transmitted – that live in this area can engen- tor. Its next project is to implement an incuba- der an incredibly fertile dialogue. The Festival tor, accompanying the artists in a music mar- can play an interface role as yet unseen in ket with steadily rising competition. It would Europe. do so by establishing a quality label, develop- Half of the population along the south and ing tools for promotion and distribution, and east coasts of the Mediterranean is under 25 creating a public for the future. years old. Training and job insertion become a crucial issue in this context. For young artists from the Mediterranean region the oppor- The international stature of the Festival tunities for working internationally are not The international reputation of the Festival legion. Without such opportunities and a d’Aix shows in the growing circulation of its boost to mobility, cross-border cooperation productions. On every occasion the press cannot produce a durable and tangible im- underlines the initiator’s role played by the pact. This is a major challenge. Festival d’Aix. New York stages a Festival production almost every year, whether at the Medinea, a new Mediterranean network Metropolitan Opera, the Brooklyn Academy of We must strive to reinforce the vitality and Music, or the Lincoln Center. This internation- the circulation of music and of the performing al image is crucial, especially in cities like Lon- arts around the Mediterranean. The Festival don and New York, where the Festival has a can play a role in it, a role which has already friends’ circle. induced it to explore new geographic hori-

The Dove, the Fox and the Heron, based on the book of fables Kalila wa Dimna, put to music by the Palestinian artist Moneim Adwan and interpreted by the Ibn Zaydoun multicultural choir (2014). © Vincent Beaume 24

The Festival in western culture countries The Festival has a very extensive network of regular partners amongst the greatest opera AIX-EN-PROVENCE FESTIVAL houses and lyric art festivals in the western LEADS THE WAY world. Networks like Opera Europa offer the “The Festival of Aix-en-Provence, France’s best- opportunity for delegations to exchange views known classical music event, founded in 1948, and debate on the future of opera. has proved again its importance to international opera by launching cogent new productions that In Moscow, the Bolshoi has recently co- are likely to be seen elsewhere, thanks to a net- produced several Festival productions. From work of co-productions. Of the three operas I 2016 on, this prestigious theatre plans to pre- saw, the high point involved a revered produc- sent each year one or more Festival produc- er’s return to opera, another represented a bold tions. Every year some of the young Russian take on a familiar Verdi opera and the third was singers trained at the Bolshoi are invited in a world premiere.“ Aix. In Mexico an annual collaboration will be George Loomis, The New York Times, 23rd of July initiated from 2016 on in several music institu- 2013 tions.

The Festival in Asia Japan and South Korea have created structures for production, distribution and training. The Festival is already paving the way to be amongst the first to occupy a prominent place in the cultural landscape of these countries, without forgetting China. The Gulf States are another priority; the Festi- val has already signed a cultural cooperation protocol with Bahrein. However, we should not underestimate the difficulties inherent to this international ambition. They are the following:  Political difficulties: in many countries the cultural institutions are very strongly controlled, not to say cen- sored by the powers that be.  Cultural difficulties: the lyric repertoire, the forms of interpretation, and taste vary considerably from one culture to another; nudity for instance – quite frequent on the western stages – is considered unacceptable in a number of countries.  Financial difficulties: in most emer- gent countries the budgets allocated to culture remain vulnerable.  Practical difficulties: very often rehearsal time on tour is extremely lim- Patrice Chéreau’s Elektra, which premiered at the Festival ited in 2013, was staged at La Scala in Milan in 2014 and by 2016 will have travelled to New York, Helsinki, Berlin and Barcelona. © Pascal Victor / ArtcomArt

TOOLS AND RESOURCES

 The challenges of image and communication  The Festival in the digital era  Conditions for a sustainable development of the Festival

Visual of the 2014 edition – Tilby Vattard, 2008 © Plainpicture / Tilby Vattard 28

THE CHALLENGES OF IMAGE AND COMMUNICATION

A visual of the 2015 edition, created for the Festival by Joe Pinelli © Joe Pinelli

1. MODIFY THE WAY THE FESTIVAL IS PERCEIVED Without a true communication policy

no middle or long term strategic vi- The Festival is perceived in different ways. It sion is possible. can rely on several strong points: quality, re- nown, history, originality, commitment. And For too long a time the Festival has yet prejudices persist (elitism, inaccessibility, been complacent and just main- chic...) and whole sides of its activities struggle to come to the fore: accessibility, education, tained a merely informative com- sharing, and the international dimension. munication aimed at its existing In reality the Festival harbours some apparent public. contradictions that demand a clear stance. The contradiction between excellence and Our present-day communication openness; between offering a number of very wants to give an image of the Festi- expensive seats and a policy of accessibility as shown by an offer of very affordable tickets; val that is true to its reality, its evo- the conflict, inherent to opera, between re- lution and its ambitions. maining true to the repertoire and creating new works; opposition between the classicism

of works benefiting from an extreme fidelity to the score and the desire for a novel interpretation expressed by innovating artists.

Poster campaign in the Paris metro for the revival of Dmitri Tcherniakov’s version of Don Giovanni in 2013: (Re)discover Don Giovanni! – Unmask Don Giovanni! – Succumb to Don Giovanni! © Pascal Victor / ArtcomArt

tions. And it coincides with our strategy for 2. MORE VISIBILITY FOR attracting new partners and patrons desirous EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL to have their image linked with a high-profile, original entity. Eventually, such a policy might ACTIONS even lead us to consider merchandizing as an additional source of revenue. Communication is a very delicate aspect of The Festival d’Aix-en-Provence as a brand educational and social actions. By definition exists already, and it enjoys a certain notorie- these are destined to vulnerable persons and ty; it is steeped in history and based on a city communities. By inadvertency an ill-adapted and a region with a strong image. However, it communication might sever links painstakingly remains for us to determine those values we created over a long period. However that may want to make our emblem, and the most effi- be, it is important to advertize and defend the cient means to promote them. Acting upon actions of the Festival in this domain, without research done by the students of the HEC therefore politically using the targeted public. business school (École des Hautes Etudes Commerciales) in 2015, the Festival has decided to make its brand a priority, highlight- ing the unique experience it offers the festival goers: open air opera, a densely packed 3. DEVELOP A BRAND offer of events and artists, a wealth of artistic POLICY and intercultural exchanges, an innovating interpretative approach, the presence of a great number of artists from all over the A brand policy will enhance the Festival’s no- world... toriety and help it conquer a new public from abroad. It will also help to create a broader platform for the distribution of our produc-

THE FESTIVAL IN THE

DIGITAL ERA

now surrounded, accompanied, en- Digital technology constitutes a veri- riched, enhanced by a plethora of table revolution, and one of the rapidly evolving experiences and dig- prime upheavals it brings about is ital connections. By integrating digi- that we enter an era of ever more tal technology in its everyday func- rapidly changing environment. An tioning and especially in its commu- era of updating in which, like the nication strategy, the Festival shows operating systems of our cell its awareness that this true technol- phones, our environment passes on ogy challenge demands a clearly de- continuously to ‘new generation’ fined global vision on the place the technology with its new ways of cir- digital will take in the Festival’s evo- culating information, of connecting lution.

to others, of making choices, of see- ing, hearing, experimenting. A paradox of this ongoing digital revolution is that the performing arts, an undigitalizable meeting 1. DIGITAL TOOLS AT THE SER- place for artists and public, cannot VICE OF ARTISTIC CREATION be reproduced, and this makes up its specific value. However, this often Opera as a performance may well remain non- inaccessible primary experience is digital, but its production is made possible by

31 a growing intervention of digital technology on the technical side: lighting, stage logistics and machinery are all controlled by digital

For his staging of The Magic Flute Simon McBurney used both digital and handmade techniques (2014). © Pascal Victor / ArtcomArt

tools. Even the concept and the manufactur- ing of stage sets becomes more digitalized 2. AN ERA OF DISTRIBUTION every day, and innovative technologies like 3D VIA ALL CHANNELS: AN printers and 3D immersive scale models are but a step away. OPPORTUNITY FOR ACCESSI- Technology even leaves the wings to come BILITY AND PARTICIPATION? before the limelight should artists will it so; in 2014 this was the case of William Kentridge for his Winterreise and Simon McBurney for Free live transmissions on big screens of the his Magic Flute. Festival’s productions is booming, and in 2015 will involve over 35 cities in the Provence- It is the Festival’s ambition to become a Alpes-Côte d’Azur area, as well as some twen- meeting place for creative artists and ‘inven- ty others in France and across the globe. tors’ from start-ups and research laboratories who know and master the newest technolo- With a view to have mediation accompany gies and processes, and by bringing together these transmissions wherever they may take these creative minds to give birth to new place, the Festival has developed ‘web docu- objects. A place where people might work in mentaries’ that use all possible interactive tandem together, with the one broadening multimedia facilities (animated movies, inter- the field of possibilities of the other by show- views, animated feature films, slide shows, ing or inventing new techniques. audio excerpts, texts) that grow more varied as the Festival advances.

One thing has become clear, though: digital invention of new objects. Its chance lies in technology cannot replace humans in this the fascination an art form such as opera process of mediation. exerts, and in the tremendous demand from digital industry for interaction with artists Digital technology is ubiquitous nowadays, and with the creative industry. and therefore no longer attractive as such.

Those audiences that are distanced from culture are not distanced from the digital world which is everywhere, they just recreate this distance in their digital universe. One might 4. THE DEVELOPMENT OF conclude, therefore, that the tools for digital mediation are a tremendous amplifier of ac- NEW DIGITAL TOOLS IN cessibility drives, but the role of real persons COMMUNICATION in initiating such interest remains essential. As accessibility is one of our priorities the Festival will continue to experiment in this This new kind of relation with the perfor- area in years to come so as to optimize the mance remoulds the cultural institutions’ variety and possibilities of digital technology communication, and these changes are taking in our mediation activity. place in the Festival’s communication policy. The evolution thoroughly affects communication and forces the performing arts institutions to review their organization. The Festival 3. A NEW RELATION moves with the times, integrating new skills and developing new tools. BETWEEN AUDIENCE AND Here again the permanent revolution is active! PERFORMANCE Apart from having at their disposal contents for experience sharing, the public will ask for more tools and content bricks to create their Today one is faced with an excessive offer of own objects and share with their network a real and virtual spectacles. The traditional subjective and personal experience of the references (critics, the theatre’s reputation, performance. the places to be…) carry less and less weight Communication in the digital era: it accom- compared to the spectator’s personal net- panies the public, rather than merely pro- work. But this network is itself fed by the the- moting the institution and its productions. It atre concerned for, ideally, the spectators will have to show maximal artistic and tech- wish to share their views on the performance nological creativity to stand out in this era of through the content the institution itself hyperchoice. makes available. They even expect the latter’s personal recommendations (facts from the Kurt Salmon study – the Avignon Forum, 2014). One of the network rules is that the choices of one member influence the others’ choices, provided the tools for sharing the experience (or the will to experience) are accessible and can circulate freely. Thus the spectator becomes actor, not on the stage but in the performance’s environment, which finds its way to the public thanks to the public itself. Once again it falls to the Festival to extend its collaboration with the digital wizards for the

(webdocs, educational materials, program- 5. NEW TRAINING POSSIBILITIES related topics) accompanying our programming in order to make it more accessible. Ever since their creation in 2008 MOOCs The Festival is very much interested in devel- (Massive Open Online Courses) have been oping the means for distance learning. The enormously successful. They are free distance Académie’s participation in organizations like courses, open to everybody. The Festival does enoa and Medinea makes the development of not pretend to be a university, but training is such tools indispensable and at the same time one of its high-priority commitments and we offers an extraordinary terrain for experimenting. have already developed online resources

CONDITIONS FOR A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FESTIVAL

Grand Saint-Jean

1. THE SUSTAINABLE 2. WHICH HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT APPROACH FOR ASSURING THE FESTIVAL’S DEVELOPMENT? The Festival has made a resolute choice for a policy of sustainable development. In concrete terms this implies: Outside visitors are always surprized about the number of permanent staff and the activi-  as to environment: the creation of a ty level outside the Festival period. All this green team; of an environment man- activity is assured by a permanent staff of agement system; of a sensitization policy; of a carbon balance; of an eco- fifty, soaring to about one thousand during conception project for sets and cos- the Festival. Apart from the management tumes; staff, which is permanent, all technical, work- shop and stage personnel is seasonal. The  as to economics: an economic impact Festival management favours collective work. study, a policy of privileging local pro- That is one of the reasons why this forecasting viders and of strengthening our local is being done (for over a year now) by about footing; twenty of the Festival’s employees.  on the social level: developing the Adapting our human resources to the devel- Passerelles initiatives destined for the opment of the Festival and to its seasonal most diversified publics and reflecting character is quite a complex matter. A project upon our management of human re- for the prevention of psycho-social risks has sources. been initiated in the autumn of 2014 with a view to diagnose certain recurring problems

The seasonal staff and director Simon McBurney’s address to the public before a performance of The Magic Flute (2014) © Pascal Victor / ArtcomArt and, in the long run, reform the structuring tioned again it will render running a cultural and the size of our teams. institution impossible.

Harmony within the teams beyond status Today our partners are unanimous in praising differences is another major preoccupation. the good will of our people, their motivation, The Festival is of course very concerned about their commitment and their professionalism. a stabilization of the system ruling seasonal The values of our festival are excellence, crea- entertainment workers. These contracts are a tivity, handing on and sharing. This creates specific form of employing entertainment very high requirement levels for our collabora- tors. artists and technicians; if this system is ques-

revenue, totalling 3.6 million euros. Thus it 3. WHICH INFRASTRUCTURES equals state subsidies, which makes the Festi- RESSOURCES? val d’Aix rather a bit of an exception in the European opera world. Three important renovation projects have Major groups support our projects on a pluri- been decided upon for the Théâtre de annual basis such as our official partner Al- l’Archevêché, the Venelles workshops, and the tarea Cogedim, the Fondation Total which Grand Saint-Jean: accompanies our accessbility program, or  The project for a Maison de l’Opéra in HSBC and the Fondation La Poste which sup- the Archevêché will be the object of port our young talents and the Académie. an in-depth analysis, providing the city Since 2007 the Festival has grasped the im- wants to commit itself. portance of developing a specific offer for  The Grand Saint-Jean site was closed enterprises from the Aix region in order to in 2014 in order to safeguard the diversify patronage revenue and reinforce building and finish the renovation of local footing. This resulted in the Campra the outbuildings. It should be open to Club, which is steadily growing. the public again by 2016. The Festival can furthermore count on the

 The Venelles workshops would profit support by private patrons of the arts. For from undergoing another renovation more than ten years now, a club of patrons to make them energy-efficient and has been created in France which offers its more agreeable to work in, and to members a privileged contact with the Festi- turn them into a regional support plat- val. The support by American and English pa- form for creation and distribution, and tron clubs is governed by a board, and many a training centre for theatre skills. special events are organized. In the USA the friends’ circle relies on an expanding network of patrons. In view of the recent creation of an English friends’ circle we have great expecta- tions about the increase in the number of 4. DIVERSITFY OUR FINANCIAL patrons. RESOURCES TO ASSURE THE The Festival has developed a strategy dedi- cated to important individual donators, invit- HARMONIOUS DEVELOPMENT ing them to contribute significantly to the OF THE FESTIVAL development of the Festival. In this perspective we envisage the creation of a donation fund. The Festival’s specific economic model gives it There is a last aspect of patronage and devel- a considerable diversity of resources: subsi- opment that affects all other revenues: adver- dies represent between 32% and 35% of its tizing, hire of facilities, special events and revenue, the Aix-en-Provence Casino contrib- evenings for patrons only. The Festival has utes 7% to 10%, and the remaining 55% to worked out a number of all-in proposals for 60% are own revenue. events. The development of patronage is crucial for the Festival. It represents about 16% of our

CONCLUSION Make opera live! It’s an art that gives sense to the world

Everyone’s here, now let’s innovate - Opera at the Aix-en-Provence Festival

« [They have] done much to spread Aix’s reputation as an incubator of innovative music theater and a brand that, thanks to an ever-growing network of co-producers, is leaving its mark on opera houses and concert halls around the world. » Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, New York Times, 18th of July 2014

MIDDLE AND LONG TERM All along this teamwork of long-term OBJECTIVES reflections we have seen the emer- gence of the main lines of force gov- The Festival d’Aix should: erning the opera world, we can see  become a global reference for the the direction in which opera will creation and programming of operas;  receive a broad public; evolve, we take stock of the deci-  have developed a model strategy for sions that need to be taken today to audience participation; face the challenges of this century.  have become, thanks to the Acadé- mie, a model for finding and coaching We would like to contribute in our young artists and helping them along way – in the domain of art and cul- with their career; ture – to the birth of new ways of  be consistently and markedly present on all continents. thinking and living. Here are the middle and long term goals that we set ourselves, and our planning for the next three years. GUIDELINES FOR 2015-2017

We hope that these considerations, 1. Think / experience opera as creation the fruit of collective brainstorming,  The Festival intends to invite top artists in will permit to nourish the debate order to refresh our views on the reper- and to take the best possible deci- toire;  It will install a laboratory for the opera of sions. the 21st century, reinforce the position of creation and offer the creative artists a

residence and other forms of long term 5. Ensure the conditions for the continui- support; ty of the Festival by:  It will develop small formats and stimu-  reinforcing our policy of long-term devel- late their touring as well as the interdisci- opment; plinary and intercultural dimension of the  ensuring the sustainability of our re- programming. sources;  developing a dynamic patronage policy.

2. Promote accessibility and participation by:  teasing the most diverse audiences into discovering opera;  making the Festival productions accessible through an audacious price policy;  encouraging artistic practice as individual and collective experimenting;  developing a policy of dynamic exchange with youths of every socio- Aix-en-Provence, the 8th of April, 2015 cultural background; Bernard Foccroulle and the Festival d’Aix-en-  reinforcing the local footing of the Fes- Provence’s management team tival.

3. Develop our training and job insertion missions  The Académie will continue to teach and coach promising young talents;  It will offer them ideal surroundings for experiencing their art in a changing society;  The Festival will program productions that are for the most part or entirely confided to young artists;  It will organize trainings and courses intended to provide a real-life access to theatre skills.

4. Reinforce the international dimension of the Festival thanks to:  touring its productions with its partners in France and Europe;  a cultural policy turned towards the Mediterranean;  the export of its know-how and its productions all over the globe;  the development of its ‘brand’ Festival d’Aix-en-Provence ;  the development of its audiovisual and digital projects.

FESTIVAL D’AIX-EN-PROVENCE

Palais de l’Ancien Archevêché Place des Martyrs de la Résistance 13100 Aix-en-Provence France Tél. +33 4 42 17 34 00

65 rue Montmartre 75002 Paris France Tél. +33 1 44 88 59 59