Edito 2022

On the programme for this 40th edition: 9 operas and oratorios, 2 recitals and the 40th anniversary gala

> To open, Paul McCreesh has chosen to perform Purcell’s masterpiece King Arthur, his greatest success, both on stage and on record, in a hilarious home setting where the magic element plays a preponderant role, offering us truly enchanting pas- sages that create a kind of uninterrupted musical fairyland, with pages of exceptional beauty.

>  Christophe Rousset and his Talens Lyriques continue the exploration and rediscovery of unknown works by recreating in its French pre- miere the opera Le Amazoni nell’ Isole fortunate by Carlo Pallavicino, contemporary composer of Lully, which was one of his greatest successes.

>  William Christie conducts Handel’s opera Partenope, his first «comic» opera in which the composer breaks free from the rules of opera seria. This new production, invites us to rediscover this forgotten masterpiece.

>   After last summer’s phenomenal Magic Flute Jérémie Rhorer conducts, premiering in Beaune, the original version of Rossini’s Tancredi, his first “melodrama” opera, composed for Venice in 1813 which created a revolution in Italian opera. The subject, borrowed from the eponymous tragedy by Voltaire, laid the foundations of the nascent romantic opera.

>   We continue with Stéphane Fuget, the new conductor in residence with his ensemble Les Epopées, the trilogy of operas by Monteverdi with L’Orfeo, the first real opera in the history of music.

>  Among his great successes, Jean-Christophe Spinosi, in the romantic repertoire, returns to L’italiana in Algeri by Rossini, his first real comic opera, composed in Venice and which proved triumphant at its Venice premiere and then throughout Europe.

>   Handel’s Julius Caesar, conducted in 1991 by René Jacobs, is one of the iconic historical productions of the festival. This production was the first to offer a full text. We have entrusted the conducting of this new production of Julius Caesar to a conductor from the new generation, the Italian Ottavio Dantone.

>  After Samson, Saul and Semele, Leonardo Garcia Alarcon continues the complete English oratorios by Handel with the masterpiece Solomon, one of Handel’s flagship works with its sumptuous finale, one of the most beautiful choruses composed.

>  Finally, in the festival tradition, 2 recitals will be dedicated to : exceptional young talent : Paul- Antoine Bénos, French countertenor, who during his recital last summer, reminded us with emotion of the debut of the great Andreas Scholl in Beaune in 1994. And a great voice, Lawrence Zazzo, Americain countertenor.

> To close this 40th edition, Andreas Scholl, our favourite countertenor who has remained loyal to the festival since 1994, offers us a programme in the form of a gala evening by inviting along some of his singer friends, many of whom also made their debut in Beaune, notably Paul-Antoine Bénos, Mari Eriksmoen, Sarah Traubel…

Anne Blanchard
Artistic Director