Chorégies d'Orange
Encyclopedia
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
festival held each year in August in Orange
Orange, Vaucluse
Orange is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It has a primarily agricultural economy...
located about seventy miles northwest of Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
in southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Performances are presented in the ancient Roman theatre
Roman theatre (structure)
The characteristics of Roman to those of the earlier Greek theatres due in large part to its influence on the Roman triumvir Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. Much of the architectural influence on the Romans came from the Greeks, and theatre structural design was no different from other buildings...
, the Théâtre Antique d'Orange
Théâtre antique d'Orange
The Théâtre antique d'Orange is an ancient Roman theatre, in Orange, southern France, built early in the 1st century CE...
, the original stage wall of which has remained intact, creating a semi-circular auditorium which seats 9,000.
A festival began in Orange in 1860 and was held periodically, but it was only after the Roman theatre was restored in 1869 that it became the location of a popular “Roman Festival” which celebrated the glory of Rome and included a performance of Méhul’s opera, Joseph
Joseph (opera)
Joseph is an opera in three acts by the French composer Étienne Méhul. The libretto, by Alexandre Duval, is based on the Biblical story of Joseph and his brothers. The work was first performed by the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 17 February 1807 at the Théâtre Feydeau...
. All the major players of the French classical stage appeared in the Orange festivals, including Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt was a French stage and early film actress, and has been referred to as "the most famous actress the world has ever known". Bernhardt made her fame on the stages of France in the 1870s, and was soon in demand in Europe and the Americas...
who played “Phèdre” in 1903.
In 1902 the festival was given a new name, the “Chorégies” and it was planned to take place annually. The name comes from the Greek khorêgós (choir leader). Until 1969 the Chorégies consisted of plays, alternating with musical works, opera and symphonies. However, after that date, Orange became solely an opera festival and theatrical works were performed at Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
.
In 1971 the “New Chorégies” began, with a format not unlike the present one where only about six performances are given during the month-long Festival, typically two performances of two operas along with a recital or concert.
It quickly became an international success with many major international singers appearing.