© Chorégies d'Orange 2025
After several seasons in the red, the Chorégies d'Orange festival is showing financial improvement and new ambitions: the 2025 edition of the French festival promises Il Trovatore and La Forza del destino, as well as a Mozart Requiem and Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio.
Not least because of financial difficulties, recent editions of the Chorégies d'Orange have had to make do with a reduced programme - instead of the traditional two operas performed each year at the Théâtre Antique d'Orange, the 2023 edition offered a single production of Carmen and in 2024 a concert version of Tosca. Cheap editions, but all the better to make up for in 2025. That was the promise. Jean-Louis Grinda has unveiled the programme for Chorégies 2025, and the emblematic festival in the town of Orange in the south of France is returning to a programme of two opera productions - even if they are not (yet) fully staged.
Improved finances
It must be said that the improvement is also financial. From now on, the Chorégies will diversify its musical offer (with pop concerts, film concerts, recitals and dance) and will no longer be confined to opera. The ten shows in 2024 attracted around 36,000 spectators to the Théâtre Antique (6,000 more than the previous year) and the festival made a financial profit of 306,000 euros. This was enough to pay off some of the debts accumulated in previous editions, which were still outstanding despite the financial support of the Sud region.
Although the situation at Les Chorégies remains precarious, the festival is approaching its next edition with some enthusiasm, thanks to a budget that will rise from €3.2 million to €4.8 million in 2025 and a programme of 13 shows instead of 10. The 2025 season is presented as a "tribute to the voice", whether "through opera, symphonic music, choral singing or contemporary creations". Which operas? Two works by Verdi.
Il Trovatore and La Forza del destino at the Chorégies 2025
The Chorégies d'Orange 2025 will open with a staged performance of Il Trovatore on 6 July, followed by a concert version of La Forza del destino on 20 July.
To support these two works by Verdi, the Chorégies intend to call on the Festival's top stars. For Il Trovatore, Anna Netrebko and Yusif Eyvazov will join Marie-Nicole Lemieux and Aleksei Isaev. For the concert version of La Forza del destino, the Chorégies will be able to count on conductor Daniele Rustioni at the head of his Opéra de Lyon orchestra. On the stage of the Théâtre Antique, the evening will bring together a highly experienced cast: Anna Pirozzi and Brian Jagde, as well as Ekaterina Semenchuk, the Mongolian baritone Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar, Ambrogio Maestri and Michele Pertusi.
To round off the programme, Chorégies 2025 also announces a performance of Mozart's Requiem, conducted by the young Italian conductor Diego Ceretta (29 June). A few days later, on 5 July 2025, Michele Spotti will conduct Berlioz's La Symphonie fantastique. We also knew that in order to cover its costs, the Chorégies would offer a co-production with the Aix-en-Provence Festival, with a recital by the 'emerging scene' of young opera singers accompanied by the Orchestre des Jeunes de la Méditerranée (17 July).
A contemporary curiosity: Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio
Les Chorégies also promises an (imposing) curiosity: Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio. The ex-Beatle's ambition was to compose a classical score, so he created a work in eight acts for full orchestra, chorus, soprano, mezzo, tenor and bass-baritone. The work was first performed in 1991, but because of its size it is rarely performed on stage. It will be (re)discovered on 25 July 2025 at the foot of the Augustus Wall, and Jean-Louis Grinda promises a strong cast.
There will also be a Johnny Symphonique evening on 24 June 2025. Last summer's 'Mika Philharmonique' concert (with pop singer Mika) was a huge success with the public. The French Festival is repeating the recipe, this time with the repertoire of rock singer Johnny Hallyday, orchestrated by pianist and composer Yvan Cassar, surrounded by background singers and an orchestra. On 9 July, Renaud Capuçon and Guillaume Bellom will give a violin/piano recital with Beethoven, Brahms and Strauss. And, as is now customary, there will also be an evening dedicated to dance, with Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake by choreographer Angelin Prelcocaj (12 July). Then there's the film-concert evening, this year based on Disney's Fantasia (22 July).
As far as opera is concerned, the Chorégies are not yet offering a full return to the golden years, but the festival is moving in that direction and Jean-Louis Grinda is already talking about two stage operas planned for 2026. Meanwhile, tickets for the 2025 edition are already on sale on the festival's official website.
free translation of our article first published in French
the 04 of March, 2025 | Print
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