The ''Chorégies d'Orange'' is a summer

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

festival held each August in Orange located about 21 kilometres north of

Avignon Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...

in southern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. Performances are presented in the ancient Roman theatre, the Théâtre Antique d'Orange, 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 is a common male name, derived from the Hebrew (). "Joseph" is used, along with " Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the modern-day Nordic count ...

''. All the major players of the French classical stage appeared in the Orange festivals, including

Sarah Bernhardt Sarah Bernhardt (; born Henriette-Rosine Bernard; 22 October 1844 – 26 March 1923) was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including by Alexandre Dumas fils, ...

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 Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

χορηγός ''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

. 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.

External links

Festival website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Choregies d'Orange Opera festivals in France Tourist attractions in Vaucluse Orange, Vaucluse

See also

External links