Exhibition "A century of performance to celebrate 40 years of Chorégies"

Through sixty photographs taken by five Orange photographers (Bruno Abadie, Christian Bernateau, Philippe Gromelle, Georges Bruny and Philippe Abel) and archive images from the BNF and private collections, this exhibition plunges us into an operatic atmosphere retracing the history of the festival from 1869 to the present day. This retrospective is dedicated to plays, operas and jazz and symphonic concerts.

From actors from the Comédie-Française to Roberto Alagna, including Natalie Dessay and even Michel Plasson, they have all contributed to Orange’s fame through the “Roman Festivals”, and then the “Chorégies”. The festival’s success and exceptional longevity make the “Chorégies” France’s oldest festival.

A bit of history ... On 21 August 1869, three noblemen from Orange, Anthony Réal, Félix Ripert and Alphonse Bernard, created the “Roman Festivals”. With the magical atmosphere and unique acoustics of the place, it was an immediate success. Over the years, the event gathered momentum and changed its name to “Chorégie” in the early 20th century.
During its summer tours, the Comédie-Française performed some of the greatest tragedies here, including Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Antigone by Euripides and Andromaque by Racine, with very actors as famous as Sarah Bernhardt and Mounet-Sully.
At the beginning of the 1970s, the Ministry of Culture decided to stage operas at Orange. In 1971 the “Nouvelles Chorégies” were born, dedicated exclusively to opera and symphonic concerts.