Marie Gicquel 8:24 p.m., July 7, 2022, modified at 8:24 p.m., July 7, 2022
Avignon comes alive for its famous festival, which opens this Thursday, July 7 at the Palais des Papes.
On the program of the event: live shows and theater through numerous performances.
Until July 26, the Avignon festival will welcome artists and spectators for a summer month under the sign of living art.
The largest theater and live performance event in the world is back with a vengeance for a 76th edition.
The Avignon festival kicks off this Thursday, July 7 at full speed!
First event of the festival:
The Black Monk
, based on a short story by Chekhov.
A ghost story in the heart of the huge palace of the Popes, a perfect setting for these disturbing intrigues.
The staging is by Kirill Serebrennikov, a Russian artist engaged against Vladimir Putin.
A full first evening
This first evening sets the tone.
For Olivier Py, the director of the festival, it is impossible to give up Serebrennikov's show in this context of the war in Ukraine.
“We are very happy that he is there. Obviously, there was no question of deprogramming for a minute since it is not Putin that we program, but those who oppose him.
A big mystery weighs around this strange room.
Kirill Serebrennikov remained very evasive.
He fears an element for his outdoor show: "This mistral could have a lot of influence on our show. So, just before the premiere begins, I will ask this wind not to blow too hard."
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How are performing arts coming out of the crisis?
The Palais des Papes is full tonight.
For their part, the small companies continue to distribute leaflets to attract the public.
"We try to bring people together, to make people laugh. Because above all, isn't laughter the most important thing after these somewhat complicated times?" asks a leaflet distributor.
"We have a virus that comes out every three months: it's the equivalent of a magazine! If you don't come to the theater, then what do we do? We stop living, because the art is the most important."