Paris (AFP)
Gérard Depardieu interpreting the repertoire of Barbara and the tenor Andrea Bocelli resuming great opera arias will be the headliners of the 20th Festival de Lacoste (Vaucluse), from August 12 to 22, its creator announced on Wednesday to AFP fashion designer Pierre Cardin.
"Despite the circumstances, the Apt sub-prefecture has accepted that the festival is going as planned. It is a very good thing that culture can quickly resume its rights after what we have just experienced. Art is my passion and has accompanied my whole life, "said Mr. Cardin, who will turn 98 on July 2.
"I spent confinement at home in Paris. I did not go out for three months," he added.
"Of course, the festival will respect all the health regulations that would still be necessary in August. We are lucky that the shows will take place in an open-air theater with 1,000 seats in the middle of the old quarries of Lacoste castle. In case of bad weather time, there is a 1,800 m2 theater dug into the rock, "said the designer and patron.
"The Lacoste Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary. It's great to bring Gérard Depardieu, Andrea Bocelli and also Marie-Claude Pietragalla together. It seemed impossible to create a festival with such influence. We did it. very happy, "added Pierre Cardin, member of the Institute.
For the first time, the festival will offer from August 1 to 7 an outdoor cinema with a retrospective of the great musicals brought to the screen presented by Patrick Poivre d'Arvor, from "West Side Story" to "La La Land" , passing by "Mamma Mia!" or "Grease".
Created in 2001, this festival chaired by Eve Ruggieri, brings together experienced artists and young talents from all walks of life. The sopranos Renée Fleming, Natalie Dessay and Teresa Berganza, the tenors Jonas Kaufmann and Roberto Alagna, but also Arielle Dombasle, Thomas Dutronc and Mireille Mathieu have performed in recent years in Lacoste.
Built in the 11th century, the Château de Lacoste was bequeathed in 1716 to Gaspard François de Sade, grandfather of the sulphurous Marquis renowned for his erotic writings, who lived there for several years.
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