Louise at the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence

Théâtre de l'Archévêché

Until July 13, 2025

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Louise at the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence
Book now From 159€/person

Location

Théâtre de l'Archévêché
Palais de l'Ancien Archevêché - Place des Martyrs de la Résistance - 13100 Aix-en-Provence
Capacity 1250 seats

Duration

2 h 50 min

With intermission


Details

Opera

For all audiences

In French with French and English surtitles


Story: Louise

Every year, the Festival d'Art Lyrique d'Aix-en-Provence surprises us with some very interesting productions and some very talented performers. This year is no exception.

 

Presented on the stage of the Théâtre de l'Archevêché, Gustave Charpentier's opera Louise is a musical drama that blends love, emancipation and social tensions in the working-class Paris of the Belle Époque. This work, often described as a ‘musical novel’, will be brought to life by an exceptional artistic and vocal team.

 

Elsa Dreisig, in the title role of Louise, will shine with her sensitive and powerful performance. She portrays with intensity the dilemmas of a young woman torn between her love for Julien and her desire for freedom from an oppressive family environment. She is accompanied by Adam Smith, an ardent and passionate Julien, whose magnetic voice lends emotional depth to the role. Louise's parents, played by Sophie Koch and Nicolas Courjal, add a poignant dramatic dimension, reflecting the conflicts between tradition and modernity.

 

The production is directed by Christof Loy, one of the great names in contemporary opera. Loy has opted for a pared-down, universal interpretation, highlighting Louise's inner struggle while underlining the social and political issues at stake in the work. His set design, conceived with Etienne Pluss, and the costumes by Robby Duiveman provide a timeless visual setting that enhances the poetry of the opera.

 

As conductor, Giacomo Sagripanti will lead the orchestra with remarkable precision and expressiveness, sublimating Charpentier's rich harmonies and orchestral colour. His energetic conducting perfectly serves the naturalistic lyricism of the score.

 

This production of Louise will be supported by exceptional performers and meticulous staging.

Story: Louise

An emblematic work of naturalism, Louise is set in working-class Paris during the Belle Époque. It tells the story of Louise, a young seamstress living under the strict authority of her parents.

 

She falls in love with Julien, an idealistic poet who promises her a chance to escape and embrace their love without constrain… But Louise finds herself torn between her desire for freedom, embodied by Julien, and her attachment to her family, who refuse to let her go. Through this story of emancipation and the struggle for independence, the opera explores universal themes such as generational conflict, the quest for freedom and the weight of tradition.

 

Come and discover this new production by the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence in co-production with the Opéra national de Lyon, the Palazzetto Bru Zane - Centre de musique romantique française and the Théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique, on the stage of the Théâtre de l'Archevêché. Louise intimately blends personal drama and social tableau in an intensely lyrical score.

Théâtre de l'Archévêché

Palais de l'Ancien Archevêché - Place des Martyrs de la Résistance - 13100 Aix-en-Provence

History and Fun Facts about the Théâtre de l’Archevêché

 

What do a host of internationally-acclaimed musicians, from the likes of soprano legends Teresa Stich-Randall, Teresa Berganza, Suzanne Danco, Mady Mesplé, Régine Crespin, Sylvia Sass, Graziella Sciutti, Rolando Panerai, Montserrat Caballé, and Marylin Horne, to the great conductors Carlo-Mario Giulini and Hans Rosbaud, composers Yan Maresz, Péter Ëotvös, and François Sarhan, and directors Joël Pommerat and Jorge Lavelli…allhave in common?

It’s the open-air stage in the courtyard of the Ancien Archevêché in Aix-en-Provence, which was transformed into a theatre in 1948 and has since become the emblematic venue of the Aix-en-Provence Opera Festival. Among others, each one of these talented and prolific artists has contributed to make this famous festival shine when summer arrives.

With its grand staircase, its medieval vaults, its 17th century wings, and its characteristically ocher Bibémus stone, the courtyard of the Old Archbishop's Palace is the charming venue where all opera lovers converge in July.
It is here that you will be able to savor the pleasure of the warm summer nights, the murmurs of the spectators, the joyful symphony of instruments, and of course the melodic lyricism of the performance.

An open-air stage where pleasures of the ears and of the eyes converge with hazy summer bliss!

 

 

Fast facts
Capacity: 1250
Handicap Accessible: Yes, please contact us at hello@theatreinparis.com before booking so that we can notify the theatre.
Air conditioning: No
Heating: No
Coat Check: No

 

Théâtre de l'Archévêché

FAQ

How do I get to Théâtre de l'Archevêché in Aix-en-Provence?

The Théâtre de l'Archevêché is located in the courtyard of the Old Archbishop's Palace in the charming city of Aix-en-Provence.
From the SNCF train station, which is in the center of Aix-en-Provence, it only takes a few minutes on foot to get to the Théâtre de l'Archevêché through the pretty little streets of Aix-en-Provence. The city center of Aix-en-Provence is entirely pedestrian.
From the TGV station, take the bus n°40 which will lead you to the bus station located in the center of the city.
If you come by car, the Pasteur and Bellegarde parking lots are located 5 minutes' walk from the theatre.
Address: 28 Place des Martyrs, 13100 Aix-en-Provence
In case of difficulty, our hotline can be reached during our business hours. Please see the footer of this page for our contact details.

What do I do when I get to Théâtre de l'Archevêché?

We recommend that you arrive 30 minutes before the beginning of Louise, and present your voucher at the front desk. Théâtre de l'Archevêché’s English-speaking staff members will guide you to your seats.
We recommend that you check the dates, times and venues shown on the tickets. Performances start at the time indicated.
Once the theatre doors have closed, you will not be guaranteed entry to the auditorium.
In order not to disturb the smooth running of the performance, latecomers may only be accommodated during an intermission, when it takes place, without any guarantee of the seating shown on the tickets. Some seats do not guarantee the visibility of surtitles or offer reduced visibility.

How long does the opera, Louise, last?

The opera Louise at Théâtre de l'Archevêché lasts approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes, with intermission.

Is Louise for an international audience or French speakers?

For both! The Théâtre de l'Archevêché has been welcoming audiences from all over the world for many years. The opera, Louise, is sung in its original French version. Surtitles are provided in both French and English so that international audiences can appreciate this opera in this incredible Parisian venue.

Where will I be seated, and will I see the surtitles* properly?

At Théâtre de l’Archevêché, there are a maximum of four categories available, each of which provides a comfortable view of the surtitles. The surtitles are projected above and on the sides of the stage.
*Surtitles (also called supertitles) are the theatre equivalent of subtitles. That’s because in French “sur” means “above”.

Can I choose my seat when booking?

When purchasing tickets for Louise, choose your preferred category and you will be allocated the best available seats in that category!
Please note that tickets of the same category that are booked during the same purchase session, in the same booking order on our website are always assigned side by side. To be sure of this, make sure all of your tickets are in the same category and are included in your shopping cart at the time of purchase.
If there are no available adjacent seating arrangements, our customer service team will contact you before the booking is confirmed.

Is there a dress code at Théâtre de l'Archevêché?

There is no specific dress code at Théâtre de l'Archevêché, but proper attire is appreciated.

The Théâtre de l'Archevêché is an open-air theatre. If it rains, is Louise cancelled?

For performances, since 2008 Théâtre de l’Archevêché has only cancelled one and delayed another by a few minutes. Therefore, this is a very rare occasion. To help continue this to be a rare occasion, the Théâtre de l’Archevêché has a dedicated contact at Météo-France that helps in decision-making if ever there is a possibility of weather interruption. If the rain starts during the performance, Theatre in Paris will refund your tickets unless more than half of the performance has been played.

 

In case of cancellation of a performance, reimbursement will be made only upon request with presentation of the ticket(s). All requests must be sent no later than 30 days after the end of the Festival. After this date, no refund will be made. No additional expenses (transportation, parking, hotels...) will be reimbursed or compensated.

 

I bought tickets for Louise and I haven’t received them yet. Is this normal?

Yes, it’s completely normal! Your order will first be created as a pre-booking so that the Théâtre de l'Archevêché can assign your seat. You may see a pre-payment on your card, but rest assured that we will not charge your card until your reservation has been validated by the Théâtre de l'Archevêché. Once the reservation is confirmed, you will receive your ticket by email.
Due to the large number of requests that the Theâtre de l'Archevêché has to manage, this process usually takes two business days, but can take up to six days maximum. After six days if your order has not been validated, it will be cancelled, the pre-charge will disappear, and you will not be charged.