The 18th Festival de Lacoste switches happily between opera, drama, film and musical comedy. A feast for the senses and a pleasure amplified by the legendary setting of the Marquis de Sade’s former lair.
Ève Ruggieri, a friend of Pierre Cardin who owns the castle and created the festival, likes to call this summer rendezvous “a diverse festival of entertainments”. She points out that “unlike the big festivals which all have specific identities – Aix-en-Provence and Orange for opera, La Roque d’Anthéron for piano, Avignon for drama and Marseille for dance – Lacoste is a delicious mix of all the performing arts and always tries to broaden its programme to new forms, like film and musical comedy this year. But without losing the thread we began with, which is to present promising young talents just starting their careers.” Yes, the Lacoste castle quarry is the place to make some exciting discoveries.
Above the rooftops
The festival is always a delightful getaway, up above the village roofs, with a spectacular view over the Luberon plain. This year gives pride of place to musical comedy, with Josephine Baker presented by Ève Ruggieri, followed the next day by Un italien à Paris with Gérard Chambre, and Rimbaud et Verlaine by Stéphane Roche. Among the other highlights are a concert by the Berthollet sisters, cellist Camille and violinist Julie,and a recital by the enchanting counter-tenor Jakub Józef Orliński who created a buzz last year in Aix-en-Provence by appearing on stage in shorts and flip-flops. Enticing treats await you if you climb to the top of Lacoste village.
Par Louis Badie
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