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Culture

Avignon's cultural scene hits the headlines each July (usually between 10 July and 2 August) with the Avignon Festival, created by Jean Vilar in 1947. Originally pure theatre, the event now includes contemporary and religious music, dance, poetry and circus displays. The most prestigious productions are performed in the vast Palais des Papes courtyard, others within theatres, disused churches and sports halls. The Chartreuse at Villeneuve-lès-Avignon showcases the contemporary theatre of the Festival, as well as a separate musical theatre festival, Villeneuve en Scène. Alongside the official festival (locally known as the 'In'), the 'Off' fringe festival enlivens streets and courtyards with a carnival atmosphere.

The 'In' programme is available as of the second week in May from the Bureau du Festival d'Avignon (tel: (04) 90 27 66 50; website: www.festival-avignon.com) or from the Tourist Office. Tickets (priced at about FFr150) are available from June by telephone (tel: (04) 90 14 14 14) or on the website. The 'Off' programme is published in June by Paris-based Avignon Public Off (tel: (01) 48 05 01 19). Their headquarters are within the Conservatoire de Musique opposite the Palais des Papes during the Festival. Tickets cost about FFr70.

Music:
The gracious OpÉra d'Avignon (tel: (04) 90 82 23 44), built in 1847, overlooks place de l'Horloge. The season runs from October to June and includes operas and operettas, plays and ballet, symphonic and chamber music concerts. The Musique SacrÉe en Avignon, 49 rue Portail Magnanen (tel: (04) 90 82 37 92), organises free concerts in churches (October to May).

Theatre:
Avignon has about ten permanent theatres, as well as the opera house. The ThÉâtre du Chêne Noir, 8 rue Ste-Catherine (tel: (04) 90 82 40 57), draws well-known actors and directors and the ThÉâtre du Chien qui Fume, 75 rue des Teinturiers (tel: (04) 90 85 25 87), puts on a varied programme of theatre, music and improvisation evenings. The ThÉâtre des Halles, 4 rue Noël Biret (tel: (04) 90 85 52 57), excels in contemporary theatre, while cutting-edge ThÉâtre des Carmes, 6 place des Carmes (tel: (04) 90 82 20 47), is run by the AndrÉ Benedetto company (organisers of the Festival 'Off'). Theatre tickets range from about FFr30 to FFr120 and the season runs from October to May.

Dance:
Dance has its own moment of glory in February, when Les Hivernales contemporary dance festival takes place at La Manutention, 4 rue escalier Ste-Anne (tel: (04) 90 82 33 12; website: www.hivernales.asso.fr). The Golovine company at the ThÉâtre de la Danse, 1 rue Ste-Catherine (tel: (04) 90 86 01 27), puts on a dance festival in March.

Film:
Avignon has about twenty cinemas. CinÉma Utopia (tel: (04) 90 82 24 27) at La Manutention arts centre, 4 rue escalier Ste-Anne, shows undubbed art films. Utopia has another cinema at 5 rue Figuière, north of place St-Didier, where dubbed films creep into the screenings. They also produce La Gazette Utopia, a free monthly listings magazine. Cinema Vox, 22 place de l'Horloge (tel: (04) 90 85 00 25), offers mainstream films (with the odd art film) - some in the original language. One of Avignon's largest cinemas is the ten-screened PathÉ Cap Sud, 175 rue Pierre-SÉmard, route de Marseille (tel: (08) 36 68 22 88).

Cultural events: A French-American film festival takes place every June, and is a showcase for independent film-makers. The Avignon festival takes place between July 10th and August 2nd. Its annual programme is centred on current trends in theatre, dance and music. The 2001 programme is available from mid-March (website: www.festival-avignon.com).

Literary Notes
Petrarch (1304-1374) brought the theme of idealised love to Avignon, where he first set enchanted eyes on Laure in 1327. This earthly incarnation of perfection inspired the 'Canzoniere' - over 300 poems, mainly sonnets, on the subject of platonic love. Not withstanding the fated meeting, Petrarch detested Avignon, which he famously described as 'a sewer where all the filth of the universe has gathered'.

FrÉdÉric Mistral (born in 1830 between Arles and Avignon) drew on the troubadour tradition with his love poetry 'Mireille' about star-crossed lovers. Written in both Provençal and French, the tragic tale won Mistral a Nobel Prize and revived the dying Provençal language. Together with Avignon-born Theodore Aubanel, he founded the Felibrige movement and helped revive Provençal tradition.

Avignon-born writer Pierre Boulle (1912-1994) won international renown with Planet of the Apes (1963) and Bridge Across the River Kwai (1952), both later made into films. English-language writers have painted a mythical picture of Provence as a sun-drenched idyll populated by country bumpkins - most famously in Peter Mayle's bestselling Year in Provence (1989).



Copyright © 2001 Columbus Publishing
    
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