In a move signalling its continued and strong emphasis on opera programming, the Adelaide Festival has today announced an exclusive partnership with the prestigious Aix-en-Provence Festival to co-produce and co-commission major opera productions. The co-productions will form the centrepiece works of the next three Adelaide Festival seasons. The news of the historic agreement coincides with the announcement that Joint Artistic Directors Neil Armfield and Rachel Healy have had their tenures extended to 2023, the second time their contracts have been extended which makes them the Festival’s longest serving ADs. Both oversaw the success of 2017’s Saul, 2018’s Hamlet and this year’s Komische Oper Berlin production of The Magic Flute.

Katie Mitchell’s Written on Skin for the Aix-en-Provence Festival. Photo © Aix-en-Provence Festival

The exclusive partnership will also see both festivals work together on a number of initiatives to support South Australia’s emerging artists, as well as arts workers across the industry in both Australia and France. The agreement will also enable South Australian artists to take part in the Academie du Festival d’Aix, an acclaimed professional development program for singers, instrumentalists and creators of concert and opera productions.

“Neil Armfield and I are absolutely thrilled about embarking...