The definition of paradise is not universal. Surely there are those who will find paradise amidst the rhythmic sound of ocean waves, while there are others who will find the closest thing to earthly paradise among the green of the mountains, and even those who will think that it can only be found in big cities. The Peralada Festival offers in the 39th edition of the cultural event, which will be held from July 3 to 18 in the Empordà castle, its particular definition of Eden. A paradise formed by the harmony of bodies in motion, through dance performances, and the sonority of some of the most recognized voices in current lyrical music, such as Angel Blue or Joyce DiDonato.
While the works for its future auditorium are not executed, the festival will again offer in this edition a reduced and intimate format, concentrating twelve shows in 15 nights. These shows will be performed, mostly, in the Church of Carme ---also the setting for the Easter edition of the festival--- and the viewpoint of Peralada Castle, in addition to some shows in its winery, paired with wines. A dozen performances that will address everything from opera to contemporary dance, passing through flamenco Lied and the most undisciplined creations.
Twelve creations that this year will have "the fascinating world of garden art, and the diverse and polyhedral meanings of paradise" as their central axis, as defined by the artistic director of the event, Oriol Aguilà. In addition, this year the festival once again opts to invite some of the most prestigious voices and formations of the international music scene to this earthly Eden, while also betting on new creation and emerging artists, with the aim of offering its spectators an opportunity to "get lost (and find themselves) in the paradise of creation."
With the world of the garden as a common thread and musical notes as an artistic foundation, the festival will open with the voice of mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, accompanied on the piano by Craig Terry, in the Gothic temple of Carme. In addition to DiDonato, another of the great voices of the festival is that of the American soprano Angel Blue, one of the regulars in the Metropolitan Opera (Met) program, who will offer on July 13 a lyrical program that ranges from opera arias to jewels of musical theater, jazz, zarzuela, and African-American spirituals, combining emotion and elegance.
Also noteworthy is the return to the festival of conductor William Christie, on July 12, on a special occasion: to blow out the candles of his 80th birthday, and he will do so with his emblematic ensemble Les Arts Florissants. An evening celebrating baroque music, with the performance of the oratorio composed by G. F. Händel Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno. But not all shows will be dominated by lyrical music; there will also be space for the beauty of dance, with proposals such as the premiere of Le Terroir by Lorena Nogal, a production commissioned by the festival, which explores the concept of metamorphosis through the process of transforming grapes into wine. In an ideal setting for this theme, the Peralada wineries, and accompanied by dancer Álvaro Esteban, Nogal will dance to the rhythm of electronic music by Franco Mento, fusing movement with natural elements such as wind and earth.
In addition to this commission, the festival will also be the setting for several of its own productions, such as the world premiere of Hort / Garden, a monologue-opera, a co-production of the Perelada Festival and Òpera de Butxaca i Nova Creació, which will be performed for the first time on July 16. Born from the mind of the creative Elena Tarrats, Helena Tornero has been the author of the text that serves as the common thread of this show, a story of a granddaughter and her grandfather, closely united by a shared love for the family garden. When her grandfather passes away, the granddaughter discovers that, despite everything, the garden continues to flourish, a symbol of a legacy that persists beyond time. The staging will be by Sílvia Costa, who will transform the castle's viewpoint into a greenhouse with loss and memory as main characters, while the music has been written by six hands by Damien Bazin, Mario G. Cortizo, and Tarrats herself.
Another highlight of the festival will be the world premiere of Genius Loci, on July 5. Inspired by the book The Lost Garden by Jorn de Précy, the show invites the viewer to a sensory and philosophical experience to get lost in an imaginary garden, accompanied by a musical program that travels from the Renaissance to the 20th century, with works by John Dowland, Henry Purcell, Benjamin Britten, and John Williams, starring countertenor Xavier Sabata, under the baton of Rafael R. Villalobos.
In addition to these shows, productions such as the lyrical recital by Christoph Prégardien with his son Julian, which will be the first opportunity to see them sing together in Spain, also stand out. Accompanied by pianist Saskia Giorgini and narrator Alba Pujol, they will premiere In Paradisum, a tribute to the romanticism of Schubert and Liszt. Spectators can also be delighted by the piano duet of the sisters Katia and Marielle Labèque or the fusion of dance between baroque music and flamenco by the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía and the Accademia del Piacere. Tickets for the shows can be purchased online and will range from 25 to 110 euros.
As in other editions, the Peralada Festival will travel outside the Empordà castle grounds but will do so to a new destination: the heart of Finland, and its Savonlinna Opera Festival to present its production The Fairy Queen, by Henry Purcell. Premiered in the auditorium in the 2022 summer edition of the festival, this baroque semi-opera in five acts, inspired by William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, will be performed in the Nordic country on July 29 and 31 and August 2. A production, led by Dani Espasa ---one of the classic names of the festival--- in which the Shakespearean spirits take the form of different lyrical icons, from Madame Butterfly to Don Giovanni, without forgetting Tosca and Escamillo.
In addition to the concerts, the Peralada Festival also offers an extensive parallel program to broaden the cultural experience and delve into the historical context and deepen some of the works; as well as its usual summer campus so that students in the field of performing arts can access exclusive content, such as general rehearsals of works that will be performed at the festival or introductory workshops on writing or music. Likewise, and in collaboration with the Barcelona Film Fest, the Verdi Cinemas will also host two special screenings, of the classic film Beauty and the Beast (1946) and of the documentary on impressionism Painting the Modern Garden: from Monet to Matisse (2016), directed by David Bickerstaff.