An evening of opera in Sanxay
Events & excursions
©Thomas Jelinek - Agence-Zebrelle Every year for more than 20 years, Sanxay, a peaceful village of 500 souls located southwest of Poitiers, becomes an open-air opera hall in the heart of the ancient theater of a Gallo-Roman site.
Immerse yourself in the heart of an exceptional Gallo-Roman site
How did he get here? It’s in the XNUMXthrd century, during important excavation, that we discover the remains of a Gallo-Roman city. Among them, a Gallo-Roman theater, a temple, thermal baths, shopping and many vintage coins (more than 300) suggest that the Gallo-Roman city was a major attractive center of the ancient province of Aquitaine.
©Sébastien LAVALUpon discovery of the archaeological site, the 15 hectares have been protected. These landscapes of meadows and hedgerows are a rich local reservoir of biodiversity. Birds, insects, plants are preserved here thanks to actions carried out both by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, site manager, the LPO (the site has been labeled LPO refuge since 2018) and theassociation Prom'haies, which contributes to the implementation of a hedge management plan.
©Thomas Jelinek – Agence-ZebrelleOn the program of the Lyric Evenings of Sanxay in 2024
The year 2024 of the Lyric Evenings of Sanxay promises a fabulous cultural spectacle. It is on stage, at nightfall, that the magic happens. Without microphones, like their ancient predecessors, opera singers around the world play the greatest operas. Under a starry celestial vault, thrills guaranteed….
After Carmen, the Barber of Seville, Aida, Don Giovanni and Madame Butterfly, this year it's Puccini's Bohemia who will hold the top of the poster August 10,12, 14 and 2024, XNUMX.
I take my place
The origin of the Lyrical Evenings of Sanxay
En 1998, when Christophe Blugeon, artistic director at the initiative of the Lyric Evenings, is looking for a place, he scours the region to find THE ideal setting. The choice of Sanxay is immediate. His eyes still sparkle when he tells us about his “love at first sight”:
Passionate about lyrical art, I wanted to offer the Picto-Charentais public a summer lyrical production. Poitou-Charentes was, at the time, the only region of France not to have an opera house. When I arrived here accompanied by an opera singer, I immediately understood that it was there and nowhere else that this festival had to be organised. When he started to sing, it was magic… The acoustics are exceptional!
the 3rd lyrical event in France
Two years of work later, the first Lyrical Evenings of Sanxay emerge. Carried since by an association, the festival has continued to grow to become the 3rd lyrical event standing in the open air after that of Aix-en-Provence and Orange.
This success, Christophe Blugeon shares it with the 250 volunteers, including many residents of Sanxay who work alongside him every year.
A few hours from the start of the show, everyone is busy. The mechanics are well oiled, everyone knows what to do. When asked why they are volunteers, their answer is unanimous: “the human adventure is extraordinary! ".
Among them, Rene Gibault, responsible for the “reception” sector, takes us behind the scenes. Here, he knows almost everyone… “We have new volunteers who join us every year; there are a few new faces that I don’t know,” he laughs, introducing us to Stéphane Arnaud, professional costume designer. 2 hours before the performance, needle and thread in hand, he repairs a costume.
In 2023, it was the 8rd edition in which he participated, with, he says, “always with the same desire”. What he likes about Sanxay, it is the collaboration between entertainment professionals and volunteers.
Creating a flying opera in record time is quite a collective performance!
"Entering into communion with the place"
A little further, in the boxes, Florian Sempey is preparing. The baritone knows Sanxay well; it's the 4rd times that his song resounds in the ancient theater. This regular at the biggest opera houses has a weakness for the Lyric Evenings and a lot of emotion for his site. “This place was created for the show and 2000 years later we continue to bring it to life. Every time I go on stage, I touch the stones, as if to enter into communion with the place… The other evening at the end of the performance, my eyes looked up to the sky…
It's really hard to find a more beautiful setting than the vault of heaven! »
©Thomas Jelinek – Agence-ZebrelleVolunteers and artists talk about it best
Listen to them tell you about their adventure in Sanxay…