NOSTALGIA AND MORE NOSTALGIA

juillet 20, 2015

When I take the train for Aix-en-Provence, nostalgia invariably sets in. For more than 20 years I went every year with my Mother to see family and close friends. Or we would be going to the Festival for an opera. That’s what I was doing this year. When I see this,

The Rotunde

Where we saw Curlew River

I know I am back and so many memories dance around in my mind.
 In the late 90’s we had gone to see a Stephan Lissner's production of Britten’s « Curlew River » in this little theatre which didn’t seem to be as romantic as I remember it.

Then of course the opera was given under a cloudless sky at night and in balmy weather. It was quite likely that the weather would be the same for Britten’s « Midsummer Night’s Dream » which I would see this evening. This is the facade of the the Théâtre de l'Archevêché, in daylight and then at 21h and even later. The weather couldn’t have been better and the opera was brilliant. You can have a look at this if you would like to…….http://www.festival-aix.com/en/node/2031
and there is a short video too on the Opera.

What is so rare about this festival is that people - or women anyway - dress. There were no blue jeans in sight and everyone had made an effort. How wonderful after the jeans and shorts that we get in Paris at the Chatelet theatre.

Before going in

Inside the theatre

Someone being interviewed

The Facade of the Archevêché

  Earlier in the day I had been up to the to the theatre

and something I don’t remember doing, went to an exhibition in the Musee des Tapisseries in the the Archevêché. André Derain (1880-1954). I think that my Mother introduced me to Derain. He is a household name in Aix-en-Provence. Why I didn’t associate him with theatrical costume design is quite another matter. He had just turned 20 when he could count amongst his friends such names as De Vlaminck, Matisse, Braque, Picasso, Dufy, Friesz, Marquet and quite a few others. He was the co-founder of Fauvism with Matisse. That is probably where I came in touch with his work for this first time. Through Fauvism but I still think of Matisse as being the founder. The painting of Charing Cross Bridge in London (1906) was undoubtedly his gift to Fauvism. There were several versions as you can see.

Another point which makes me think of him is that in 1907 the art dealer Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler purchased Derain's entire studio, granting Derain financial stability. Kahnweiler was Picasso’s main dealer and maybe that is why Derain’s name rings such a strong bell.

With the exception of a couple of portraits,

Geneviève, 1925

Genevieve, 1938

Woman with red hair, 1930

And a couple of amusing pictures

Three nudes in a landscape, 1950-52

"Maladie de Femmes/Mal aux dents", 1903

Returning from military service, 1904

Dancer in a tutu, 1927

the exhibition is dedicated to opera and dance.

His costumes, ome of the designs are quite enchanting in themselves and I enjoyed the hour or so wandering through to the sound of the Barber of Seville in my ears