The historic Chorégies d’Orange, France’s oldest opera festival and one of Europe’s most iconic summer music events, has appointed Bruno Messina as its new director, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the 156-year-old institution.
Messina will take up the position in September 2026, succeeding Jean-Louis Grinda, who has led the festival for the past decade. His appointment was unanimously approved by the festival’s board following a selection process involving representatives of the French state, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region, the Vaucluse Department and the City of Orange.
Founded in 1869, the Chorégies d’Orange occupies a unique place in the operatic world. Every summer, performances are presented in the Théâtre Antique d’Orange, a Roman amphitheatre built in the first century AD whose monumental stage wall—one of the best preserved of the ancient world—creates remarkable natural acoustics for an audience of nearly 9,000. The UNESCO World Heritage Site has become synonymous with large-scale opera productions performed without electronic amplification, making it one of the most distinctive venues in international classical music.
Messina arrives with extensive experience in artistic leadership. A musician, writer and cultural administrator, he is best known as the artistic and general director of the Festival Berlioz in La Côte-Saint-André, which under his leadership expanded its international profile while strengthening its focus on the music of Hector Berlioz. He has also directed the Festival Messiaen au pays de la Meije and served as artistic adviser to several French cultural institutions, in addition to working internationally with the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music in Morocco.
His appointment suggests continuity in artistic ambition while also pointing towards a broader cultural vision. According to the festival, Messina has been tasked with strengthening the Chorégies’ international reputation, consolidating its economic model and expanding its appeal to new generations of audiences, while preserving the artistic standards that have defined the festival for more than a century and a half.
Announcing the appointment, Chorégies board president Richard Galy praised Messina’s experience leading cultural institutions and his ability to bring together artists, public authorities and audiences. He also thanked Grinda for his ten years at the helm of the festival.
Messina inherits one of France’s most prestigious musical institutions at a time when many historic festivals are balancing artistic tradition with financial sustainability and the need to attract younger audiences. How he shapes that balance will become clearer when he unveils his first programming decisions after taking office this autumn.
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