The Avignon Festival has consistently demonstrated its commitment to linguistic diversity, annually featuring a guest language and welcoming many international artists to the stages of the Cité des Papes. Surtitling performances – providing live translations projected above the stage – ensures that all audiences can enjoy the shows, a cornerstone of its cultural policy. First appearing in the 1980s, surtitles were initially used in opera.
Introduced in Avignon under the creative direction of Olivier Py (2013-2022), surtitling became standard practice with the arrival of his successor, Tiago Rodrigues, who has championed ever-greater linguistic diversity. With a multilingual program, performances in foreign languages – and in French – are surtitled. In 2023, the festival created a dedicated position to “oversee the surtitling process from start to finish,” explained Clara Moulin-Tyrode, deputy production director of the festival.
While companies presenting work at the festival are asked to provide their own surtitling solutions, the festival itself allocates “€60,000 to €70,000” to supplement these efforts. The process is coordinated with other venues on tour. France’s national performing arts agency (ONDA) and France’s international cultural agency offer their support, while partnerships are formed with specialized organizations such as Panthéa, a leading European surtitling company for live performance.
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