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Marrakesh – Arabic will be the spotlight at the Avignon Festival 2025, announced director Tiago Rodrigues on Monday.
The Avignon Festival is an annual arts extravaganza held every July in the enchanting French city of Avignon. Every year, they spotlight drama in a different language, and this year’s chosen one is Arabic.
The event transforms the courtyard of the Palais des Papes and other city locations into vibrant stages.
Founded in 1947 by Jean Vilar, it proudly holds the title of the oldest festival in France.
Joining the festivities, Cape Verdean choreographer, Marlene Monteiro Freitas, will create the opening piece at the iconic Palais des Papes.
Rodrigues praised Arabic as a language of immense cultural heritage and a bridge between worlds, sharing his excitement during a lively press and public meeting at this year’s festival.
Explaining the choice of Marlene Monteiro Freitas, Rodrigues lauded her dance, which “blends an electrifying relationship with the body and the density of philosophical thought about our times.”
He highlighted her versatility, noting how she “jumps from one discipline to another,” including “theater, performance, visual arts, and cinema.”
Freitas will also be an “artist accomplice,” with several collaborative projects involving other artists..
Rodrigues emphasized the cultural and political significance of this choice: “Arabic is the fifth most spoken language in the world. It boasts immense historical heritage, but also a beautiful contemporary diversity.”
This year, Spanish is the featured language at the festival with choreographer Boris Charmatz as the featured artist.
