Cultural festivals in Europe

As Cannes is about to launch its 60th film festival on Wednesday, May 16th, the cultural correspondant Alan Riding wonders "If Cannes is more industrial fair than arts festival, what about the hundreds of other cultural festivals that fill Europe's summer calendar every year? Are they also about the business of, say, classical music, opera, theater and photography, or are they more authentic celebrations of an art form? At the same time, cultural festivals help sustain artists and performers when the concert halls, opera houses and theaters of many European cities close down for the summer. Thus, top opera stars can be heard belting out 'Aïda' in the Arena di Verona. ... More important from a creative point of view are the festivals in Avignon and Edinburgh, which are breeding grounds for new talent in theater. In both cities, high-profile productions are accompanied by hundreds of 'off' or 'fringe' performances that give young playwrights, directors and actors a chance to be noticed."

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