A Midsummer Nightโ€™s Dream

When it comes to culture, Cannes has more than one string to its bow. And so, after celebrating the glory of cinema at the start of summer with the most famous of the townโ€™s festivals, the Croisette will soon be buzzing with excitement once again with the arrival of another of its great passions โ€“ dance. On 14 August, the Palais des Festivals will provide the setting for one of the great ballets which has been delighting dance aficionados for a number of years now. Entitled โ€œDreamโ€, this magnificent spectacle is the work of two talented artists, Julien Lestel and Alexandra Cardinale โ€“ quite simply, a dream partnership!


Alexandra Cardinale and Julien Lestel

Julien Lestel was one of the greatest French dancers of his generation, working with famous names such as Rudolf Nureyev, Marie-Claude Pietragalla and Roland Petit, among others. He is now an accomplished choreographer, considered to be one of the best of our time โ€“ a reputation which he more than consolidates with his new creation, Dream. In this contemporary ballet, this former dancer from the Palais Garnier perfectly expresses his vision of dance, successfully combining classic and modern styles by employing the rigorous beauty of the former alongside the spectacular physical effort of the latter.

The result is an intense and fascinating piece of ballet, which immediately attracted the attention of Alexandra Cardinale. Formerly an outstanding dancer with the Opรฉra National de Paris, Alexandra now combines a double career of guest soloist and producer. These two facets of her passion for dance come together beautifully in Dream, where she is not only responsible for production but also performs in the ballet herself, alongside the eleven talented dancers from the Ballet Julien Lestel company, adding a touch of undeniable sensuality to the performance. Dream was first staged at the Salle Pleyel in Paris, where it was rapturously received by its appreciative and knowledgeable audience. Thereโ€™s no doubt that audiences here in Cannes will respond with equal enthusiasm.

Dream – 14 August at 9pm, at the Grand Auditorium in the Palais des Festivals, Cannes.ย