Julie Beauvais
| Julie Beauvais | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1978 (age 47–48) Sion, Switzerland |
| 🏳️ Nationality | Swiss and French |
| 🏫 Education | École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, Paris |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| Known for | Krãsis (2013), ORLANDO (2018), The Witness (since 2018) |
| 🌐 Website | juliebeauvais |
Search Julie Beauvais on Amazon.
| Julie Beauvais | |
|---|---|
 Julie Beauvais © Anne Morgenstern.jpg Julie Beauvais, French-Swiss opera director | |
| Born | Switzerland |
| 🏳️ Nationality | Swiss-French |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| Known for | Opera direction, transdisciplinary arts, theatre |
| Movement | Contemporary Opera, Deep Listening Practices, Conscious Movement, Epic Theatre |
| 🌐 Website | juliebeauvais |
Search Julie Beauvais on Amazon.
Julie Beauvais (born 1978 in Sion, Switzerland) is a Swiss-French opera director and transdisciplinary artist. Her practice focuses on the exploration of the fundamental tenets of opera within global and transcultural contexts.
Since 2001, her work has been presented at various international venues and festivals. In 2013, she founded Windhorse, a laboratory for experimental opera, and in 2018, she launched the global platform The Witness.
Beauvais also contributes to various academic institutions as a guest lecturer, leading specific modules at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK)[1], the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)[2][3], and the Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology (SMI) in Bangalore.
Background and Education
Beauvais graduated from the École internationale de théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris in 2000, specializing in physical theatre and performing arts. In 2010, she completed a teacher training certification in Lecoq pedagogy and performing arts at the London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA) and Arthaus.Berlin. This foundational training in physical movement and ensemble work informs her transdisciplinary approach to opera and performance.
Work
Beauvais’ career has evolved through a continuous exploration of different territories—from physical theatre and performance to opera and, subsequently, experimental opera. She describes herself as an edge walker, operating at the intersection of diverse disciplines, cultures, and worldviews.[4].
Theatre (2000–2009)
During her early career, Beauvais focused on Epic Theatre and international collaborations. She co-founded the Sprung Theatre in Chicago, directing productions such as Capsize (2000) and Seep (2002). In Geneva, she founded Cie Mondes Contraires, directing nomadic projects including A Alma Boa de Setzuan in Brazil (2001), a production of Romeo et Juliette au Village that toured the Mongolian steppe (2005), and El Circulò de Tiza in Nicaragua (2009).
Opera Direction (2006–2014)
As the Artistic Director of Ouverture Opéra in Sion from 2005 to 2014, Beauvais staged a series of classical and baroque operas. Her work included Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (2006), Don Giovanni (2010), and Così fan tutte (2014), as well as Puccini’s La Bohème (2008) and Haendel’s Alcina (2012)[5]. In 2013, she directed Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel at the Opéra de Lausanne.
Performance and Installation (2013–2017)
Between 2013 and 2017, Beauvais’ work unfolds through a cycle of performances and video installations examining the relationship between the body, music, and space. Often described as an artist evolving outside traditional institutional boundaries, her practice focuses on the presence of the performer in dialogue with the environment. Notable works include Density 21.5 at The Kitchen in New York (2017), and Sunbathing in my Tears, a solo opera and video installation presented at La Ferme-Asile and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) (2017)[6].
Contemporary and Experimental Opera (2013–Present)
Her research into contemporary opera focuses on transdisciplinary and translocal forms. Her major project, ORLANDO (2018)[7][8][9], co-produced by La Bâtie–Festival de Genève, has achieved significant international reach. It has been performed at major festivals including the FIBA–Festival Internacional de Buenos Aires, Santiago a Mil International Theater Festival in Chile, the Mostra Internacional de Teatro de São Paulo, and the O. Festival in Rotterdam. The project was also presented at the Manifesta 13 European biennial in Marseille and toured extensively throughout India, notably at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (2022–2023). Other key works include the monumental installation and opera Krãsis (2013)[10][11], a co-production between the Grand Théâtre de Genève and La Bâtie–Festival de Genève, as well as the global platform The Witness (since 2018)[12].
Curatorial Projects and Artistic Platforms
Beauvais has initiated and directed several platforms for experimental creation. She was a co-founder and co-artistic director of the Sonic Matter festival in Zurich (2020–2022). Between 2021 and 2024, she was the co-founder and co-director of ALTER-[13], an altitude laboratory and residency program in Val d’Anniviers, focusing on artistic and scientific research in mountain environments.
Research and Residencies
Beauvais’ practice is informed by extensive field research and international artistic residencies, including the Red House Manhattan in New York (2011). Her research trips have included studies for Krãsis in India (2012), The Fervor in New Mexico (2014), and Excuse Me While I Kiss The Sky in Myanmar (2015). With the support of Pro Helvetia, she conducted a residency for the ORLANDO project in Patagonia (2019). Subsequent research for The Witness (2021) involved travel across Mozambique, South Africa, and Uganda.
Her current collaborative field research focuses on Himalayan operas and their potential to create new narratives reflecting both local heritage and global paradigm shifts. This ongoing work involves scheduled research in Ladakh as well as a multi-year engagement with the Nalanda Diploma Course in Buddhist Philosophy at Tibet House, New Delhi.
Selected Works and Productions (2000–Present)
| Year | Title | Details / Repertoire | Venue / Festival | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–2024 | ALTER | Altitude Laboratory, Transition Experiments, Research | Val d'Anniviers | CH |
| 2018–present | The Witness | Experimental Opera, Translocal Practice | Global Platform (Carnegie Hall, Museum Rietberg, etc.) | Worldwide |
| 2022–2023 | ORLANDO | India Tour | Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Ukhrul, Bangalore | IN |
| 2019–2020 | ORLANDO | South America Tour | Santiago a Mil, FIBA, MITsp São Paulo | CL / AR / BR |
| 2018–2020 | ORLANDO | Europe Tour | La Bâtie, Manifesta 13, O. Festival, Dock 11, EPFL | CH / DE / FR / NL |
| 2017 | Density 21.5 | Repertoire: Edgard Varèse | The Kitchen | New York, USA |
| 2017 | Toccata e Fuga | Repertoire: J.S. Bach (BWV 565) | La Ferme-Asile | Sion, CH |
| 2017 | Catalog | Repertoire: Haendel, Mozart, Verdi, Bowie | La Ferme-Asile | Sion, CH |
| 2017–2018 | Sunbathing in my Tears | Repertoire: Strozzi, Neuwirth, Ubaldini | La Ferme-Asile, EPFL | Sion / Lausanne, CH |
| 2017 | Heroine | Repertoire: Georg Friedrich Haendel | La Ferme-Asile | Sion, CH |
| 2014 | Così Fan Tutte | Repertoire: W.A. Mozart | Cie Ouverture Opéra, La Ferme-Asile | Sion, CH |
| 2013–2014 | Krãsis | Experimental Opera & Monumental Installation | Funkhaus Berlin, Grand Théâtre de Genève | DE / CH |
| 2013–2014 | The Soldier's Tale | Repertoire: Igor Stravinsky | Fondation Pierre Arnaud | Lens, CH |
| 2013 | This Is Not For You | Performance | Philadelphia Fringe Festival | Philadelphia, USA |
| 2013 | Hansel and Gretel | Repertoire: Engelbert Humperdinck | Opéra de Lausanne | Lausanne, CH |
| 2012 | Alcina | Repertoire: Georg Friedrich Haendel | La Ferme-Asile | Sion, CH |
| 2012 | Orfeo ed Euridice | Repertoire: Christoph Willibald Gluck | Cie Amabilis | Lausanne, CH |
| 2011 | Radamisto | Repertoire: Georg Friedrich Haendel | Winterthur Theater, Kurtheater Baden, ZHdK | CH |
| 2011 | Monodramas | Ass. Dir (Erwartung, Neither, Machine de l'être) | New York City Opera, Lincoln Center | New York, USA |
| 2010 | Don Giovanni | Repertoire: W.A. Mozart | La Ferme-Asile | Sion, CH |
| 2009–2010 | El Circulò de Tiza | Theatre (Bertolt Brecht) | Matagalpa Nicaragua Tour, Théâtre St Gervais | NI / CH |
| 2008 | La Bohème | Repertoire: Giacomo Puccini | La Ferme-Asile | Sion, CH |
| 2007 | Philomena Parade | Performance | Oslo Festival | Oslo, NO |
| 2006 | El Monkey | Theatre (Isak Dinesen) | Odin Teatret, Centro Cultural de la Cooperación | DK / AR |
| 2006 | Emir et Cador | Mask Duet / Epic Theatre | Comédie de Genève, Théâtre Pitoëff | Geneva, CH |
| 2006 | Le Nozze di Figaro | Repertoire: W.A. Mozart | La Ferme-Asile | Sion, CH |
| 2005 | Romeo et Juliette au Village | Theatre (Gottfried Keller) | Nomadic communities tour | Mongolia |
| 2005 | Transsibérien | Mask Trio Performance | Trans-Mongolian train | MN |
| 2003 | Appel en Absence | Theatre Creation | Théâtre de l'Usine | Geneva, CH |
| 2002 | Seep | Theatre Creation | Links Hall | Chicago, USA |
| 2001 | A Alma Boa de Setzuan | Theatre (Bertolt Brecht) | Movimento Pró-Criança, Recife | BR |
| 2001 | La Contadina Astuta | Commedia dell'Arte | Teatro Reggio Emilia, Petit Théâtre de Sion | IT / CH |
| 2001 | And So I May Return | Theatre Creation | Plasticene | Chicago, USA |
| 2000 | Capsize | Theatre Creation | Links Hall | Chicago, USA |
Partners, Festivals, and Venues
Beauvais’ work is supported by major national and international institutions and has been featured in leading performing arts festivals and venues globally.
International Festivals
Her creations have been programmed at major international festivals, including:
- Europe: La Bâtie-Festival de Genève (CH), Manifesta 13 Marseille (FR), O. Festival Rotterdam (NL), Sonic Matter Festival Zurich (CH), and Regional 19 Strasbourg (FR).
- Americas: Santiago a Mil (Chile), FIBA - Festival Internacional de Buenos Aires (Argentina), MITsp - Mostra Internacional de Teatro de São Paulo (Brazil), and Philadelphia Fringe Festival (USA).
- Asia: Kochi-Muziris Biennale (India) and THEATRUM: Re-Formation Moscow (Russia).
Notable Venues and Institutions
Her work has been presented or developed at:
- Switzerland: Maison Saint Gervais, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Opéra de Lausanne, Museum Rietberg Zurich, and Museum Tinguely Basel.
- International: Ballet National de Marseille (FR), Funkhaus Berlin (DE), and The Kitchen (USA).
Pedagogy
Beauvais is a frequent guest lecturer and mentor at several international institutions:
- Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK)
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
- Hochschule für Musik (FHNW)
- Hochschule Luzern–Musik (HSLU)
- Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Bangalore (SMI)
- Haute École de Musique (HEMU)
- Arthaus.Berlin (International Training and Research Centre)
Awards
- 2011: Cultural Prize of the State of Valais (Individual)[14]
- 2014: Cultural Prize of the State of Valais (with Ouverture Opéra).
Bibliography
- Space without fear / Espace sans peur: The art of Julie Beauvais, 2015. ISBN 978-2-8399-1727-8. Texts by Winsome Brown, photos by Robert Hofer
References
- ↑ ZHdK. "Cooperation with the project "The Witness" by Julie Beauvais".
- ↑ "ORLANDO – Installation performative".
- ↑ "Orlando".
- ↑ Julian, Sykes (Le Temps - 2017-01-24). "Julie Beauvais ou le corps en liberté" (in français). ISSN 1423-3967. Retrieved 2026-04-23. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ "A Sion, les sortilèges d'Alcina enchantent la Ferme-Asile". Le Courrier (in français). Le Courrier. Retrieved 2026-04-23. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ "Opéra solo – Sunbathing in my tears".
- ↑ Ramírez, Claudia (2020-01-20). "Sin palabras, solo con sentidos". La Tercera (in español). Retrieved 2026-04-25.
- ↑ "Orlando: New Paradigm Opera". Mostra Internacional de Teatro de São Paulo (MITsp). 2020.
- ↑ "ORLANDO – Manifesta 13 Marseille".
- ↑ Sylvie, Bonier (27 August 2014). "Julie Beauvais fait une «Krasis» aux Bastions". Le Temps.
- ↑ Marie Alix, Pleines (28 August 2014). "Le chant lyrique résonne au cœur de la cité". Le Courrier.
- ↑ Pro Helvetia Annual Report 2017 (Report). Pro Helvetia. 2017. pp. 10–11.
- ↑ McCrae, Nathalie Gerber (Le Courrier - 2022-08-26). "Andes et Alpes, même combat". Le Courrier (in français). Retrieved 2026-04-25. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ Lauréats des prix culturels 1980-2025 (Report). Canton du Valais. 2025. p. 11.
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