The Lyric Forum was created in 2001 by the Fêtes / Festiv’Arles Committee and its President Valentine THIBON, granddaughter of the great Arlésien tenor Valentin JAUME..

It then consisted of a competition open to young opera singers at the dawn of their career. This event quickly gained notoriety and saw candidates come from all over the world to compete in Arles.
Thus in 2010 to celebrate its 10th anniversary, the Festival Committee and its Lyric Commission organized a large concert presented by Frédéric LODEON in the Ancient Theater of Arles, bringing together the winners of previous years..
Since 2011 the Lyric Forum has experienced a new dimension integrating other events such as conferences, exhibitions, concerts ... around the lyric competition which has become "OPERA EN ARLES".

The Lyric Forum and its "Opera in Arles" competition is organized by the Arles festival committee.