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At the end of the 18th century, the Brotherhood, which was then composed of bourgeois landowners, decided to reward the work of the most deserving winegrowers. While at that time it was more common to reprimand negligent and lazy people, they decided to value the efforts made to improve farming methods. Experts of the Brotherhood note, judge and classify the winegrowers. Thus was to be born a ceremony of coronation of the best workers who are at the origin of the celebration. It then took place in the form of a [[procession]].
In 1797, on the Place du Marché in [[Vevey]], a platform with two thousand seats was erected. Under the chairmanship of Abbot-President Louis Levade, this first show was held on August 9, August 1797.<ref>http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/riviera-chablais/1797-fete-succede-parade/story/24509569</ref> In order to enhance the ceremony, a show is created consisting of a procession and a theatrical performance divided into four seasons presided over by the pagan deities, [[Pales]], [[Bacchus]] and [[Ceres (mythology)|Ceres]].
=== 19th century ===
François Grast also composed the music for the next Fête des Vignerons, which took place from 26 to 27 July 1865 under Abbot-President Louis Bonjour. About 1200 actors and performers participated in a 10,500-seat arena. Benjamin Archinard was dancing master as at the previous festival with Pierre Lacaze responsible for costumes and staging. As the celebration grew it became more difficult to finance and had to rely on a public subscription for one third of its budget.<ref>{{cite web|title=26 - 27 juillet 1865 : Un financement de plus en plus difficile|url=https://www.confreriedesvignerons.ch/les-fetes/du-xviiie-a-nos-jours/1865-2/|website=Confrérie des Vignerons|date=}}</ref>
From August 5 to 9, August 1889, the sixth Fête des Vignerons was held under the direction of the Abbot-President (and former [[President of the Confederation]]) [[Paul Ceresole]]. On this occasion, the show was staged by Ernest Burnat to the music of Hugo de Senger and brought together 1379 actors and performers in a 12,000 seat arena. This was the first time that the [[Ranz des vaches]] had been performed by a soloist, Placid Curtat, and not by a choir of ''armaillis''.<ref>{{cite web|title=5, 6, 8 et 9 août 1889: L'Alpe au centre de la cité|url=https://www.confreriedesvignerons.ch/les-fetes/du-xviiie-a-nos-jours/1889-2/|website=Confrérie des Vignerons|date=}}</ref> The highly acclaimed performance of the soloist showed the symbolic function of this song in the festival and established the close link between [[Vevey]] and the heights of the [[Veveyse District]] and the [[Gruyère District]].
=== 20th century ===
[[File:Vevey - fête des vignerons - Cent Suisses.jpg|thumb|''Ancient Swiss'' costume, 1999]]
The seventh Fête des Vignerons took place from August 4 to 9, August 1905. The Abbot-President at the time was the national councillor Emile Gaudard. [[René Morax]] wrote the libretto and directed the spectacle. [[Gustave Doret]] composed the music. The 1905 Fête des Vignerons was notable in that the procession become a secondary element as well as beng the first celebration not to restrict the participation of women and girls.<ref>{{cite web|title=4, 5, 7, 8 et 9 août 1905: Un jeu unifié|url=https://www.confreriedesvignerons.ch/les-fetes/du-xviiie-a-nos-jours/1905-2/|website=Confrérie des Vignerons|date=}}</ref> About 1,800 actors and performers participated in an arena with 12,500 seats.
From August 1 to 9, August 1927, the eighth Fête des Vignerons was presided over by the same Abbot-President as the previous one, Emile Gaudard, then [[Switzerland]]'s delegate to the [[League of Nations]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Patrie et festival|url=https://www.e-periodica.ch/cntmng?pid=swo-001:1927:0::1204|website=The Swiss Observer|date=3 September 1927|publication-date=}}</ref> The production was directed by Edouard Vierne ([[René Morax]] declined the invitation), replaced by A. Durec a few weeks before the event, while the music was composed as at the previous celebration by [[Gustave Doret]] with a libretto by Pierre Girard.<ref>{{cite web|title=1er - 9 août 1927: Le repli esthétique|url=https://www.confreriedesvignerons.ch/les-fetes/du-xviiie-a-nos-jours/1927-2/|website=Confrérie des Vignerons|date=}}</ref> The costumes and scenery were designed by Ernest Bieler and the choreographer was Georges Meriadec.<ref>{{Cite book|last=|first=|title=Fete des Vignerons Livret Officiel|publisher=Jayet & Diebold|year=1927|isbn=|location=Vevey|pages=}}</ref> About 2,000 performers participated, gathered in a 14,000-seat arena inspired by a medieval city surrounded by a wall and towers.
In 1955, the Fête des vignerons took place from August 1 to 15, presided over by the Abbot-President David Dénéréaz. In a context of increasing entertainment possibilities, barely a decade after the end of the [[Second World War]], the organisation became more professional: it was the first festival to have an international focus,<ref>{{cite web|title=1er - 14 août 1955 : Le légendaire messager conquiert la Suisse|url=https://www.confreriedesvignerons.ch/les-fetes/du-xviiie-a-nos-jours/1955-2/|website=Confrérie des Vignerons|date=}}</ref> more than doubling its capacity compared to the previous one (the first performances were not entirely sold out, but additional ones were organised following their success). The show was directed by Oscar Eberlé to music by Carlo Hemmerling and a libretto by Géo H. Blanc.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Apothéloz, Charles.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/715063142|title=Histoire et mythe de la Fête des vignerons : "Le cep et la rose"|date=1977|publisher=Ed. de Fontainemore|others=Creux, René.|isbn=2-88004-007-8|location=Paudex|oclc=715063142}}</ref> 3,850 performers participated in a 16,000-seat arena. The 1955 edition was the first to organize night performances.
From July 30 July to August 14, August 1977, the tenth Fête des Vignerons was presided over by the Abbot-President Philippe Dénéréaz. It was directed by Charles Apothéloz with music by [[Jean Balissat]] and a libretto by Henri Debluë. The sets and costumes were designed by Jean Monod. André Charlet directed the choirs and orchestra.<ref>{{Cite book|last=|first=|title=La Fete des Vignerons Vevey 1977, Livre Souvenir Officiel|publisher=Payot|year=1977|isbn=|location=Lausanne|pages=}}</ref> 4,250 performers participated in a 15,776-seat arena organized around a large solar clock with four cardinal points indicating the four seasons.<ref>{{cite web|title=30 juillet - 14 août 1977: La symbolique chrétienne|url=https://www.confreriedesvignerons.ch/les-fetes/du-xviiie-a-nos-jours/1977-2/|website=Confrérie des Vignerons|date=}}</ref>
The 1999 Fête des Vignerons took place from July 29 July to August 15 August. Presided over by the Abbot-President Marc-Henri Chaudet, it was directed by François Rochaix with music by [[Jean-François Bovard]], [[Michel Hostettler]] and [[Jost Meier]]. The libretto was by François Debluë (nephew of the 1977 librettist Henri Debluë) while Jean-Claude Maret directed the scenography and Catherine Zuber was responsible for the costumes.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Imsand, Marcel.|title=Fête des vignerons Vevey 1999 : livre-souvenir officiel|date=1999|publisher=24 Heures|others=Pache, Philippe., Salem, Gilbert., Jeker, Werner., Fête des vignerons (1999 : Vevey)|isbn=2-8265-1128-9|location=Lausanne|oclc=78427850}}</ref> The show featured "Arlevin", a winemaker representing the crowned winemakers (the coronation only took place during the first performance).<ref>{{cite web|title=1999: "Amour et joie" sur la Grande place et dans la ville|url=https://www.confreriedesvignerons.ch/les-fetes/du-xviiie-a-nos-jours/1999-2/|website=Confrérie des Vignerons|date=}}</ref> 5,050 performers participated in a 16,000-seat arena. On 11 August 11, the audience was able to see, during the show, the only [[Solar eclipse of August 11, 1999|total solar eclipse]] of the decade.
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Models of amphitheatres from the second half of the 20th century">
=== 21st century ===
[[File:Fête des Vignerons 2019-07-18 21-47.png|thumb|Fête des Vignerons 2019]]
On December 1, December 2016, the Fête des Vignerons was added to [[UNESCO]]'s Representative List of the [[intangible cultural heritage]] of Humanity. It is the first Swiss tradition to be included.
The twelfth Fête des Vignerons was held from July 18 July to August 11, August 2019. It was presided over by Abbot-President François Margot<ref>[http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/riviera-chablais/L-equipe-de-la-Fete-des-Vignerons-2019-est-connue/story/19580269 L'équipe de la Fête des Vignerons 2019 est connue], on 24heures.ch</ref> and was directed by [[Daniele Finzi Pasca]].<ref>[http://laliberte.ch/l-info-regionale/le-concepteur-de-la-fete-des-vignerons-2019-a-ete-designe Le concepteur de la Fête des Vignerons a été designé]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, on LaLiberte.ch</ref> The music was composed by [[Maria Bonzanigo]] (musical director), [[Jérôme Berney]] and [[Valentin Villard]], while the libretto was the work of Stéphane Blok and Blaise Hofmann.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fetedesvignerons.ch/le-spectacle/les-auteurs/|title=Les auteurs|last=Sàrl|first=Ergopix|date=2018-12-11|website=Fête des Vignerons 2019|language=fr-FR|access-date=2020-03-29}}</ref> The scenography was by Hugo Gargiulo,<ref>[http://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/Une-arene-digne-des-jeux-du-cirque-pour-la-Fete-des-Vignerons/story/24990896 Un nouveau scénographe annoncé lors de la présentation de l'arène], on 24heures.ch</ref> [[Bryn Walters]] was the choreographer and the costumes were designed by Giovanna Buzzi. Among the approximately 6,000 actors and performers, there were nearly 1,000 singers (local choirs, choir-percussionists, children)<ref>[https://www.24heures.ch/fete-des-vignerons/supplements/supplement-6/churs-voix-vigne/story/12275854 Les chœurs, voix de la vigne], on 24heures.ch, Octobre 12, 2018.</ref> conducted by Caroline Meyer and Céline Grandjean<ref>[https://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/riviera-chablais/Le-Choeur-de-la-Fete-bat-deux-fois-au-feminin/story/13688378 Fête des Vignerons: Le Chœur de la Fête bat deux fois au féminin], on 24heures.ch, March 28, 2019.</ref> in an arena of 20,000 seats.<ref>[http://www.rts.ch/info/regions/vaud/8485066-la-future-fete-des-vignerons-de-2019-devoile-son-arene-de-20-000-places.html La future Fête des vignerons de 2019 dévoile son arène de 20 000 places], on rts.ch.</ref> The traditional song [[Ranz des Vaches]] was performed by eleven ''armaillis''<ref>{{Cite news|last=Maspoli|first=Philippe|url=https://www.24heures.ch/vaud-regions/riviera-chablais/groupe-chantera-ranz-vaches/story/16520128|title=Onze voix pour le "Lyoba" de la Fête|date=2018-05-28|work=24Heures|access-date=2020-03-29|language=fr|issn=1424-4039}}</ref> (traditional cow-herdsmen<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/que-sont-devenus-les-armaillis/2069382|title=Que sont devenus les armaillis|last=swissinfo.ch|first=S. W. I.|last2=Corporation|first2=a branch of the Swiss Broadcasting|website=SWI swissinfo.ch|language=fr|access-date=2020-03-29}}</ref>), rather than a soloist as had been done since 1889.
The 2019 spectacle traced the activities of winegrowers through the seasons, seen through the eyes and imagination of a small girl called "petite Julie". The opening scene is set during the grape harvest. Julie's grandfather is playing cards and drinking wine outside a winegrowers' hut (locally known as a "capite"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://swisswine.ch/fr/actualite/vignobles-capites-ou-guerites|title=Vignobles ! Capites ou guérites ?|last=swisswine|date=2016-07-23|website=Swiss Wine|language=fr|access-date=2020-03-29}}</ref>). During the spectacle, Julie's grandfather teaches her about the mysteries of grapevines, the beauty of the landscape and the culture of wine-making. She repeatedly encounters the Three Doctors, clownish local worthies and experts of the Fête. Reality is transformed into a dreamlike fairy world through Julie's imagination and she is accompanied on her adventures by a beautiful dragonfly.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Carruzzo-Frey, Sabine, 1957-|title=Le livre du spectacle : Fête des Vignerons 2019|date=2019|publisher=Confrérie des Vignerons|others=Finzi Pasca, Daniele., Favrod, Guillaume., Genoud Arts Graphiques)|isbn=978-2-8399-2684-3|location=Vevey|oclc=1119703470}}</ref>
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