Tunis, Bruges, Reims, Venice, Valenciennes, Tokyo

Tunis: Dido and Aeneas at the Théâtre de l’Opéra

The Théâtre de l’Opéra de Tunis presented two performances of Dido and Aeneas, Purcell’s masterpiece devoted to the queen of Carthage and the Trojan prince, performed in Tunisia for the first time according to historically informed musical practice. This production was made possible through collaboration between the ensemble Les Épopées, the Orchestra and Choir of the Théâtre de l’Opéra de Tunis, under the direction of Stéphane Fuget, with the collaboration of Claire Lefilliâtre. The presence of the dancers of the Ballet of the Opéra de Tunis helped bring a distinctive energy to Omar Rajeh’s original staging and choreography.

With Nesrine Mahbouli, Lilia Ben Chikha, Maram Bouhbal, Haythem Hadhiri, Khalil Saied, the Choir and Ballet of the Opéra de Tunis, Les Épopées and Stéphane Fuget.

Bruges: Mary of Burgundy celebrated at the 4th Festival GOLD

For its fourth edition, Festival GOLD in Bruges portrayed an exceptional woman, Duchess Mary of Burgundy (1457-1482). In front of her mausoleum, Ensemble Gamut!, directed by Aino Peltomaa, evoked two Marys: the Virgin, an emblem of wisdom and benevolence, and Mary of Burgundy, a woman of secular power and remarkable intelligence. Gamut! paid tribute to them through mystical Gregorian chants, Scandinavian folk songs and ancestral incantations drawn from the runic tradition.

With Ensemble Gamut! and Aino Peltomaa.

Reims: inauguration of the cathedral’s great organ

Over four days, from Wednesday 13 May to Saturday 16 May, Reims celebrated the awakening of its cathedral’s great organ, following restoration work carried out by the Orgues Quoirin workshop. The programme included recitals by Olivier Latry, titular organist of Notre-Dame de Paris, Vincent Dubois, Élodie Marchal and Benjamin Steens, Andreas Sieling, titular organist of Berlin Cathedral, and Pierre Méa, titular organist of Reims Cathedral, as well as talks, exhibitions and discovery sessions devoted to various emblematic organs in the Reims region.

With Olivier Latry,Vincent Dubois, Élodie Marchal, Benjamin Steens, Andreas Sieling and Pierre Méa.

Venice: Les Arts Florissants at the Fondazione Cini

At the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice, in the Renaissance cloister that was once the heart of a Benedictine monastery, Les Arts Florissants, under the direction of William Christie, presented a Vivaldi programme before an audience of 900 guests, as part of an evening offered by the Pinault family to mark the opening of the season and the Venice Art Biennale.

With Les Arts Florissants and William Christie.

Valenciennes: “Chut(es) !” for the Festival Embar(o)quement immédiat

For the Festival Embar(o)quement immédiat in Valenciennes, which is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, mezzo-soprano Lucile Richardot and harpsichordist Jean-Luc Ho created a new programme: “Chut(es) ! Frasques baroques entre héros et tyrans”. Between ecstasy and the intoxication of feeling, this mischievous programme, given for the first time at the church of Saint-Géry in Maing, explores opera arias and cantatas with great expressive and dramaturgical power.

With Lucile Richardot and Jean-Luc Ho.

Tokyo: Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien and François Lazarevitch at the Cotton Club

As part of La Folle Journée Tokyo 2026, Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien and François Lazarevitch gave two concerts at the Cotton Club, the celebrated jazz club, notably performing The Lady’s Cup of Tea as well as a repertoire of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century airs, dances, Gaelic songs and instrumental pieces drawn from their programme “The High Road to Kilkenny”.

With Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien and François Lazarevitch.