Voix et Route Romane: 35 Years Along the Medieval Paths of Alsace (France)

From 28 August to 20 September, for its 35th edition, the Voix et Route Romane festival once again sets out along the paths linking Alsace’s Romanesque churches. True to its founding spirit and under the artistic direction of Bruno Haller, the festival brings together heritage discovery and the exploration of medieval repertoire, with a programme ranging this year from the earliest polyphony to music from the closing centuries of the Middle Ages.

Among the invited artists, laReverdie celebrates its 40th anniversary with The Dance of 40 Years (“La danse des 40 ans”), while Marc Mauillon & friends explore Guillaume de Machaut in The Remedy of Fortune (“Le remède de fortune”). Céladon turns to the Cantigas de Santa Maria and the romance of Yvain; Obsidienne goes back to the music of the year 1000; and Irini brings female voices to the fore with The City of Ladies (“La cité des dames”) and Invictae, Miraculous Women (“Invictæ, femmes miraculeuses”).

This European journey also welcomes Alkymia, Sollazzo, Leones and flautist Pierre Hamon. John Dowland, who died four hundred years ago, will be commemorated by Leones, before the ensemble brings the festival to a close in Sélestat with The World According to Zacara (“Le monde selon Zacara”).

This year’s format combines the 6 pm “Epic Journey” concerts with 2.30 pm musical “Escapes”, tracing a route through Rosheim, Ottmarsheim, Eschau, Surbourg, Strasbourg, Murbach, Marmoutier and Dambach-la-Ville. More than a succession of concerts, Voix et Route Romane remains one of the few French festivals to make Romanesque architecture itself a travelling companion to medieval music.