Château en Musique - Harpe Mosaïques Festival

Château en Musique: Harp at the Heart of Heritage

The Harpe Mosaïques Festival, presented under the « Château en Musique » label, is an initiative by the ARPEOLIA association that reconnects with a musical tradition established at the Château de Maisons-Laffitte about twenty years ago. As the organizers describe it, it is a "renaissant alliance twenty years later with the same desire to offer a wide range of colorful festivities around the instrument."

The Château de Maisons: A Setting for the Harp

The Château de Maisons, built in the 17th century by François Mansart for René de Longueil and now managed by the Centre des monuments nationaux, offers an exceptional architectural setting for this festival dedicated to the harp. The state rooms, monumental staircases, and majestic volumes of the château create ideal acoustics and atmosphere for recitals and chamber concerts, offering a rare intimacy with the artists.

The Harp in All Its Splendor

The uniqueness of the festival lies in its ability to showcase the harp in all its forms and repertoires. The Concert Mosaïques, a highlight of the festival, brings together Venezuelan harp, classical harp, poetic harp, and jazz harp on the same stage, illustrating the richness and versatility of this ancient instrument. Artists such as Murielle Kopff (Venezuelan harp), Anja Linder (classical harp), Cristine Merienne (poetic harp), and Christophe Saunière (jazz harp) embody this diversity.

Master-classes, Shows, and Music Salon

Beyond the concerts, the festival offers master-classes with renowned harpists, including Isabelle Moretti, a professor at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique de Paris and one of the world's greatest harpists. Theatrical musical shows, such as « Sophie la Harpiste » with Sophie Bonduelle, and concert-readings like « Colette l'enchantement » by the duo Arpacello (Lucie Chevillard on cello and Frédérique Garnier on harp) enrich the program. A music salon opens the stage to young harpists, fostering transmission and emulation.

A Free Festival Open to All

In a spirit of sharing and accessibility, the Harpe Mosaïques Festival is entirely free. This philosophy allows it to reach a wide audience, from discerning amateurs to curious families, and to introduce the harp to those who have never had the opportunity to hear it in concert.