Concerts d'Automne

The Concerts d'Automne: musical excellence in the heart of Tours

Since their creation in 2016, the Concerts d'Automne have established themselves as a must-see event on the French music scene. Sponsored by the famous soprano Natalie Dessay, this festival has attracted top-tier artists from its very first editions, confirming Tours' vocation as a city of culture and heritage.

An international festival

The programming of the Concerts d'Automne is distinguished by its artistic ambition and openness. World-renowned musicians such as Jordi Savall, Philippe Jaroussky, Nemanja Radulović, Mariana Flores, and Leonardo García Alarcón's Cappella Mediterranea have accepted the festival's invitation, offering the audience in Tours exceptional musical moments.

A diverse and innovative program

The festival unfolds over about ten days in October and offers several complementary formats:

• The main program: large symphonic concerts, recitals, and chamber music ensembles in the halls of the Opéra de Tours and the Grand Théâtre.
• Hors les murs: decentralized concerts in heritage sites of the Tours metropolitan area — churches, castles, historic salons.
• Les Apartés: intimate gatherings, lectures, and meetings with artists, allowing for a deeper exploration of the works.
• TUTTI: a participatory and educational component open to the widest audience.

The repertoire: from baroque to contemporary creation

The Concerts d'Automne embrace a vast repertoire, from the baroque of Monteverdi and Handel to the romanticism of Brahms and Schumann, including the classical music of Mozart and Haydn and contemporary creations. This diversity is the richness of the festival and allows each edition to offer an original and stimulating musical journey.

Tours, a city of music and heritage

By establishing itself in the heart of the Tours metropolitan area, the Concerts d'Automne benefit from an exceptional architectural and cultural setting. The Opéra de Tours, the Grand Théâtre, the historic churches, and the city's salons offer varied acoustics and unique atmospheres for each concert. The festival thus contributes to the cultural influence of the city and the Centre-Val de Loire region, attracting a loyal and increasingly large audience.

A commitment to transmission

Beyond the major concerts, the Concerts d'Automne conduct mediation and musical transmission work through educational activities, meetings with artists, and accessible prices for young people and students. The festival is part of an approach to openness and democratization of classical music.