Festival Berlioz

2025 Edition — "À la vie, à la mort!"

The 32nd edition of the Festival Berlioz placed its program under the sign of absolute romanticism with the theme "À la vie, à la mort!". From August 21 to 31, 2025, the festival offered 44 events, including 25 free of charge, welcoming 28,023 spectators and 1,133 artists, among whom were 135 young musicians in professional integration and 293 amateurs.

Opening Concert — Destiny

Violinist and conductor Renaud Capuçon opened the festival leading the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra in the courtyard of Château Louis XI, with a program dedicated to Schumann and Beethoven.

The Complete Songs of Berlioz

A world event, the festival presented for the first time the complete songs of Hector Berlioz in four concerts at the church of La Côte-Saint-André, performed by the Lyon choir Spirito and its conductor Thibaut Louppe, with the voices of Maud Bessard-Morandas and Anne-Lise Polchlopek accompanied by pianist Hervé Billaut.

Major Symphonic Concerts

The RAI National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Daniel Kawka performed Berlioz and Liszt. Le Cercle de l'Harmonie conducted by Jérémie Rhorer performed Mozart's Requiem at the abbey of Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye. The Orchestre de Paris Mozart and the Orchestre Français des Jeunes provided memorable evenings.

Closing Concert — Romeos and Juliets

The Orchestre National d'Île-de-France concluded the festival with a program featuring the Romeo and Juliet works by Berlioz, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, and Bernstein.

Berlioz's Requiem

The highlight of the edition, Berlioz's Requiem, was performed on August 29 in the courtyard of Château Louis XI by the ensemble Appassionato, the Chœur Spirito, and regional amateur choirs.

Full Program 2025

• August 21: "Destiny" — Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, cond. Renaud Capuçon (Schumann, Beethoven)
• August 22: "Berlioz Songs 1" — Bessard-Morandas, Polchlopek, Billaut | "Shadow and Light" — Hector Berlioz European Youth Orchestra, cond. Stéphanie-Marie Degand (Berlioz, Bizet)
• August 23: Grand Popular Festival at Faramans Leisure Center — 500 drones and pyrotechnics by Groupe F
• August 24: "Berlioz Songs 2" — Nuits d'été | "Dolce Vita" — RAI National Symphony Orchestra, cond. Daniel Kawka (Berlioz, Liszt)
• August 25: Mozart's Requiem — Le Cercle de l'Harmonie, cond. Jérémie Rhorer (Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye)
• August 26-27: Colloquium "Living and Dying in Berlioz's Century" | "The Young Girl and Death" — Paris Mozart Orchestra | "One Thousand and One Nights" — Orchestre Français des Jeunes
• August 28-29: Fabrizio Chiovetta Recital | Berlioz's Requiem — Appassionato, Chœur Spirito | "The Comedy of Death"
• August 30-31: "Return to Life" | DJ Matteo Set (Chinese Man) | "Romeos and Juliets" — Orchestre National d'Île-de-France (Berlioz, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Bernstein)

Highlights of the 2025 Edition

• Theme: "À la vie, à la mort!" (To Life, To Death!) — a romantic exploration of love and death
• 28,023 spectators and 44 events, including 25 free admission
• World Premiere: complete songs of Hector Berlioz in four concerts
• Renaud Capuçon in the opening concert with the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra
• Berlioz's Requiem with the Appassionato ensemble and Chœur Spirito
• Grand Popular Festival with a 500-drone show and pyrotechnics
• 6 sold-out concerts
• 1,133 artists, including 135 young musicians in professional integration