Festival de Gramat - Y'a de la Joie en chansons

Y'a de la Joie en chansons: Opéra Éclaté settles in Gramat

Since 2022, the town of Gramat has hosted the Y'a de la Joie en chansons festival every summer, led by the Opéra Éclaté company and its artistic director Olivier Desbordes. Born from an invitation from the municipality to this historic company of lyrical performance in rural areas, this event has quickly established itself as a highlight of the cultural summer in the Lot.

A festival rooted in song and live performance

The Y'a de la Joie en chansons festival offers a rich and eclectic program, at the crossroads of opera, music-hall, French song, and world music. Each edition brings together the emblematic artists of the Opéra Éclaté company—opera singers, actors, musicians—around original creations, musical shows, and tributes to great figures of song.

The repertoire covers a wide spectrum, from realistic song to Mediterranean rhythms, from Piaf to Salvador, from sung poetry to burlesque cabaret, always with humor, tenderness, and infectious energy. The shows, designed to be accessible to all, blend theater and music in a festive and popular spirit.

Remarkable performance venues

One of the festival's unique features is the diversity of its performance venues:

• La Salle Jean Dumas, Gramat's main performance hall, equipped with tiered seating
• Le Grand Couvent de Gramat, an exceptional heritage setting for intimate concerts
• La Salle de l'Horloge, in the heart of the historic center
• Le Château Clos du Chevalier in Le Bastit, for open-air evenings
• The Municipal Library, for meetings with artists

This touring between sites allows spectators to rediscover the heritage of Gramat and its surroundings while enjoying quality performances in intimate and warm settings.

Growth edition after edition

The first edition in 2022 offered three evenings of songs and music-hall. By the second edition in 2023, the festival had expanded to six days of programming and new venues. In 2024, the third edition confirmed the festival's establishment with five evenings and a dinner-cabaret. The 2025 edition marked the return of opera with an ambitious production of Carmen Al-Andalus. The festival continues its growth with a fifth edition planned for August 2026.

Opéra Éclaté: over 35 years of performance in rural areas

The Opéra Éclaté company, founded in 1986, is a benchmark for touring lyrical performance in France. Based in Saint-Paul-de-Vern in the Lot region, it has always had the mission of making opera and musical theater accessible to all, especially in rural areas. The Y'a de la Joie en chansons festival is part of this tradition, bringing demanding and generous artistic programming to Gramat and the Causse.