Ribeauvillé Early Music Festival

Forty Years of Early Music in Alsace

Founded in 1984 by a group of passionate music lovers, driven by Éliette Schneider, the Ribeauvillé Early Music Festival is among the most prestigious events for Baroque and Renaissance music in France. For four decades, it has highlighted the treasures of ancient repertoire in the enchanting setting of Ribeauvillé, a medieval town nestled at the foot of the Vosges mountains on the famous Alsace Wine Route.

Martin Gester, a Visionary Artistic Director

The festival is directed by Martin Gester, an internationally renowned harpsichordist, organist, conductor, and educator. Founder of the Parlement de Musique, an ensemble specializing in the Baroque repertoire, he has carried out exemplary work on European music from Monteverdi to Mozart. His programming is distinguished by its eclecticism: virtuosity meets boldness, curiosity, and a spirit of discovery, connecting the past to the present.

Three Weekends, Six Exceptional Concerts

The festival unfolds over three weekends between September and October, offering six concerts in the heritage sites of Ribeauvillé and neighboring villages. The programs span centuries and borders: "wild" Baroque music with Purcell and Nordic traditions, the sensuality of 17th-century Baroque gardens, Telemann's Polish dances, Sephardic romances, and romantic reveries. The Parlement de Musique is the festival's resident ensemble.

Exceptional Concert Venues

The concerts are held in heritage sites of rare beauty: the Couvent Church in Ribeauvillé, the Hunawihr Church amidst the vineyards, the Sainte-Catherine Chapel, the Le Parc cultural space, and other emblematic locations in the wine region. These intimate and acoustically remarkable settings offer a unique proximity to the musicians and total immersion in early music.

An Open and Generous Festival

Beyond ticketed concerts, the festival offers free aubades and open rehearsals, allowing everyone to discover early music in a spirit of sharing and conviviality. Ribeauvillé, with its half-timbered houses, three ruined castles, and welcoming winstubs, provides an ideal setting to extend the musical experience by exploring Alsatian heritage and its great wines.