Francis Poulenc & Friends Festival

Francis Poulenc, the most French of composers, celebrated on his home ground

The Francis Poulenc & Friends festival was born in 2025 from the desire to celebrate the musical heritage of Francis Poulenc (1899-1963), "the most French composer of the early 20th century", on the ancestral lands of his family in Espalion, in the Aveyron department. Coming from a devout Catholic family from Espalion, Poulenc maintained a deep connection with this Aveyron region throughout his life, where the Boulevard Joseph Poulenc perpetuates the family memory.

Concerts in a remarkable heritage setting

The festival unfolds in three towns in northern Aveyron offering exceptional architectural heritage: Espalion (Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church), Estaing (Saint-Fleuret Church), and Saint-Côme-d'Olt (Malet Chapel). These religious buildings, with their remarkable acoustics, provide an ideal setting for chamber music and lyrical recitals, allowing for an intimate and immersive musical experience.

Poulenc and his friends: a dialogue between composers

The festival's name — "Francis Poulenc & Friends" — reflects the intention to create a dialogue between Poulenc's works and those of composers he admired or who influenced him: Mozart, Schubert, Ravel, Debussy, Fauré, Rossini, and Gluck. The festival particularly highlights Poulenc as a composer of melodies, setting to music the poems of Apollinaire, Max Jacob, Éluard, Ronsard, Louise de Vilmorin, and Maurice Carême.

Internationally renowned artists

From its very first edition, the festival has brought together leading artists from the French lyrical and piano scene: pianist Joseph Birnbaum, mezzo-sopranos Karine Deshayes and Delphine Haidan, and baritone Hervé Ribaud-Shinberg. These renowned performers guarantee an exceptional artistic level in an intimate and accessible setting.