Festival Sitaara
Franco-Indian Music Festival in Courbevoie
2026
About Sitaara
The Sitaara Festival brings France and India together through music in Courbevoie, Hauts-de-Seine. Established in 2023 to mark the 10th anniversary of the restoration of the Pavillon des Indes—a monument from the 1878 World's Fair located in Parc de Bécon—the festival brings together French and Indian musicians every September to reinterpret French variety, Indian songs, and Bollywood hits. After three editions at the park's open-air theater, the 2026 concert will be held at the Centre événementiel de Courbevoie, while art workshops will take place at the Pavillon des Indes.
Sitaara — edition 2026
The Sitaara Festival is changing venues for 2026: the Franco-Indian concert moves from the Théâtre de verdure in Parc de Bécon to the Centre événementiel de Courbevoie on Friday, September 11 at 8:30 PM. 12 artists will revisit French pop, Indian songs, and Bollywood themes under the musical direction of Jan Erdos. On Saturday the 12th, two mandala and watercolor workshops will be held at the Pavillon des Indes.
2026 Edition: New Venue, New Format
After three outdoor editions at the Théâtre de verdure in Parc de Bécon, the Sitaara Festival is moving its concert to the Centre événementiel de Courbevoie, 7 boulevard Aristide Briand, on Friday, September 11, 2026. Doors open at 7:30 PM, and the concert runs from 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM. Seating is unassigned.
The Concert
12 artists will take the stage: musicians, a singer, dancers, and a storyteller. The repertoire blends French pop standards, Indian songs, and Bollywood film themes, featuring original arrangements that bridge Western and Indian instruments. Jan Erdos, French horn player and co-leader of the Fuzz Quintet, serves as musical director. The concert is open to children aged 6 and up.
The lineup includes Franco-Indian singer Sumana, pianist Levi Harvey, double bassist Juliette Weiss, drummer Emilian Ducret, sitar player Nazar Khan, percussionists Mathushan Sivarajah (thavil, mridangam) and Suraj Sreedharan (mridangam, kanjira), dancers Mahina Khanum, Shanti Pouyet, and Lydia Joy, and actress Pauline Caupenne.
Saturday Workshops
On Saturday, September 12, two workshops will be held at the Pavillon des Indes in Parc de Bécon: Mandala creation with Mandalographe® from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, and Kit n' Kif® watercolor from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Each workshop costs €35, including gourmet chai, and is open to adults and children aged 12 and up. Group sizes are limited.
Ticketing
Tickets must be purchased online via the festival website's ticketing page. There will be no sales at the door, and tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable.
Highlights Sitaara 2026
- The concert on Friday, September 11 at 8:30 PM, now held at the Centre événementiel de Courbevoie instead of the Théâtre de verdure in Parc de Bécon
- 12 artists on stage: French and Indian musicians, a singer, dancers, and a storyteller
- Sitar player Nazar Khan, trained in Rajasthan within a family of musicians spanning 20 generations
- Franco-Indian singer Sumana, performing in English, French, and Hindi
- Dancers Mahina Khanum, Shanti Pouyet, and Lydia Joy
- Two small-group workshops at the Pavillon des Indes on Saturday the 12th: mandala and watercolor
Programme Sitaara 2026
Friday, September 11, 2026 — The Concert
Centre événementiel de Courbevoie, 7 boulevard Aristide Briand. General admission, unassigned seating. Suitable for adults and children aged 6 and up.
- 7:30 PM — Doors open
- 8:30 PM - 10:30 PM — Sitaara Concert: 12 artists on stage, including musicians, a singer, dancers, and a storyteller. Featuring original arrangements of French pop standards, Indian songs, and Bollywood film themes. Musical direction: Jan Erdos
The 2026 Lineup
- Sumana — vocals and guitar, in English, French, and Hindi
- Jan Erdos — French horn, musical direction
- Levi Harvey — piano
- Juliette Weiss — double bass, bass, and viola
- Emilian Ducret — drums and percussion
- Nazar Khan — sitar
- Mathushan Sivarajah — thavil and mridangam
- Suraj Sreedharan — Carnatic music, mridangam, and kanjira
- Mahina Khanum — Odissi and Indian film dance
- Shanti Pouyet — Bollywood dance
- Lydia Joy — Bollywood and Kathak dance
- Pauline Caupenne — actress
Saturday, September 12, 2026 — Artistic Workshops
Pavillon des Indes, Parc de Bécon, 142 boulevard Saint-Denis. Small groups, for adults and children aged 12 and up. Gourmet chai included.
- 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM — Mandala Creation Workshop with Mandalographe® · Pavillon des Indes · €35 · An introduction to the Création Mandala® method by Romola Jain and the Mandalographe®, a prize-winning invention at the 2026 Concours Lépine that replaces compasses, rulers, and protractors. No drawing experience required; everyone takes their creations home.
- 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM — Kit n' Kif® Watercolor Workshop · Pavillon des Indes · €35 · Coloring a hand-painted poster of the Pavillon des Indes on fine art paper, designed in the Kit n' Kif® family studio for the festival. Everyone takes their poster home.
The organizers have no further events planned for 2026: the new format focuses exclusively on the Friday evening concert and these two Saturday morning workshops.
Prices Sitaara 2026
Saturday, September 12 workshops: €35 per workshop, gourmet chai included.
Online ticketing only via the festival website. No tickets sold at the door. Tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable. General admission, unassigned seating.
Practical information — Sitaara
Practical Information
The Concert — Centre événementiel de Courbevoie
7 boulevard Aristide Briand, 92400 Courbevoie
- Metro / RER: Line 1 or RER A to Grande Arche de La Défense, then take bus 275 or 278 to the Stade stop. Line 3 to Pont de Levallois – Bécon, then bus 275 to the Stade stop.
- Bus: 175, 275, and 278 to the Stade stop; 163 to the Paix Verdun stop.
- Transilien: Line L to Courbevoie or Bécon-les-Bruyères station, a 10-minute walk away.
- Vélib': Station no. 24004 Paix – Verdun.
- Parking: SAGS / Q-Park Verdun – Carpeaux – Briand, 7 boulevard Aristide Briand.
Workshops — Pavillon des Indes
Parc de Bécon, 142 boulevard Saint-Denis, 92400 Courbevoie
- Metro: Line 3 to Pont de Levallois – Bécon.
- Transilien: Line L to Bécon-les-Bruyères, 10 minutes from Gare Saint-Lazare.
- Bus: 275 and 167 to Place Mermoz; 277 to Franklin.
Ticketing and Contact
Book online at festivalsitaara.com. Tickets are not sold on-site and are non-exchangeable and non-refundable.
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @festivalsitaara
The Sitaara Festival: A Musical Bridge Between France and India in Courbevoie
Sitaara, meaning "star" in Hindi, was born in 2023 from the vision of Yvana Nourmamod and Gamil Mitha, two French citizens of Indian descent. The inaugural edition coincided with the 10th anniversary of the restoration of the Pavillon des Indes, a historic monument from the 1878 World's Fair situated in the Parc de Bécon.
Parc de Bécon and the Pavillon des Indes
The Parc de Bécon is a protected site that houses both the Pavillon des Indes and the Théâtre de verdure, an antique-style open-air amphitheater that hosted the festival's first three editions. In 2026, the main concert moves to the Centre événementiel de Courbevoie, while the park continues to host artistic workshops within the Pavillon des Indes' artist residency.
A Franco-Indian Repertoire
French and Indian musicians collaborate to reimagine classic French chansons, traditional Indian melodies, and popular Bollywood themes, while also composing original fusion pieces that blend both worlds. The sounds of the sitar, thavil, and mridangam harmonize with the piano, double bass, and drums, as vocals shift between French, English, and Hindi. The performances are further enriched by classical Indian and Bollywood dancers.
Organizers
The festival is managed by the Sitaara association, with support from the City of Courbevoie, the Embassy of India in France, and various private partners.
Where does it take place — Sitaara
Sitaara in brief
History of Sitaara
Edition 2025 Sep 2025Other festivals near Courbevoie
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