Hier et Aujourd'hui Festival

The Hier et Aujourd'hui Festival: A Dialogue Between Musical Eras

Since its creation in 2021, the Hier et Aujourd'hui Festival has established itself as a unique musical event in Southern Touraine. Set in the majestic surroundings of the Chartreuse du Liget, a former Carthusian monastery founded at the end of the 12th century by Henry II Plantagenet, King of England and Count of Anjou, the festival offers a program where classical masterpieces meet the most audacious contemporary creations.

A Place Steeped in History and Spirituality

The Chartreuse du Liget, located in the commune of Chemillé-sur-Indrois, is one of the most remarkable monastic ensembles in the Centre-Val de Loire region. Its conventual buildings, gardens, and chapel offer exceptional natural acoustics and an atmosphere of contemplation conducive to musical listening. The festival takes advantage of this centuries-old architecture to offer concerts in rare intimate settings.

A Program Between Tradition and Avant-Garde

The festival's philosophy is based on a simple yet demanding principle: each concert juxtaposes works from the great classical repertoire—Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Smetana, Bartók, Ravel—with often lesser-known contemporary compositions. The programmed creators include Galina Oustvolskaïa, Lera Auerbach, Bushra El-Türk, Arvo Pärt, and Camille Pépin, thus offering the public a musical panorama that spans the centuries.

Exceptional Artists

The festival hosts top-level performers, soloists, and chamber music ensembles, who share this vision of an open and curious repertoire. The preferred formations—duo, trio, quartet—allow for a rare proximity between musicians and the audience, in the spirit of a human-scale festival.

A Festival Rooted in its Territory

Beyond the musical programming, the Hier et Aujourd'hui Festival contributes to the cultural and tourist influence of the Indrois Valley and Sud Touraine. By investing in a major historical monument, it helps to promote local heritage and attracts a music-loving audience from all over France. The festival takes place over three days in July, with several concerts per day, in a friendly and warm atmosphere.

A Commitment to Contemporary Music

By systematically programming works by living composers alongside the masters of the past, the Hier et Aujourd'hui Festival affirms a strong commitment to contemporary musical creation. This approach, supported by the contemporary music network in France, allows the public to discover rare and sometimes new pieces, in a setting that invites attentive listening and contemplation.