Octophonia — European Festival of Chants and Lights

ℹ️ Festival on hold. The Octophonia Festival no longer seems to be held: its last documented edition dates back to 2019 (Preludes concerts on June 13, 14 and 15, 2019). The 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled and, as of our editorial check (June 2026), no public source (official website, Ottmarsheim municipality agenda, tourist office, local press) announces a new edition. However, Ottmarsheim Abbey Church continues to occasionally host concerts of sacred and ancient music outside of this festival. This page is kept for archival purposes.

A festival born from the encounter between Romanesque heritage and digital creation

The Octophonia Festival was born from the desire to enhance the Saints-Pierre-et-Paul Abbey Church of Ottmarsheim, one of the most remarkable Romanesque buildings in Alsace. Built around the year 1000 on an octagonal plan unique in France, inspired by Charlemagne's Palatine Chapel in Aix-la-Chapelle, this church, classified as a historical monument, offers exceptional acoustics under its eight-sided dome. The festival exploited this singular architecture to offer a total spectacle, blending European choral music and high-quality architectural video mapping.

The octagonal dome as a panoramic screen

Octophonia's artistic signature lay in the use of the octagonal dome as a 360-degree panoramic screen. Video mapping projections transformed the columns, arcades, and pilasters into an immersive visual theater: moving frescoes, light effects, and graphic animations dialogued in real time with the voices of the choristers. Each concert became an ephemeral and unique spectacle, where the millennial architecture came alive to the rhythm of sacred and profane polyphonies.

Choirs of excellence from all over Europe

True to its European vocation, Octophonia invited prestigious vocal ensembles from various countries across the continent. Among the groups welcomed over the editions were: the choir of Sankt Jakob Cathedral in Innsbruck (Austria), the Manécanterie de Saint-Jean de Colmar, the Comet Musicke ensemble specializing in early music, and the Gradus ad Musicam choir from Nancy. This dialogue between European vocal traditions — from Gregorian chant to contemporary polyphony — gave the festival a rare and precious intercultural dimension.

The Preludes: a two-part opening

The festival unfolded in several highlights spread between October and November. The Preludes, opening concerts, allowed audiences to discover early and baroque music ensembles in the intimacy of the abbey church, without video mapping, to appreciate the pure acoustics of the venue. The grand immersive evenings were the highlight of the festival with choral performances accompanied by light projections. The whole formed a coherent musical journey, from contemplation to wonder.

A European cultural itinerary rooted in Alsace

Recognized as a European cultural itinerary, Octophonia benefited from the support of the municipality of Ottmarsheim, the Mulhouse Symphony Orchestra, and regional institutional partners. The festival contributed to the heritage and tourist appeal of southern Alsace, attracting an audience from neighboring France, Germany, and Switzerland. It was part of an approach to enhance Romanesque heritage through contemporary artistic creation, making Ottmarsheim Abbey Church a living place for dialogue between centuries.