Already 40 years old! A great anniversary for Marseille Concerts which approaches this milestone with the serenity of having established its image in the Marseille landscape. The association sees things big by focusing on sure values for the next season (from October 4, 2026 to July 4, 2027), and by celebrating in particular the bicentenary of the death of the composer Ludwig van Beethoven.
“Après Mozart l’an passéintroduced artistic director Olivier Bellamy during the presentation of the upcoming programming, Wednesday, at the History Museum, we wanted to recall Marseille’s attachment to German genius. Hector Berlioz mentioned it in his writings: the city which adored Beethoven continued to perform his works after his death, unlike Paris.“
We will thus move on from Beethoven’s three piano concertos on November 22 at the Pharo, to the complete five sonatas for cello and piano by the musician on January 25, 2027 at the Opéra, without forgetting the sonatas for violin, piano and cello on May 15, 2027 at La Criée. So many treasures served up by excellent performers, like François-Frédéric Guy, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Sélim Mazari… And by names known to the public including the cellist Gautier Capuçon and the pianist Franck Braley.
Musical and literary thread
The event also chooses to follow a musical and literary thread, with works combining notes with words. On December 1 at La Criée, the irresistible zoological and musical fantasy of Camille Saint-Saëns Carnival of the Animals will be told by actress Julie Depardieu.
Honor to the ladies with the presence of Véronique Gens on February 12, 2027 at the Pharo: the soprano will summon the great arias of Joseph Offenbach, some of which are unpublished. Since it’s never too early to get interested in music, there will be a revisited version of Serge Prokofiev’s musical tale, Peter and the Wolf le 31 mars 2027 au Magic Mirrors d’Istres.
The culmination of this great adventure will correspond, according to the tireless Olivier Bellamy, a former journalist, to the four-handed concert, very early in the season, on October 6 at the Opéra, by the pianists Katia and Marielle Labéque. “For more than 55 years, the sisters have formed an iconic duo playing all over the world, in prestigious orchestras. They started young, are very close, and continue an exemplary musical journey“, rejoiced Olivier Bellamy. They will be in Marseille to defend “an elegant and captivating universe“, while interpreting the classical repertoire in a different way, with pieces by Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, Claude Debussy, Leonard Bernstein and Nina Simone.
We will also meet the Goldberg Trio, an ensemble born within the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic ensemble on October 17 at the Pharo, the duo Anne-Lise Polchlopek and Federico Tibone on November 7 also at the Pharo. Or the Canadian pianist of Chinese origin Sophia Liu on November 13, still at the Pharo, “coup de cÅ“ur” by Olivier Bellamy, and the pianist Jean-Philippe Collard, trained at the Paris Conservatory, on November 29 at the Opéra.
The evening dedicated to Carmen, the opera by Georges Bizet, will close the celebrations on July 2, 3 and 4, 2027 at the Citadel.
The hardest part will be making your choice from the thirty concerts on offer. Marseille Concerts is constantly breaking down barriers, with immoderate enthusiasm according to its president Karine Fouchet: “Lhe demonstration found its audience. And continue to look to the future. The main thing is that everyone can find what they are looking for, between creation, symphonic music, chamber music, or all at once. It’s our DNA. Hopefully it lasts!“
Reservations for subscriptions from Thursday June 4 and single reservations from Monday June 15. Information on marseilleconcerts.com.
