A thematic focus from the art collection of the Museum Behnhaus Drägerhaus, which will be presented in an exhibition in 2026, is on paintings and pictures by female artists, including Paula Modersohn-Becker, Anita Rée, and Else Wex-Cleemann. Juxtapositions of their works reveal how the self-image of female artists has changed over time. Just as the works of female visual artists have often been marginalized and ignored, so have those of female composers. This soundscape concert combines chamber music and vocal works by outstanding female composers from various eras, from pioneers from the mid-19th century such as Clara Schumann to trailblazers at the beginning of the 20th century such as Lili Boulanger, who was the first woman to win the coveted "Prix de Rome" in France and died at the age of just 24, or Mélanie Bonis, who mostly published her works under the pseudonym Mel Bonis in order to conceal her gender, to contemporary composers such as Lera Auerbach.

2.  Sound Images Concert

Museum Behnhaus Drägerhaus

This season, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt) once again brings its chamber music concerts to the Forum Kultur Heppenheim. In the historic Kursaal, hr solo flautist Sebastian Wittiber and hr oboist Michael Höfele, accompanied by pianist Maria Ollikainen, will present French chamber music for flute, oboe, and English horn. The concert features a selection of distinctive works from the circle of the extraordinary composer Lili Boulanger, who at the age of 19 became the first woman to win the prestigious Prix de Rome and tragically died far too young just a few years later.

Chant du soir

Forum Kultur Heppenheim e. V.

Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major is probably the most excitingly orchestrated concerto for a solo instrument with orchestra. Cheerful and brilliant at the same time, it has been a favorite work of concert audiences since its premiere in 1932. It begins furiously with a crack of a whip, created by two pieces of wood connected by a hinge and struck together. The second, slow movement is often referred to as one of the most beautiful 'Songs without Words' in music history. It is embedded in the surreal circus atmosphere of the first movement with hints of Ravel's Basque homeland, blues and jazz souvenirs from his trips to America, and the rapid finale in the style of a perpetuum mobile. "La valse" by Ravel probably needs no description - the symphonic waltz is one of the most popular works of the 20th century and regularly excites the audience. The Concerto for Orchestra by the Polish composer Witold Lutosławski can also arouse enthusiasm. It was premiered with great success in Warsaw in 1954 and is the last work in which Lutosławski uses folkloric elements. With it, the composer has said everything he had to say in this musical language...

EPSG:4326

Ravel "La Valse"

Palace of Culture

She was a fellow student of Debussy, admired by Saint-Saëns, and encouraged by the publisher Alphonse Leduc to create ever new works: Mélanie Bonis, a French composer who fell into obscurity after her death in 1937. Her impressionistic atmospheric picture Le Songe de Cléopâtre (The Dream of Cleopatra) from 1909 is beguilingly beautiful in its sophisticated orchestration and intoxicatingly sensual in its sound. A real discovery! The organ concerto by the contemporary Swiss composer Valentin Villard, written exactly one hundred years later, is also sonicly fascinating: it begins shimmering and undulating and ends with a rushing apotheosis. All of this is exactly the right thing for the dazzling star organist Anna Lapwood, who, to top it all off, also presents a French classic: the monumental organ symphony by Saint-Saëns. At her side: David Reiland from Belgium, head of the Orchestre National de Lorraine and the Sinfonietta Lausanne.

Organ Symphony With Anna Lapwood

Meistersinger Hall

Conductor Nicolas Ellis returns to the VSO to lead Rachmaninoff’s beloved Variations on a Theme of Paganini, poignantly interpreted by pianist Joyce Yang, known for her “vivid and beautiful playing” (The New York Times). Inspired by Danté’s Divine Comedy, Tchaikovsky’s retelling of Francesca da Rimini overflows with passion and tragedy. Mel Bonis’s musical tribute to women of legend presents compelling portraits of Cleopatra, Ophelia and Salome.

Tchaikovsky & Rachmaninoff

Centennial Theatre

Sullivan Heights Secondary School

Orpheum

A troubled prince, a tragic heroine and the Vienna of your dreams. Tchaikovsky and Mel Bonis embraced the world of Hamlet with all the fervour of true romantics. Richard Strauss, meanwhile, let his flair for storytelling have free rein in his opera Der Rosenkavalier: a delirious whirl of waltzes, wit, and love in all its colours, all on show in this suite.

Clemens Schuldt conducts Strauss and Phibbs

Barbican Centre

Led by their choirmaster, Albert Alcaraz, the young singers of Opéra Junior offer a warm and festive concert featuring folk songs, sacred works, and modern compositions from around the world. An enchanting moment to prepare for a beautiful end to the year!

Junior Opera

Salle Frédéric Bazille

Advent Concert

Opéra Berlioz

Finnish conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen found inspiration in Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale for his own Catch and Release. Antonín Dvořák’s Piano Quintet No. 1 is a master class in skill and beauty, over 15 years in the making. 

Salonen and Dvořák

New World Center

She was a candidate for the prestigious Prix de Rome: the French composer Mel Bonis . But her promising career ended before it could really begin. After Mel Bonis entered into a marriage arranged by her parents, she composed only for herself. Between 1897 and 1913 she wrote the piano pieces Femmes de Légende , which are inspired by female figures from literature and mythology such as Salome and Ophelia. Mel Bonis also arranged some of these pieces for orchestra, including Le Songe de Cléopâtre . With impressionistic timbres that are reminiscent of her fellow student Claude Debussy, yet reveal a very subtle style of her own, she paints the picture of a powerful and seductive Cleopatra.

2nd Symphony Concert

Staatstheater Mainz

Works by wonderful female composers feature in this season's series of symphonic concerts. Salome, Ophelia and Cleopatra are the French composer Mel Bonis' Femmes de Légende, plucked from her piano cycle of the same name, written more than 50 years ago, which draws an arc from French romanticism to impressionism, and orchestrated. Her real name was Mélanie, but she published her works under the pseudonym Mel, because it wasn't deemed fitting for women to compose in those days.

2nd Sunday & Monday Symphonic Concerts

Alte Oper

Learn more about the music, artists, and personalities of Brilliance & Beyond with composer and Professor of Music at Pacific Lutheran University, Gregory Youtz, and Symphony Tacoma Music Director Sarah Ioannides.

Brilliance & Beyond (2025-2026 Season)

Pantages Theater

An evening of daring adventures, mythical creatures, sorcery, and romance: the NSO conjures an intoxicating Mediterranean dreamscape with Ravel’s ballet Daphnis et Chloé! Simon Trpčeski, who “looks set to dominate the piano world for a long time to come” (London Times), joins the orchestra for Saint-Saëns’s tender Piano Concerto No. 2.

Daphnis et Chloé & Simon Trpčeski

Kennedy Center

Turina, Bonis, Sohy, Schubert

Benaroya Hall

Chan, Chaieb ・C. Debussy, Ravel, Bonis

Festspielhaus Bregenz

Mary Bevan released her debut solo disc, Voyages, in 2017 (with pianist Joseph Middleton on the Signum label), which explores the music of eminent French composers and the settings they wrote for the poems of Charles Baudelaire. For this recital, Mary revisits her favourite repertoire from Voyages, including songs by Duparc, Fauré, Debussy, Chabrier, and more, but this time, each song is paired with another by a female composer writing around the same time. In this way, the recital seeks to bring the female composers from out of the shadow of their male counterparts and restore them to their rightful places as composers of equal quality and interest.

TSM presents Bevan & Vignoles

The Royal Conservatory of Music

The contrasting timbres of the violin, clarinet, and piano bring to life a vibrant variety of musical imaginations in this program of rhythmic vitality and melodic invention.

Spring Contrasts

Piedmont Center for the Arts

Noe Valley Ministry

Femmes Fortes

Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud

After Felix Mendelssohn left his parental home in Berlin in 1829, his sister Fanny, who was married to the court painter Wilhelm Hensel, took over the organisation of the family’s salon with its famous Sunday concerts. This was the only place where music lovers could hear her compositions, as for many years her professional ambitions were thwarted by her family. It was not until 1846 that Felix gave his blessing for his sister’s music to be published. Her last major work is the Piano Trio in D minor from 1847. Until recently, Fanny’s compositional talents remained more or less forgotten. Indeed, it was only at the very end of the 20th century that her work was systematically reviewed and edited for public performance.

6th Chamber Music Evening Concert

Semperoper Dresden

After Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy left his parents' house in Berlin in 1829, his sister Fanny, who was married to the court painter Wilhelm Hensel, took over the management of the salon with the famous Sunday music. This was the only place where music lovers could experience her compositions, as her ambitions were not approved by her family for a long time. It was not until 1846 that Felix gave his blessing for the publication of his sister's compositions. Her last major work was the Piano Trio in D minor from 1847. Fanny's talent as a composer remained unnoticed for a long time - it was not until the turn of the 21st century that her work was systematically examined for musical practice.

6th Chamber Evening

Undergraduate Performance Seminar students of Susan Dunn-Rachleff

Alice Pratt Brown Hall

The princess Salome knows her own powers, and strikes a terrible bargain. Cleopatra rules like a goddess, and dies like a queen. And in ancient Greece, Elektra nurtures a murderous obsession – until, to some of the most shatteringly violent music ever composed, she witnesses heaven and earth rain vengeance upon her tormentors. Tonight, under guest conductor Anja Bihlmaier, the BBC SSO encounters incredible women – and none more remarkable than the pioneering 19th century French composer Mélanie Bonis. It’s a gripping contrast to Mozart at his most graceful, as Javier Perianes brings all his charisma and imagination to a concerto that Mozart once played himself. Music simply doesn’t get any wittier - or more lovely.

Javier Perianes Plays Mozart

Glasgow City Hall

Romanticism: an era of peace, technological development and the rise of the middle class. But also of the impoverished lower classes, the filth of industrialization and colonialism. Movements such as Impressionism prepared the way for a new musical era. The pianist Joseph Moog (“without doubt one of the most brilliant pianists”, Gramophone 2015), who can also be heard as a soloist in the 6th Symphony Concert, takes us into this exciting, sonically dazzling time of upheaval with his program “Belle Epoque”.

7th Chamber Concert

Orangerie Darmstadt

Fauré and Britten

First Congregational Church

Immerse yourself in three days of captivating chamber music, where Shepherd School students come together to create moments of pure musical magic and artistry. Concert times may change as the festival approaches.


Spring Chamber Music Festival

For a long time, women composers had a hard time; they were mostly ignored in their time and throughout history. But women have composed with strength and talent at many times. In this concert, you can experience some of them, with their rich music and their creative work. You may still know Clara Schumann, Lili Boulanger and Rebecca Clark, but it is a different story with Isabella Leonarda, an Italian nun from the 17th century who was one of the most productive composers of her era, or Marie Jaëll, a French pianist and composer from the 19th century. The Frenchwoman Mélanie Bonis, whose works were mostly published in the 19th century under the pseudonym Mel Bonis, is also hardly known in this country, as is the Austrian pianist, singer and composer Maria Theresia von Paradis, who was blind since childhood and was also very prominent in the musical life of her time, the Viennese Classical period. In this concert you can get to know them all, as well as Emilie Mayer, a German composer of the 19th century who was also highly celebrated during her lifetime and was widely regarded as the "female Beethoven".

Women Power

Bertramstraße 8

Female composers have had a hard time for a long time, and have been largely ignored by history. This year's chamber concert by the hr Symphony Orchestra in Erbach will feature some of them, with their rich music and creative work. Clara Schumann, Lili Boulanger and Rebecca Clark will be familiar, but Isabella Leonarda, an Italian nun from the 17th century who was one of the most productive composers of her era, or Marie Jaëll, a French pianist and composer from the 19th century, is not. The Frenchwoman Mélanie Bonis, whose works were mostly published under the pseudonym Mel Bonis in the 19th century, is also hardly known in this country, as is the Austrian Maria Theresia von Paradis, who was blind since childhood and was very prominent in the musical life of her time, the Viennese Classical period, as a pianist, singer and composer. In this concert you can get to know them all, as well as Emilie Mayer, a 19th-century German composer who was celebrated during her lifetime as the "female Beethoven".

Werner-Borchers-Halle

As a woman in the 19th century, the French composer Mélanie Hélène Bonis was only able to compose and publish pieces under the gender-neutral pseudonym "Mel Bonis". Having received little musical encouragement as a child and later being prevented from continuing her education by marriage and family obligations, Bonis repeatedly turned to composing on her own and published over 300 works. Her Suite en forme de valses exists in various arrangements made by the composer herself. In addition to two versions for piano solo and piano four hands, Bonis rewrote the work for orchestra and left behind a suite of three dance-like movements: Ballabile, Interlude et Valse lente and Scherzo-Valse .

4th Academic Concert 2024/25

Gewandhaus

Conductor Anja Bihlmaier leads the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in a program that begins with the 19th-century French composer Mel Bonis's Trois femmes de legende, which musically portrays Ofelia, Salome and Cleopatra. Through music by Modest Mussorgsky and Aram Khachaturyan, the concert ends with a suite from Igor Stravinsky's legendary Firebird , written for the Russian Ballet in Paris in 1910.

Stravinsky's Firebird

SR Berwaldhallen

Formed in Berlin, Germany in 2003 by Annette von Hehn (violin), Thomas Hoppe (piano) and Stefan Heinemeyer (cello), the ATOS Trio has established itself as one of the finest piano trios performing before the public today. Its programme includes the first chamber work Brahms deemed fit to publish, and Bonis's work dedicated to Jean Gounod, of which Saint-Saëns remarked, 'She knows all the clever tricks of the composer's trade'.

Bonis and Brahms

Wigmore Hall

Which wind instrument has the greatest range of expression, can squeal like a tram on rusty rails (Carl Nielsen) or creep into the heart as in Mozart's last solo concerto for, yes, precisely the clarinet.

The clarinet also sent Beethoven and Brahms into ecstasy, but here at this portrait concert, the Ensemble's new clarinetist, Frederik von Würden, shows that there are other and more expressions in the diverse Clarinet. Monet blue and other pastel colors by Debussy, classical-sounding chamber music by Mel Bonis, the great romantic sound in Paul Juon's trio, the completely modern, where all the outer limits of the clarinet are almost blown up in a solo sonata by Denisov and the oriental tone language by Katchaturian.

The Manifold Clarinet in Vordingborg

Kulturarkaden

The Manifold Clarinet at Højskolen Marielyst

Højskolen Marielyst

The Manifold Clarinet in Haslev

Haslev Kirke

The Manifold Clarinet in Maribo

Sognets Hus

Pianist Vesselin Stanev and flutist Eva Oertle perform a concert celebrating music by female composers from Fanny Mendelssohn to Mélanie Bonis, alongside Brahm’s Sonata No. 2 in E flat major, a piece originally written for clarinet.

Eva Oertle & Vesselin Stanev

St George's Hall

Angry gnomes, dancing chickens, and the sheer grandeur of the Great Gate of Kiev…there’s a reason why Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” is one of the most popular of orchestral showpieces. But you haven’t really heard it until you’ve heard the composer’s original piano version. Discover it tonight as part of a ravishing romantic programme from the “brilliant” (The Times) Katya Apekisheva.

Steinway International Piano Series: Katya Apekisheva

Bute Park

Pianokvartetten er en besetning mange komponister forbeholdt noen av sine mest kraftfulle idéer i kammermusikkformatet. I dette programmet skal vi først bli kjent med franske Mélanie, eller Mel Bonis, som stilmessig befant seg mellom romantikken og impresjonismen. Hennes karriere var, som for så mange andre kvinnelige kunstnere, preget av tidens begrensede muligheter — men i 1876 ble hun blant de aller første som fikk innpass i det svært høytstående Paris-konservatoriet. Desto mer spennende er det å grave frem skatter som Soir et Matin i dag, en to-satsig pianokvartett fra 1907.

Aulaseriene Kammermusikk

University of Oslo, Faculty of Law

In 1866, the composer Hermann Zenta published one of his first works, a charming French "Mélodie". Never heard of him? No wonder! Behind the male pseudonym is Augusta Holmès, born in Paris in 1847. With this little trick, she tried to counter the prejudices of her contemporaries, who simply denied women any creativity. Nevertheless, she took private lessons from César Franck, one of the central figures in the French music world at the time. And she was not alone in this fate: Mélanie Bonis, a good ten years older than her, was also a student of Franck, but was pressured by her parents to marry her. And she also used a pseudonym as a composer: Mélanie became the gender-neutral Mel. And Charlotte Sohy, also born in Paris in 1887, was forced to resort to a similar maneuver and initially signed her works with the name of her grandfather, Charles Sohy. The 2nd Philharmonic Concert is also intended as a contribution to the rediscovery of these unique and strong artistic personalities. And with Debora Waldman, a conductor is at the podium who is very familiar with what was once a male domain. The Brazilian-Israeli conductor, who began her career as Kurt Masur's assistant, is making her debut with the Duisburg Philharmonic.

Strong Women

Philharmonie Mercatorhalle

Concert 5: “Movie Night”

Taos Center for the Arts

Eclectic Series: Fauré, Lili Boulanger, Mel Bonis, Ravel / Trio Wanderer

Bargemusic

Carmen is stabbed to death by a jealous lover, Salome causes the beheading of John the Baptist, Delilah tricks Samson, Ophelia descends into madness and drowns … There are countless love stories that end in tragedy, inspiring some of the most beautiful music. 

Fatal Attraction

Centre Leonardo Da Vinci

Place des Arts

### Event Description: Fulham Symphony Orchestra Concert

**Date:** 9 March 2024  
**Time:** 7:30 PM  
**Venue:** St John’s Smith Square, Westminster, London SW1P 3HF

Join the Fulham Symphony Orchestra for an enchanting evening of classical music featuring works by Mussorgsky, Elgar, Bonis, and Rubinstein. This ambitious amateur orchestra, known for its rich and dynamic performances, will be led by conductor Marc Dooley and leader Tom Evans.

**Programme:**
- **Mel Bonis:** *Le Songe de Cléopâtre*  
  Experience the evocative soundscape of Cleopatra's dream, masterfully composed by French late-Romantic composer Mel Bonis.
  
- **Edward Elgar:** *Violin Concerto*  
  Award-winning soloist Madeleine Pickering will bring Elgar’s passionate Violin Concerto to life. Pickering, a British violinist, has performed at prestigious venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and Wigmore Hall, and has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Philip and Dorothy Green Young Artist award.

- **Anton Rubinstein:** *Moses Overture to Tableau 8*  
  An excerpt from Rubinstein’s opera *Moses* will add a unique touch to the evening's repertoire.

- **Modest Mussorgsky (arr. Maurice Ravel):** *Pictures at an Exhibition*  
  The concert will conclude with Mussorgsky’s much-loved musical depiction of an art gallery, orchestrated by Ravel. This performance will feature an additional image, enhancing the traditional exhibition.

**Ticket Information:**
- General Admission: £14
- Concessions: £12
- Under-16s: £9
- Note: Booking fees apply.

Don't miss this opportunity to witness a captivating performance by the Fulham Symphony Orchestra, showcasing a blend of dramatic and evocative compositions. Secure your tickets now for an unforgettable night of music.

**Location:**
St John’s Smith Square, Smith Square, Westminster, London SW1P 3HF

For more information and to book tickets, visit the Fulham Symphony Orchestra's website.

Mussorgsky, Elgar, Bonis and Rubinstein

St. John's Smith Square

Emily Kim, flute and piccolo

Ryan Center for the Musical Arts

Tchaikovsky had huge admiration for Mozart and his Variations on a Rococo Theme for cello and orchestra is influenced by Mozart’s music, both in style and in its scoring for a smaller orchestra. The cello solo is both lyrical and challenging and will be expertly performed by German cellist Raphaela Gromes.

The Hallé

Darlington Hippodrome

King George's Hall

Trio Ondine

Los Angeles Harbor College

Pacific Unitarian Church

Fall Concert

Oregon State University

Study concert with piano students under Rikke Sandberg

Study concert with piano students

The Studio Hall

### Event Description: ROCO Connections: Sight and Sound

**Date and Time:** Thursday, October 12, 2023, 7:00 PM

**Location:** Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), Lynn Wyatt Theater, Nancy and Rich Kinder Building, Bissonnet Street, Houston, TX, USA

**Event Overview:**
ROCO’s Connections Series returns to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, with an enchanting evening of chamber music titled "Sight and Sound." This event, curated by and featuring ROCO violinist Eva Burmeister, alongside ROCO pianist Audrey Andrist, promises a unique blend of music and visual art. The concert will be paired with selected artworks from MFAH’s collections, offering a multisensory experience in collaboration with the museum.

**Program:**
- **Johann Sebastian Bach**: Violin Sonata in G Major BMV 1019, Allegro
- **Lili Boulanger**: Nocturne and Cortége
- **Ludwig van Beethoven**: Violin Sonata No. 1 in D Major, I. Allegro con brio
- **Melanie Bonis**: Allegretto
- **Arvò Pärt**: Spiegel im Spiegel
- **Carlos Gardel**: Por una Cabeza (arranged by John Williams)
- **Edward Grieg**: Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor Op. 45, I. Allegro molto ed appassionato

**Artists:**
- **Eva Burmeister**: Violin
- **Audrey Andrist**: Piano

**Additional Information:**
The concert will take place from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the Lynn Wyatt Theater. Following the performance, attendees are invited to join a docent-led tour of the featured artworks. This concert is free with Museum Admission.

**Map and Directions:**
[View on Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps)

Join us for an evening where music and art converge, creating a memorable cultural experience.

ROCO Connections: Sight and Sound

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

2023 Summer Festival 10

Clair Groenewold's Flute Recital for Artist Diploma

San Diego State University

Green cello, blue bassoon, yellow piccolo—the vibrant hues of French music unfold like a painting by Monet or Gauguin, capturing fleeting moments of magic, conjuring fairytale worlds and whisking us away to distant lands. Ravel’s Ma Mère l’Oye contains five movements inspired by well-known fairy tales, while Mel Bonis evokes a sensual, dreamlike world in her Rêve de Cléopâtre.

Colour Play

Collège Jean-Eudes

Mercier Public Library

Paroisse Notre Dame de l'Annonciation

Paroisse St-Joachim de Pointe-Claire

“To be or not to be?” This timeless question, which tormented Hamlet, continues to captivate minds. Ophelia, too, sought an answer, though hers ended tragically, culminating in one of literature’s most haunting scenes of madness. Shakespeare’s play—and Ophelia’s florid drowning—have inspired countless works of art, but it is the ambiguity of her mental state, coupled with her astonishing transition from speech to song, that has particularly intrigued composers.

Ophelia's Madness

Grand Théâtre de Québec

In this chamber music series, we meet our Philharmonic musicians in a more intimate format. It’s a space where members of the orchestra come together to perform their own favourite programmes – shaped by curiosity and filled with musical discoveries from both past and present.

Mel Bonis

Events

Upcoming events

15 - 19 Apr, 2026

Colour Play · Orchestre Métropolitain

Apr 16, 2026

Ophelia's Madness · Orchestre Symphonique de Québec

Apr 19, 2026

Elegance and an Awkward Waltz · Konserthuset Stockholm

Past events

Mar 7, 2026

2. Sound Images Concert · Theater Lübeck

Mar 1, 2026

Chant du soir · Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra

About

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