Step into a world where music transcends time and borders, offering a window into the past through the melodies of eminent composers. From the haunting echoes of Rachmaninov's 'The Bells' to the dramatic allure of Bizet's 'Carmen', and the orchestral grandeur of Prokofiev's 'Alexander Nevsky', this series of events by the Orchestre National de France celebrates both the familiar and the forgotten. Discover how these timeless pieces continue to resonate, capturing the human experience through diverse cultural lenses.

Exploring the Harmonious Tapestry of Timeless Symphonies and Operas

Step into the world of symphonic and choral marvels as the Orchestre National de France takes you on a captivating journey through the works of Rachmaninoff, Bizet, Prokofiev, and Berlioz. With performances spanning from heartfelt vocal symphonies to soaring orchestral showpieces, each event promises a unique exploration of classical music that resonates with emotions and historical depth. Dive into the vibrant cultural landscape of Paris with these extraordinary concerts scheduled to grace the illustrious Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and Maison de la Radio et de la Musique.

A Journey Through Rachmaninoff, Bizet, Prokofiev, and Berlioz: Musical Masterpieces in Paris

Dive into an orchestral journey with the Orchestre National de France and experience a series of compelling performances that will capture your heart and imagination. From Rachmaninov’s poignant symphonies to the dramatic tales of Carmen and the triumphant notes of Alexander Nevsky, each event offers a distinct auditory spectacle. Featuring renowned performers and conductors like Marina Rebeka, Omer Meir Wellber, and Dinis Sousa, these events promise to deliver outstanding interpretations of classic works while paying homage to the rich history of music.

A Symphony of Emotions: Discover the Musical Masterpieces of the Orchestre National de France

Embark on an extraordinary musical adventure with the Orchestre National de France, as it presents a series of compelling performances exploring a rich tapestry of classical compositions. From the evocative beauty of Rachmaninoff's symphonies to the timeless allure of Bizet's Carmen, these events promise to captivate audiences with the power of music and its ability to transcend time and space. Join us as we delve into the heart of these masterpieces, accompanied by renowned conductors and talented performers, each bringing their unique flair to these iconic works.

Exploring the Symphony: A Musical Journey Across Time

There's something exhilarating about spending an entire evening in Rachmaninov's company. Not only for the melancholy of his final symphony, a page of exile and maturity concluded with the words "Finished! Praise be to God!" But also for the imagination that fantasizes about and reinvents the native Slavic land. "Joyful ringing, melancholic knells, every Russian carries within him this love of bells," notes its author, hoping, in this vocal symphony, which he considered one of his major achievements, to have "succeeded in making the bells vibrate with human emotions."

The Bells, Symphony No. 3 Marina Rebeka

Théâtre des Champs-Élysées

The Viennese cycle built by Daniele Gatti closes with Brahms, a composer constantly revisited by the Italian conductor, who made him the hallmark of his first cycle when he took over the National in 2008. Time has passed, and this maturation still benefits frescoes such as the German Requiem , a sacred but not liturgical work, which Johannes Brahms described as a "human requiem." Two voices, including that of the exceptional reciter Michael Volle, join the troops.

Brahms, A German Requiem - Daniele Gatti

An unclassifiable object, an excess, a fabulous animal, which cannot be tamed at first glance and demands that we forget all preconceived notions: is this Concerto even one? Yes and no. It is part symphony, part oratorio, it is conflictual, branches off into strange ramifications, all in five movements exceeding 75 minutes. It is the longest concerto in history. A pianist-philosopher, its author nourishes it with Brahms, Berlioz, Liszt and invites, in its coda, to draw closer to Allah. Mad!

Busoni, Piano Concerto - Kirill Gerstein / Sakari Oramo

Maison de la Radio et de la Musique

It is hard to believe that Carmen, the most performed opera in the world, was a flop at its premiere, precipitating the death of its author at the age of 36. Hadn't Bizet been able to show "real men and real women dazzled, tortured by passion," Théodore de Banville enthused? Tonight, three voices, the cigar maker, her lover Don José and the bullfighter Escamillo, perform Carmen behind closed doors, a new lyrical suite that offers a summary of its key scenes. Another destiny cut short in the prime of life and inspiration is Lili Boulanger, the first woman to win the Prix de Rome, precisely with this cantata, Faust et Hélène .

Great tunes by Carmen Arquez - Behr / Cavallier

Two pinnacles of film music, both born in 1938. From his gilded exile in Hollywood, Korngold poured grand, ardent melodies into his sensual orchestrations and magnified the adventures of Errol Flynn, aka Robin Hood. Prokofiev, back in a locked-down USSR, signed with Sergei Eisenstein an epic monument of cinema, whose apotheosis would be the Battle on the Ice sealing the victory of Alexander, Prince of Novgorod. Layers of strings and torrents of lyricism in the West, sordid chords on a barbaric orchestra in the East.

Alexander Nevsky / Omer Meir Wellber

Jusqu’ici, il fallait bien croire Hector Berlioz, qui affirmait avoir détruit cette messe composée à 21 ans, jouée pour la première fois à l’église Saint-Roch. Mais en 1992, par le plus grand hasard, un instituteur en retrouva un manuscrit à Anvers. On allait alors découvrir, dans cette partition généreuse, les signes avant-coureurs du révolutionnaire et les traces des futurs Requiem, Symphonie fantastique et autre Benvenuto Cellini. De vingt ans postérieure, la Troisième Symphonie de Louise Farrenc résume un artisanat et une science des proportions qui lui valurent l’admiration de Schumann… et de Berlioz.

Chœur de Radio France

21 - 22 May, 2026

Great tunes by Carmen Arquez - Behr / Cavallier

Jun 25, 2026

Alexander Nevsky / Omer Meir Wellber

Jul 2, 2026

Berlioz, Messe solennelle / Dinis Sousa

Dec 18, 2025

The Bells, Symphony No. 3 Marina Rebeka

Apr 5, 2025

Brahms, A German Requiem - Daniele Gatti

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Chœur de Radio France