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| Festival International de Radio France et Montpellier | |
|---|---|
| Name | Festival International de Radio France et Montpellier |
| Location | Montpellier, France |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Genre | Classical music, Contemporary music, Opera, Chamber music |
| Organiser | Radio France |
Festival International de Radio France et Montpellier is an annual summer music festival held in Montpellier and organized by Radio France. The festival programs a broad spectrum of classical music, contemporary music, and opera and attracts ensembles, soloists, and conductors from across Europe, the United States, and beyond. Over the decades it has featured collaborations with major institutions and artists linked to Philharmonie de Paris, Opéra national de Paris, La Monnaie, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and leading conservatoires.
Founded in 1985 during the cultural policies of François Mitterrand and within the remit of Radio France, the festival was created to promote classical music and new works in southern France. Early editions engaged figures associated with Pierre Boulez, Maurice Béjart, Karajan legacy performers, and composers from the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique milieu. The 1990s editions expanded ties to BBC Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, and ensembles from Italy such as Teatro alla Scala musicians. In the 2000s the festival incorporated contemporary initiatives echoing programming strategies of Donaueschinger Musiktage, Wiener Festwochen, and Edinburgh International Festival. Recent decades have included commissions from composers linked to Kaija Saariaho, György Ligeti estates, and premieres associated with IRCAM collaborations.
The festival operates under the governance of Radio France with advisory input from directors drawn from institutions like Conservatoire de Paris, Conservatoire de Montpellier, and municipal cultural offices of Hérault (department). Executive directors and artistic managers have included personalities with prior roles at Opéra-Comique, Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, and Théâtre du Châtelet. Administrative functions coordinate with national agencies such as Ministry of Culture (France), regional bodies of Occitanie (administrative region), and European partners including European Cultural Foundation. Management liaises with presenter networks like Live Nation, European promoters, and broadcasters including France Musique, Arte, and BBC Radio 3 for co-productions.
Artistic programming blends repertory from Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with contemporary composers such as Pierre Boulez, Iannis Xenakis, Luciano Berio, Olivier Messiaen, Elliott Carter, John Cage, György Kurtág, and Kaija Saariaho. The festival has staged operas by Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Verdi, Wolfgang Rihm, and new works premiered by ensembles associated with Ensemble InterContemporain and London Sinfonietta. Chamber programs feature artists from Kronos Quartet, Juilliard String Quartet, and soloists linked to Martha Argerich, Lang Lang, and Anne-Sophie Mutter. Cross-disciplinary projects have involved choreographers from William Forsythe, directors from Robert Wilson, and visual artists tied to Christo and Jeanne-Claude-style installations.
Main venues include the historic Opéra Comédie (Montpellier), the modern Le Corum concert halls, and outdoor stages in the Place de la Comédie. The festival also uses spaces at Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Montpellier, the Polygone commercial precinct, and regional sites such as Abbaye de Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert and venues in Sète and Palavas-les-Flots. Collaborations have extended programming to Bibliothèque nationale de France satellite projects and co-productions at Philharmonie de Paris and La Cité de la Musique facilities. Touring ensembles sometimes perform at historic French houses like Opéra Bastille and international venues including Royal Albert Hall and Konzerthaus Berlin in reciprocal exchanges.
The festival has hosted conductors such as Pierre Boulez, Daniel Barenboim, Riccardo Muti, Sir Simon Rattle, Valery Gergiev, and Marin Alsop. Soloists and ensembles have included Yo-Yo Ma, Gidon Kremer, Itzhak Perlman, Annie Fischer-era artists, Klaus Mäkelä-associated players, Ensemble Modern, Berlin Philharmonic members, Orchestre de Paris, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and singers from Placido Domingo and Maria Callas traditions. Landmark productions featured premieres by Kaija Saariaho and tributes to Olivier Messiaen and Claude Debussy. Contemporary highlights involved collaborations with Ensemble InterContemporain, London Sinfonietta, IRCAM researchers, and composers connected to Béla Bartók scholarship.
Educational activities are conducted with the Conservatoire de Montpellier, regional schools, and youth orchestras like Orchestre Français des Jeunes. Outreach programs include masterclasses led by artists affiliated with Juilliard School, Royal Academy of Music, and exchanges with academies such as Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. Workshops bring composers and performers into partnership with institutions like IRCAM, Cité de la Musique, and local municipal cultural services. Community projects have involved collaborations with Maison de la Culture de Grenoble-style structures and European initiatives funded by Creative Europe.
The festival’s commissions and performances have been recorded by broadcasters and labels including Radio France, Deutsche Grammophon, Harmonia Mundi, Erato Records, Nonesuch Records, and released as live albums and broadcast sessions on France Musique and BBC Radio 3. Prize associations have linked festival premieres to awards like the Victoire de la Musique Classique, Grammy Awards nominations, and recognitions from institutions such as Académie Charles Cros. Collaborative recordings have involved producers from Philips Classics and engineers tied to Abbey Road Studios.
Category:Music festivals in France Category:Montpellier Category:Classical music festivals