Description
Music Festival at the Château de Courtanvaux and in the Braye Valley
Created in 2023 with the ambition of bringing music for all to the heart of Bessé-sur-Braye and its château, the Festival Musique à Courtanvaux will continue to develop during its fourth edition, to be held from 15 to 19 July 2026. True to its identity, this year's festival will once again offer a demanding yet accessible programme, combining masterpieces of the repertoire, young talent and established artists, in the exceptional setting of the Château de Courtanvaux and the heritage sites that surround it.
On Wednesday 15 July, the festival opens at 4pm at the Saint-Calais Cultural Centre with a free concert featuring two young artists, violinist Matthieu COUTON and pianist Lucas MICALLEF, who have already won acclaim for the quality of their playing and their musical commitment. At 9pm, in the church of Saint-Calais, the public will be treated to a grand recital of the romantic and virtuoso repertoire by pianist Jacques DOR, artistic director of the Festival.
On Thursday 16 July at 6pm, at the Château de Courtanvaux, cellist Thibault REZNICEK will take the audience on a journey to the heart of the solo cello repertoire, focusing on the famous Suites by Jean-Sébastien BACH. At 9pm, the world changes with a recital by guitarist Franck LADOUCE, now well known to festival-goers, who will be revealing the secrets of his mysterious 'Caja Misteriosa'.
On Friday 17 July at 9pm, the church in La Chartre-sur-le-Loir will welcome baritone Simon DE GLINIASTY and organist Nicolas ZANNIN for a dialogue between voice and liturgical instrument, featuring sacred and spiritual music by BRAHMS and DVORAK, in the majestic setting of the Loir Valley's religious heritage.
On Saturday 18 July, we return to the church of Saint-Calais, where the spotlight will be on chamber music. At 6pm, a programme devoted to the great trios of Beethoven and Brahms will bring together clarinet, cello and piano in some of the most emblematic pages of German Romanticism. At 9pm, the festival will present one of the absolute monuments of the keyboard repertoire: the Goldberg Variations by Jean-Sébastien BACH, a work of meditation, virtuosity and musical architecture, performed by the great pianist Laurent CABASSO.
Sunday 19 July features two final concerts at the Manoir de la Possonnière in Couture-sur-Loir. At 6pm, Gaëtan JARRY and the musicians of the Marguerite Louise Ensemble will perform Bach's trio sonatas, highlighting the art of counterpoint and the subtle dialogue between instruments. To close the festival, at 9pm, pianists Jacques DOR and Sebastian ENE will join forces for a grand concert for two pianos, bringing this 2026 edition to a close in a spirit of celebration and virtuosity, through great pages of the repertoire written for this spectacular ensemble.
With this new edition, the Festival Musique à Courtanvaux confirms more than ever its desire to bring together heritage, artistic excellence and proximity to the public, while continuing its cultural roots at the heart of the region.
Information and bookings:
06.67.10.90.69 - [email protected]
https://festival-musique-courtanvaux.fr/
