The 79th Besançon International Music Festival will take place from September 11 to 20, with around thirty concerts scheduled in the capital of the Franche-Comté region. This edition will particularly showcase major European symphony orchestras, while also giving space to jazz, world music, chamber music, and vocal repertoire.
Among the invited ensembles is the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Dima Slobodeniouk and accompanied by Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. Audiences will hear works by Mozart, Brahms, Sibelius, and Dvořák, as well as lesser-known pieces. Around 14,000 people are expected to attend, while the biennial International Competition for Young Conductors will not take place this year.
A redesigned opening to reach a new audience
The festival is forgoing its traditional opening concert in favor of 24 hours of free music. Six events will be offered in several iconic downtown locations to make classical music more accessible. The baroque ensemble Le Concert Spirituel will open the festivities with Handel's Water Music .
Contemporary creation will also be featured thanks to composer Régis Campo, who is completing his residency in Besançon. He will present, among other works, Zoo Circus , a family show inspired by Carnival of the Animals , as well as Street Art , a piece blending music, video, and free-running. The Victor Hugo Orchestra will close this edition with Mendelssohn's "Scottish" Symphony.
