“Mars en Baroque” celebrates its 20th edition in Marseille
Until April 3, baroque music invites itself to Marseille. Concerts, conferences, Master Class: a unique program for the anniversary edition of “Mars en Baroque”, which also celebrates the 30th anniversary of the “Concerto Soave” ensemble. We discover !
It’s already been 21 years old that the great international and local names in Baroque music gather for a fortnight in the Marseille city. And if the only festival dedicated to this musical genre in the region is not ready to die out, it is in particular thanks to its programming unique and variedbut not only…
Who says birthday says exceptional device! To mark the 20th edition of “ March in Baroque “, the organizers have decided to spread the festival over a month, starting with a “prelude” to the Pierre Barbizet Conservatory of Marseille. For 15 days and until March 18, the teachers and students of the conservatory take the stage to offer free concerts open to all. A way to show that baroque music can also attract young musicians and former future talented artists.
Then, these are not less than 14 places which will take over from the festival: churches, departmental archives, theatres, national stages… But also industrial wastelands and more intimate venues such as the Eolienne. Working with essential places in Marseille and investing in new places: this is also the strength of ” Mars in Baroque “.
Each year, it is around a specific theme that artists and ensembles work to create a ” March in Baroque ” unique. For its 20th edition, it is not 1 but 2 projects that have made it possible to determine the theme ” death and transformation “.
Originally alone” The Dafne was to be the main work of the festival. This opera by Marco da Gagliano tells the story of Daphne who was transformed into a laurel tree to escape the God Apollo, who fell madly in love with the young woman.
All Soave Concerto will present this piece, defined as being one of the first masterpieces of opera, in an original staging! The choir, instead of facing the audience, will be spatialized that is, scattered throughout the entire room. See you on March 16 at the National Theater of Marseille La Criée.
To the “transfiguration” was added the “death” to the programming. This is represented by the Requiem by Jean Gilles, one of whose manuscripts is preserved in the Diocesan Archives of Aix-en-Provence. It is therefore a tribute that the whole Soave ConcertoSaturday March 26 at the Abbey of Saint-Victor, accompanied by the story of Benjamin Lazar, director specializing in Baroque theatre.
With 12 concerts in a fortnight, ” Mars in Baroque displays a varied program combining baroque music with world and contemporary music.
The festival will honor internationally known ensembles, such as The Harmonic Poem of Vincent Dumestre. In residence in Normandy, these musicians play in the greatest halls of the world: Royal Opera of Versailles, Oji Hall in Tokyo, Columbia University New York… For “Mars en baroque”, the ensemble will present Anamorphosis in the Saint-Michel church on March 29.
Yes ” March in Baroque offers variety in musical styles, this is also the case for artists. Less known to the general public but very promising, it is the students of the Early Music Department of the National Conservatory of Music and Dance of Lyon who will close the festival on April 3 with Vespers for the Virgin of Monteverdi.
What if art music was accessible to everyone? It is in any case the wish of March in Baroque which proposes during its event and throughout the year strong actions to bring music to all audiences.
In partnership with Marseille University Hospitals (AP-HM), two days of concerts are scheduled in medical establishments.
Thanks to baroque sound taleyoung people from the priority district of Marseille will be able to create their own work from A to Z: writing the story, composing the music and final in their own district.
During the festival, in addition to the concerts, master classes and conferences are organized and open to the general public:
- The master classes : between experience sharing and improvement, meet on March 23, 28 and 31 with Benjamin Lazar, Rémy Cardinale and Tiago Simas Freire.
- Meetings and conferences : sometimes associated with a concert, the conferences allow to deepen the history of a work and to discover its contours. As part of “Mars Bleu” and the prevention of colorectal cancer, a charity evening with conference, dinner and concert will take place on March 13.
“Mars in Baroque”
Prelude from March 1 to March 18, at the Marseille Conservatory
Festival from March 16 to April 3, in Marseille in 14 places from the city
Ticketing