FIGURE HUMAINE

ABOUT THIS PROGRAM

Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.

Heaven embodies our longing for the absolute, for grace, and for spiritual elevation. Earth embodies the material world and the weight of our realities. Humanity, at the crossroads of these two forces, is that vulnerable voice that refuses to be silenced and stands firm in the face of adversity to proclaim its resilience and freedom. From these three realities arises a single aspiration: that of a humanity seeking a space of peace in music. Spanning masterpieces of the modern era and the contemporary repertoire, this program weaves a striking dialogue, driven by composers united in their quest for light.

Turning toward Heaven, Benjamin Britten’s famous “Hymn to St. Cecilia” opens the concert. This true gem of polyphony pays homage to the patron saint of musicians through a song of pure grace, where the very act of creation becomes a prayer and a space of escape.

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Turning our gaze back to Earth and its harshest realities, contemporary music then explores our vulnerability. With the deeply moving cycle “Instants limites,” Philippe Hersant gives a voice to those who are usually silenced, setting to music texts and poems written by inmates at the high-security Clairvaux prison. From this confinement springs a poignant humanity, weaving an intimate connection between the pain of imprisonment and an unquenchable thirst for light.

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Embodying humanity’s resistance in the face of oppression, Francis Poulenc’s “Figure humaine” then takes center stage. Set to the words of Paul Éluard, this cantata—composed in secret—stands against barbarism with a cry of love that culminates in a vibrant and famous ode to Liberty.​

Finally, to conclude this journey, the choir unveils a work commissioned from composer Lise Borel on the theme of peace. Her score continues the quest for reconciliation through an art form that never ceases to believe in humanity.

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From Britten to Hersant, from Poulenc to Borel, a path of light emerges—a profound meditation in which the voice becomes, more than ever, an instrument of peace.

PROGRAM DETAILS