Festival d'Orgue 2025

"Souffle de Printemps"

Sunday, May 9, 2025, 7 pm

The Discreet Charm of the Bassoon:

Sonatas, Airs, Preludes and Obligato

Voice (Sofie Garcia), Basson (Carlos Bertão), Organ (Marcelo Giannini)

At the end of the 17th century, instrument-makers began moving in a new direction, producing ever more sophisticated wind instruments. This happened with flutes, horns, oboes, and also, obviously, bassoons. In this concert we wish to present the findings of a recent investigation into a little-known repertoire - the bassoon as obligato for vocal music.

The bassoon is an instrument that is often relegated to secondary status, but in this repertoire, it creates a glorious link between the voice and the continuo harmonisation. Starting with the precursor, Agostino Stefani (1654-1728), an Italian priest and diplomat who had lived in Germany, this repertoire reflects an important period when the bassoon was used as instrumental colour to convey the characters’ emotions in opera and sacred music in the works of G.F. Handel (1685-1759), Christoph Graupner (1681-1760), and the Master, J.S. Bach (1685-1750).

Sunday, May 18, 2025, 7 pm

"Jacques' Gamble", story told in music

Jazz vocals (Mallika Hermann), Narrator (Antoine Le Roy), Organ (Antonio Garcia)

A trio of performers present the story of Jacques in the land of organs. Using words, songs, and music, they depict the history of organ music through the tale of Jacques from the 18th century. At a time when the baroque style was at its finest, some of the most beautiful instruments in the world were built. Many of those organs are still playable.

This show combines a variety of musical disciplines and seeks to reveal the organ in different repertoires. This project enables the audience to connect with a range of styles and of forms. The vocal input is of several types: recitation, operatic singing, jazz vocals, or a chorus. The instrumentation is provided by the pipe organ, Orgelkids and the Regal Organ Bellelay. This musical story-telling, with dreams coming alive, invites listeners to embark on a sonorous journey which is both recounted and taught, acted and danced.

"Souffle d'Automne"

Sunday, November 9, 2025, 7 pm

Organ improvisation Recital

Organ( Gerben Mourik)

Sunday, November 16, 2025, 7 pm

UNIGE Chamber Choir: Tales of Light and Darkness

Chamber Choir, (co-conductors Borbala Szuromi and Pierre-Antoine Marçais), Organ (Margot Boitard)

Between magic and mystery, between light and dark, this choral programme invites you to take a musical journey where magic spells, enchantments and nursery rhymes are all intertwined. The voices of the University of Geneva Chamber Choir and the organ will conjure up the fascinating characters of tales and legends: fairies, spirits and witches. From Purcell to contemporary composers, each piece will evoke an echo of a world between light and darkness. A concert where each note is magical…

All concerts are Sundays at 7pm

at the l'Auditoire de Calvin, Genève

Tickets: Full Price: 25CHF, Reduced price: 10CHF (students, AVS, persons with disabilities, unemployed). Children: Free.