Third Edition — A Journey to Japan
La belle Baroque Festival is delighted to return to the Beaujolais region for its third edition. Together with our artists and volunteers, we invite you on an even more exotic musical journey — all the way to the Empire of the Rising Sun.
East Meets West
From Vivaldi’s Gloria and the rarely performed Grand Mogul to Puccini’s iconic Madama Butterfly, this year’s programme explores the musical dialogue between East and West across the centuries.
Audiences will also discover Jisei, a new work by Fabrice Boulanger specially composed for the 2026 festival, alongside artist talks, a musical conference, workshops for children, and many other surprises.
More than ever, La belle Baroque remains committed to making music accessible to all audiences and sharing this journey as widely as possible.
Caroline Mutel, Artistic Director
Béatrice Varichon, President
Music and Care
A defining aspect of La belle Baroque is its connection with the healthcare world. Our mission is to bring music to those who cannot travel — patients, healthcare workers, and elderly audiences.
Through innovative digital initiatives, the festival records and livestreams its events to reach audiences unable to attend in person.
2026 Edition — Between East and West
Western classical music has long been inspired by the cultures of the East. From the “Turquerie” fashion of the 17th and 18th centuries — illustrated by Lully and Mozart — to Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at the dawn of the 20th century, the encounter between East and West has profoundly shaped European musical creation.
This fascination also gave rise to lighter and more humorous works, creating an unexpected bridge between composers as diverse as Boismortier and Gilbert and Sullivan.
“One must choose among the dreams that keep us warm.”
— André Cardinal Destouches (1672–1749)
