New French festival to celebrate the life and works of Ravel

The new 'Festival Ravel' aims to become a new international reference for the life and works of Maurice Ravel.

Its first edition will take place in Nouvelle Aquitaine, south-west France, from 22 August to 10 September 2021.

Under the joint artistic direction of pianists Bertrand Chamayou and Jean-François Heisser, the three-week festival will welcome top artists and ensembles, with programming reflecting the many facets of the French composer's work.

Co-artistic director Bertrand Chamayou said: 'It has been a long-held dream of mine to take the existing cultural activities of the region - with the excellent work of Académie Ravel at its centre - and create a new Festival Ravel with international scope and ambition.

'The launch of the dynamic new Festival Ravel heralds a thrilling new epoch that honours Maurice Ravel in his birthplace and celebrates everything he represents, while bringing together the region’s three cultures of France, Spain and the Basque Country. It is the first major music festival of its kind in this part of France.'

All concerts will take place in the churches across Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Ciboure - the region of Ravel's birthplace. Visiting artists will include Riccardo Chailly & Orchestre de Paris; Philippe Herreweghe & Orchestre et Choeur des Champs Elysées; Giovanni Antonini & Il Giardino Armonico; Vincent Dumestre & Le Poème Harmonique; Katia & Marielle Labèque, Renaud Capuçon, Sol Gabetta, Stéphane Degout, Yulianna Avdeeva, Michel Portal, and Quatuors Jerusalem and Diotima. 

For more information visit www.festivalravel.fr