Saturday
After months of preparation, the Festival de Pâques (Easter Festival) in Aix-en-Provence is finally opening its doors. The first day always carries a special sense of anticipation – a mix of final adjustments and pent-up excitement before welcoming over a thousand musicians and thousands of spectators during the next fortnight.
The day begins with an interview on Radio Classique with Laure Mézan. We discuss the following day’s event at Camp des Milles, in the presence of its President Alain Chouraqui – a highlight of the festival.
Very quickly, the pace picks up: team briefings, final adjustments, welcoming the artists as they arrive.
Tonight we welcome the Lille National Orchestra to mark its 50th anniversary.
Backstage, reuniting with Renaud Capuçon is always a special moment – a point of reference amidst the intensity of the occasion, as he opens this edition with Barber’s Violin Concerto.
On stage, a few words of welcome alongside Daniel Baal, President of the Crédit Mutuel and CIC, a founding partner of the festival since its inception. Then comes the opening concert. An attentive audience, bated breath… and that feeling that everything is just beginning.
Sunday
Today, the festival moves to the Camp des Milles. This is the second time we have taken over this site of remembrance, and it is not simply a matter of programming. We arrive at 8 a.m. We’re on a different schedule this morning, and the lack of sleep is taking its toll…
Envisioning a day here has been an almost intimate journey: creating a dialogue between music and thought, not separating emotion from consciousness. Here, art does not soften history; it questions it.
One does not enter this place as one would elsewhere. A sense of solemnity demands a different kind of listening.
I feel a great sense of pride at having brought together Jacques Attali [writer, economist and honorary State Councillor], Bernard Foccroulle [organist and composer], Delphine Horvilleur [rabbi and author] and Laurent Berger [Director of the Mutual Institute for the Environment and Solidarity within Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale]. Alongside them, Alain Cabras accompanies these exchanges with great sensitivity in his role as moderator.
The discussions are of a rare intensity. Each roundtable session is punctuated by 30 seconds of silence – a striking moment. The music extends this reflection, resonating with the venue.
In the evening, Verdi’s Requiem at the Grand Théâtre takes on an even more gripping dimension. The day ends late. Long, intense, deeply moving, and profoundly necessary.
Monday
I wake up and check the press review: the media has given the event extensive coverage. This initial glance gives me a sense of the impact made by the opening weekend.
Every morning, I take some time to debrief with Renaud Capuçon. This shared leadership, with clearly defined roles, allows us to continually refine the festival through a constant dialogue between artistic vision and practical implementation.
Very quickly, I return to my duties as theatre director. A large part of the day is devoted to overseeing the venues I manage: the Théâtre du Gymnase-Bernardines in Marseille, the Jeu de Paume and the Grand Théâtre de Provence in Aix-en-Provence. We are in the final stages of signing off the brochure for the 2026–27 season – a busy period where every detail counts. At the same time, we are launching the first Musique en Partage concert in Cavaillon, a key milestone in this regional roll-out.
At the end of the day, I’m back at the festival. Yulianna Avdeeva’s piano recital at the conservatoire finds the perfect setting. After a day of urgency and decision-making, the music imposes a different, more inward-looking rhythm. The festival follows this unique rhythm, like a sprint in the middle of a marathon.
Tuesday
The morning is spent at the Grand Théâtre de Provence, which seems quieter on the surface, but is still filled with discussions, last-minute adjustments and an interview for a German radio station, helping to promote the festival beyond our borders.
I then have lunch with a member of the board of directors of the Théâtre du Jeu de Paume. These conversations are invaluable: they allow me to step back and take a breather amidst the intensity.
The afternoon is devoted to a job interview for the Jeu de Paume. Even in the midst of the festival, we must continue to plan for the future and build our teams.
It’s then back to the festival. At the Conservatoire, I welcome the audience to the Symphonie Pastorale concert, a warm, family-friendly occasion, and a chance to catch up with Gérard Caussé, a loyal artist whom we hold in high regard. Then it’s off to the Grand Théâtre de Provence for a welcome address at a corporate event.
The day ends with Mao Fujita’s concert. I’m always impressed by these pianists standing alone before the audience: a complete exposure, where everything rests on them – and yet it all seems so natural.
Wednesday
A special day, as I’m working from home today – a welcome breather amidst the hustle and bustle of the festival, even though there’s still plenty to do. I’m hosting six patron guests for lunch. These more informal moments are essential, as they allow us to share the project in a different way, to give a glimpse behind the scenes, and to strengthen valuable ties for the festival.
At 3 p.m., I head to the Conservatoire for a viola masterclass with Gérard Caussé. These opportunities to pass on knowledge are central to our approach: seeing a great artist share his experience with young musicians gives the festival an extra dimension, firmly focused on the future.
Then, I head to Brignoles for a Musique en Partage concert. At 7 p.m. I give the opening address – an important moment to reiterate the significance of this outreach across the region. Just over an hour later, I’m back at the Grand Théâtre de Provence to welcome the guests for the evening concert and attend Jordi Savall’s performance. A meet-and-greet with the audience is organised before the concert – I have never seen the foyer so full for this sort of event before. A rare, almost suspended atmosphere, which speaks volumes about the audience’s attachment to these artists.
A day filled with connections, movement and loyalty to the spirit of the festival.
Thursday
The day begins in Marseille at our offices. The morning is spent dealing with day-to-day business and conducting another job interview. In the early afternoon, I head to the Grand Théâtre de Provence. The pace remains much the same as I follow up on projects and meet with teams who are starting to feel the strain, but whose commitment remains undiminished.
In the evening, the festival unfolds across several venues. First, I attend violinist Sophie de Bardonnèche’s concert at the Théâtre du Jeu de Paume, featuring a sensitive and refined Baroque programme entirely dedicated to female composers.
I then head to the Conservatoire for a second concert, featuring violinist Pierre Fouchenneret and pianist Romain Descharmes, in a programme that brings together Schubert, Schumann and Bartók, blending lyricism and contrasts. Afterwards, I chat with the artists over a drink – a simple yet precious moment which extends the music in a different way.
Friday
It’s Good Friday. Bach’s St John Passion stands out as a special highlight of the Easter Festival – a work which lends a unique depth to this day.
I spend the whole day at the Grand Théâtre de Provence. The morning begins with an interview with Libelo, focusing on the origins of the day at Camp des Milles and the impact it has had on each of us.
In the afternoon, I meet up with Renaud Capuçon, Anne-Sophie Dorion and Johanna, my two partners who will be joining me next season to lead the Grand Théâtre de Provence, for a discussion about the future of the Easter Festival. Looking ahead in this way, in the midst of the current edition, helps to maintain a sense of continuity in the vision.
In the evening, at the Grand Théâtre de Provence, the atmosphere is one of rare, almost suspended attention, with the baton in the hands of the young conductor Camille Delaforge.
It has been almost a week since the festival began. Time seems both intense and suspended.
The festival continues until the end of next weekend, in this vibrant balance where conducting also means embracing the unexpected and continuing to allow oneself to be surprised.
