Curiosities 2025

CuriositiesIn 2025, Les Festivals de Wallonie invite you on a fascinating musical journey under the theme of Curiosities. While some people sometimes imagine classical music as frozen in time, our festivals are committed to breaking new ground and celebrating the richness of sounds that are sometimes forgotten or little-known.This programme will offer you an original experience: rare instruments that are rarely seen or heard, daring combinations of styles that promise to surprise and amaze. Imagine a travel organ accompanied by electronic music and visual installations, or a viola da gamba playing a fado. These are just some of the suspended moments on offer from this year's associate artists, Cindy Castillo, François Joubert-Caillet and visual artist Lise Bruyneel. These unique moments will awaken your senses and allow you to rediscover music in a whole new light.This year also has a special significance as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Maurice Ravel. This emblematic figure of French music will be honoured through emblematic and sometimes surprising works such as this unRAVELd by the Zonzo company, which depicts the composer's childhood in a playful setting, as well as through innovative interpretations that pay tribute to his creative spirit. Ravel showed that there are no limits to the imagination, and we are convinced that his compositions will encourage artists to explore new avenues.Festivals are meant to be a place of openness and encounter. As an audience, you will have the opportunity to discover contemporary creations alongside sometimes forgotten masterpieces. By going off the beaten track, we encourage each and every one of you to broaden your horizons, to listen with new ears and to be surprised by the diversity of musical creation. Once again this year, we intend to build bridges rather than borders.At Les Festivals de Wallonie, we firmly believe that curiosity is the key to understanding the world and its different cultures. This season is about more than simply discovering music: it's an invitation to dialogue, exchange and explore. Whether you're a regular at classical music concerts or a newcomer, we invite you to join us on this exciting adventure: open your ears and eyes wide, abandon your habits and certainties, and let yourself be carried away by a world of curiosities. Together, let's celebrate the beauty of music in all its diversity!