A rare exploration of the supernatural in classical music is arriving in Brittany this May, as a professional ensemble prepares to showcase the atmospheric depths of the Romantic era. The upcoming series, titled “Une nuit avec les sorcières concert classique,” will bring the haunting and theatrical compositions of Felix Mendelssohn to several historic venues, culminating in a performance in the heart of Rennes.
The program centers on Mendelssohn’s evocative treatment of the “Walpurgisnacht” themes—a subject matter that remains surprisingly underrepresented in French concert programming. By blending orchestral precision with choral power, the event aims to transport audiences into a world of folklore and mysticism, utilizing the natural acoustics of regional churches to enhance the music’s dramatic tension.
Leading the production is L’Ensemble L’Exode, a professional group that has expanded its typical lineup for this specific series. To capture the scale and intensity of the work, the ensemble is joined by a choir of 20 singers and a selection of soloists, creating a sonic landscape designed to be as visually and emotionally evocative as it is musically rigorous.
The series is structured as a regional tour, allowing audiences across the Ille-et-Vilaine department to experience the work before the final performance at the Église Saint Yves. This strategic movement through Chateaubourg and Romillé ensures that the “witching hour” themes reach a broader community of music lovers beyond the city center of Rennes.
The Musicality of the Supernatural
Felix Mendelssohn, known for his meticulous structures and melodic clarity, often pivoted toward the whimsical and the eerie in his more thematic works. The focus on Felix Mendelssohn and the Walpurgisnacht themes highlights a side of the composer that diverges from his more traditional symphonies. Walpurgisnacht, or Walpurgis Night, is rooted in the folklore of the Harz Mountains, where witches were said to gather on the eve of May 1, a theme famously explored in Goethe’s Faust.
Bringing this specific repertoire to France is a deliberate choice by the organizers. While Mendelssohn is a staple of the global classical canon, these specific “witch-themed” narratives are rarely given a standalone spotlight in regional French venues. The result is a performance that functions not just as a concert, but as a cultural rediscovery of a composer’s fascination with the theatrical and the occult.
The inclusion of a 20-person choir adds a layer of human drama to the instrumental arrangements. In Romantic music, the choir often serves as the “voice of the masses” or the supernatural entity itself, providing a swell of sound that can shift from a ghostly whisper to a powerful, enveloping wall of audio. This dynamic range is essential for a program described as “envoûtante”—or spellbinding.
A Tour of Historic Acoustics
The choice of venues for “Une nuit avec les sorcières” is as critical as the music itself. Performing in churches provides a specific acoustic environment characterized by long decay times and natural reverberation, which is ideal for the sweeping movements of 19th-century classical music. The stone walls and high vaulted ceilings of these spaces act as a natural amplifier, mirroring the “powerful and theatrical” nature of the compositions.
The journey begins in Chateaubourg and moves through Romillé, building momentum toward the final appearance in Rennes. The Église Saint Yves, known for its architectural significance and central location, serves as the ideal backdrop for the series’ conclusion. The transition from smaller community churches to the grandeur of Saint Yves reflects the escalating intensity of the musical program.
For attendees, the experience is designed to be immersive. The intersection of sacred architecture and “profane” or supernatural musical themes creates a tension that is a hallmark of the Romantic period’s artistic philosophy—the duality between the divine and the mysterious.
Schedule and Performance Logistics
The tour is tightly scheduled over a single weekend in May, requiring precise coordination between the soloists, the choir and the venue administrators. Because the program relies on a specific number of vocalists to achieve the intended “powerful” sound, the scale of the ensemble remains consistent across all three dates.
| Location | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Église de Chateaubourg | Friday, May 15 | TBD |
| Romillé | Saturday, May 16 | TBD |
| Église Saint Yves (Rennes) | Sunday, May 17 | 4:00 PM |
The Sunday performance at 4:00 PM at Église Saint Yves is positioned as the primary event for those in the Rennes metropolitan area. This timing allows for a transition from the daylight of the city into the atmospheric, dimmed lighting of the church interior, mirroring the thematic shift toward the “night” described in the concert’s title.
The Role of L’Ensemble L’Exode
L’Ensemble L’Exode has established itself as a professional entity capable of handling complex, multi-layered productions. By integrating a choir and soloists into this specific project, the ensemble is moving beyond standard chamber music into the realm of the “grand concert.” This expansion allows them to tackle works that require a wider dynamic range and a more theatrical approach to performance.
The challenge for the ensemble lies in balancing the precision of the instrumentalists with the organic, breath-driven power of the 20-person choir. In works centered on the supernatural, timing is everything; the music must often shift abruptly from silence to a crescendo to simulate the unexpected nature of a “witch’s flight” or a sudden apparition.
This production represents a commitment to bringing high-level professional music to regional settings, ensuring that the “sublime” works of the 19th century remain accessible outside of the major national conservatories or opera houses.
The next confirmed step for the series is the opening performance in Chateaubourg on May 15, which will set the tone for the subsequent appearances in Romillé and Rennes. Local music enthusiasts and historians are encouraged to monitor venue updates for ticket availability and specific entry requirements for the church performances.
We invite you to share your thoughts on this rare revival of Mendelssohn’s thematic works in the comments below or share this story with fellow classical music enthusiasts.
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