Artists deeply rooted in the territory
If the musical scene occupies a large place in the hearts of Burgundians, it is undoubtedly because it has been, for centuries, anchored in the regional heritage as much as in its traditions. As early as the 15th century, the Dukes of Burgundy Philippe Le Bon and Charles le Téméraire oversaw the destiny of the Burgundian School, a group of composers who broke with the traditions of medieval music and laid the foundations of the Franco-Flemish School which then developed in the Burgundian Netherlands before spreading throughout Europe. 200 years later, the great Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) was born and raised in Dijon before directing the organ of the collegiate church of Saint-Etienne for a time. A statue erected in 1880 pays tribute to him today, in front of the Dijon Conservatory of Music.
Centuries have passed, and the links between artists and their region are still as strong as ever. Thus, the emblematic artist of Dijon (and of Burgundy as a whole!) is now called Yves Jamait. Born in 1961, he will wait until 2003 to release his first album. Thanks to the support of the famous host of France Inter Jean-Louis Foulquier, and Patrick Sébastien who produced him later, Yves Jamait quickly made a name for himself. Today, he has become unavoidable and regularly fills the Zenith in Dijon as well as all the venues in the region where he performs very often. Without ever forgetting to declare his love for his city, notably with his song "Dijon la bourgeoise": "Je te salue, ma vieille Dijon, ô maîtresse burgonde. / Je te salue, ma vieille Dijon. / Et nulle part au monde, je n'aurais voulu naître ". If Saône-et-Loire can be proud of having seen Florent Pagny born (near Chalon), Nièvre is also a breeding ground for artists. Like the Poyaudine Elodie Frégé. The former winner of the "Star Academy" was born in Cosne-sur-Loire in 1982, and spent part of her childhood in Treigny (in the Yonne) before moving to the next village, Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye. Regularly in her interviews, she remembers living there as " in a cocoon, in a clearing, disconnected from realities ". The singer and novelist Joseph d'Anvers spent his youth in Marzy, then in Nevers where he was born in 1976. He attended the Alain Colas high school (named after the sailor from Clamecy, who died at sea in 1978 and about whom Alain Chamfort composed "Manureva" with Serge Gainsbourg). In the 2000s, Joseph d'Anvers left for Paris, working with Alain Bashung, but he remained faithful to his city. It is him who signs the anthem of the rugby club of Nevers, the USON: "Nevers, Nevers / Your men are ready to fight / Nevers, Nevers / We are ready to die for you"..
In the footsteps of Burgundian legends..
It is also in the Morvan nivernais that you can leave on the tracks of one of the legends of the French song. The pianist and composer Marguerite Monnot was born in Decize in 1903, to a father who was an organist at the Saint-Aré church. You don't know her? In fact, she has always remained in the shade. But read on... A true genius, at the age of 8 Marguerite was already giving concerts, and was praised by the great Camille Saint-Saëns. After refusing to be part of the official musicians of the Spanish court, she left Decize, entered the Paris Conservatory, then began a tour of Europe. Until her discovery of the song. Among those she composed for Edith Piaf, are "Les Amants d'un jour", "Mon Légionnaire", "La vie en rose", "L'Hymne à l'amour", "Milord"... Just that! When Piaf broke off their collaboration overnight after 25 years, Marguerite Monnot returned to Decize where she died in 1961. She is buried there and a street bears her name.
Marguerite Monnot will never have known another Burgundian legend, France Gall. Not a native Auxerre or Poyaudin could ignore the deep attachment of the Gall family to the region! Her mother Cécile Berthier was born in Auxerre. Her father Robert Gall (the lyricist of "La Mamma" for Charles Aznavour, and of "Sacré Charlemagne" for his daughter) grew up in Saint-Fargeau. As for her uncle, the composer and organist Jacques Berthier from Auxerre, he is famous for his contribution to the liturgical chants of the monastic community of Taizé (Saône-et-Loire). Although France was born in Paris, they often meet in the large family house in Pourrain, in Puisaye. And when she started singing, it was in Auxerre, at the foot of the cathedral, in the studio of her cousin, the painter and sculptor François Brochet (whose statues of Marie Noël and Cadet Roussel adorn the historic center) that she gave her first concert. Later, when she met a young singer in vogue, a certain Julien Clerc, they chose to settle near Pourrain, in Parly, where they renovated an old building, "La Métairie Bruyère", which has since become a graphic art center that you can now visit. Then, when the romance turned sour, Julien settled for a few years at the Château des Gouttes, in Saint-Sauveur-en Puisaye. France, for her part, kept the family home in Pourrain for a long time. Today, the Domaine de l'Ocrerie is a superb guest house, which we recommend!
Particularly vivid scenes
Here, as we have already said, music and the living arts have always occupied a large place. National or regional stages, private or public halls, in the cities as well as in the countryside, there are many places of spectacle and artistic expression. It is impossible to name them all. But, in addition to the two giants (the Zénith in Dijon, and Le Spot, at the Parc des expositions in Mâcon), each of which can accommodate more than 5,000 people, don't hesitate to stop by the beautiful Théâtre Dijon Bourgogne (Centre Dramatique National), which offers a superb program all year round. We also love La Lanterne Magique, in Beaune. This is a unique venue as it used to house the famous Calvet wine cellars more than a century ago. With its woodwork and exposed stonework, La Lanterne Magique has become a must-see venue in the city, hosting numerous shows throughout the year, as well as festivals such as Beaune Vibrations or Beaune Blues Boogie. In Saône-et-Loire, let's mention the Parc des expositions, the national stage L'Espace des arts and the rock venue La Péniche in Chalon-sur-Saône. And in Montceau-les-Mines, the colorful L'Embarcadère with its 900 seats. Not forgetting, of course, the Abbaye de Cluny which regularly hosts concerts. In the Nièvre region, we can mention the Municipal Theater of Nevers as well as the very active Maison de la Culture, but it is towards Guérigny that our eyes turn. In the heart of a beautiful historical site, the Théâtre des Forges Royales hosts concerts, exhibitions, and dance shows throughout the year. Finally, in the Yonne, Auxerre has its conventioned stage, Le Théâtre, but also a dynamic rock-jazz venue ("Le Silex") and the Skeneteau (in Monéteau) which offers plays, concerts, shows for children and one (wo)men shows. The Municipal Theater of Sens also benefits from a good reputation, but it is in Migennes that one of the most memorable theaters of the icaune region is located. Created in 1950 on the banks of the Canal de Bourgogne, it has welcomed in its time new artists who have made a name for themselves: Johnny Hallyday, Jacques Brel and Charles Aznavour, for example. Since then, it has been nicknamed the "little Olympia"!
Festivals in all seasons or almost!
As elsewhere in France, every summer - and throughout the year - Burgundy is teeming with festivals devoted to the performing arts. All the region's larger towns offer them, and often several over the course of the season. Small towns and villages too. For example, since 1999, the Festivallon has been held from mid-June to the end of October. Around the covered market in Avallon (Yonne), but also in bars, restaurants and other atypical venues in the Avallon region, some fifty concerts are organized by this festival, which is one of the longest in France. Not far away, the Rencontres musicales de Noyers-sur-Serein et du Tonnerrois. In 2021, Lambert Wilson will launch Les Millésimes de Tonnerre, a festival dedicated to classical music in Tonnerre. Further south, every summer in mid-July, Les Nuits Bressanes livens up the Bresse region, especially Louhans (Saône-et-Loire). Nearby, the Festival Musicales en Côte Chalonnaise is held on the last weekend of August. The program features chamber music, with concerts given in village churches and wine cellars around Buxy. The Idylle festival has also been held in this region since 2017. Created with the support of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region, this 3-week festival takes place in mid-October, inviting local artists to the villages of Saône-et-Loire (and neighboring Doubs) for theater, concerts and exhibitions. The Festival en Othe is also an itinerant event. In the heart of the Pays d'Othe (between Champagne and Burgundy), arts and music are offered through concerts, but also through a traveling cabaret that criss-crosses the towns and villages of both regions. Local groups, but not only, since artists such as Jacques Higelin, Emir Kusturica, Diam's, Tryo and Bénabar have been performing at Saint-Florentin, L'Escale in Migennes and Brienon-sur-Armançon for over 30 years! What's more, the organizers are also offering Festi'Coccinelle for young audiences.
