Monuments of music
Visiting artists, natives and adoptees, musicians and singers, have sung the praises of the Hérault and forged its cultural identity. Among the poets who have put their love of the region to music are the great Georges Brassens and Manitas de Plata, both born in Sète, the famous Boby Lapointe from Pézenas, and Juliette Gréco, an icon of French chanson who grew up in Montpellier. In addition to these famous names, many local musicians, singers and groups enliven the local program throughout the year.
Traditional instruments
The region is particularly well known for its wind instruments. Perhaps the best known is the Languedoc oboe. Until the French Revolution, its melody enlivened consular ceremonies and popular celebrations from Agde to the Hérault valley. After a brief disappearance in the 70s, the instrument is enjoying a revival. Today, it can be heard at numerous events such as carnivals and Languedoc jousts.
Another instrument typical of the region is the fife, a kind of small transverse flute on which all styles of music can be played. Two playing techniques, each providing a different sound, are possible: play as on a Western transverse flute, or use your phalanges as on an Oriental instrument.
Local dances
At férias and other bullfighting events, it's not unusual to come across flamenco and Sevillana experts. These two traditional dances from Spain often liven up the streets during festivities. The difference is simple: flamenco is danced alone, accompanied by the clapping of hands and feet, while the more joyful Sevillana is performed by two, one or more couples, in a circle or in a group.
Another festive and popular choreography, the danse des treilles, has been practiced since the Renaissance by agricultural and peasant guilds in the Béziers wine-growing area, or by associations from various communes in the region. The dance uses hoops trimmed with white and pink ribbons, or vines and vine branches. To the sound of the oboe, the choreography depicts the different seasons of viticulture, as well as the meeting of young men and women, culminating in a marital union under the vines. This dance is still admired at many festivities, and has been passed down through the family and corporate ranks since the 16th century.
In the Hérault region, and Montpellier in particular, it's the "danse du chevalet" (also known as the "jeu du chevalet") that has become an integral part of local history. An important part of the tradition, it is an integral part of Languedoc's intangible heritage. This essentially carnivalesque dance, which can take on different shapes and sizes depending on where it is performed, originated in the Middle Ages. Although its true origins are unknown, a legend has it that the consuls of Montpellier, tired of seeing Pierre II d'Aragon lose interest in Marie de Montpellier, succeeded in introducing her into the marriage bed one fine night in 1208, and that Jacques d'Aragon was born of this evening. After his birth, Pierre d'Aragon brought Marie de Montpellier and the child on horseback from Mireval to the town of Montpellier. Once in town, the inhabitants celebrated the couple and their child as much as the horse. They asked the king to keep the precious horse, a right they were granted. The animal lived for 20 years, and every year became the focus of great festivities. People danced around him, feasting in memory of James I's birth. The easel dance was born.
Theater and opera
If contemporary artists are making the Hérault's theaters vibrate with talent, there's one figure who, at the mere mention of his name, is synonymous with theater: Molière. After a difficult start in the capital, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin and his troupe, l'Illustre Théâtre, decided to embark on a provincial adventure to gain their first experience. Between 1647 and 1657, these artists criss-crossed the Languedoc region, meeting people who helped them observe the customs of the time, and gleaning information that went on to form the basis of Poquelin's plays, including La Comtesse d'Escarbagnas and Monsieur de Pourceaugnac. On their journey, they made stops in Carcassonne, Béziers, Narbonne, Montpellier, Nîmes and, of course, Pézenas. The city of Pézenas has been passionately cultivating this passage ever since, quoting the great Marcel Pagnol: " If Jean-Baptiste Poquelin was born in Paris, Molière was born in Pézenas". Every year, the town organizes a series of events in his honor. During his stay in the Languedoc region, the writer made the acquaintance of such astonishing figures as the Comte d'Aubijoux, Pierre Goudouli, Armand de Bourbon prince de Conti, the libertine Sarrasin, the poet d'Assoucy...
Another great figure of the theater, and a more recent one (1912-1971), is the Sétois Jean Vilar Comedian, actor, director and author, he was responsible for the now-famous Avignon Festival.
In another genre, opera also has its place in Languedoc. Celebrated by numerous associations and music schools, Montpellier is home to the former Languedoc-Roussillon region's greatest exponent of opera: the Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier/Occitanie. The organization came into being in 2001, when the Opéra de Montpellier, a veritable center of operatic creation and production, merged with the Orchestre, which, since its creation in 1979, has helped give new impetus to opera activity within the city walls in France and abroad. Today, this complex comprises the Salle Molière, the large Salle de l'Opéra Comédie, the Opéra Berlioz and the Salle Pasteur in the Corum building. It can welcome nearly 100,000 spectators every year. To ensure that this world is not confined to the Hérault prefecture, an extensive artistic and educational network has been set up throughout the region. The opera and orchestra are present throughout the musical seasons.
Concert halls
As a host to a multitude of artistic and cultural events, the département has everything to please artists and audiences alike. Its offerings range from performance bars to gigantic Zeniths, from pocket theaters to monuments of international significance. Whether outdoors, in modern halls or in grand settings dating back centuries, the diversity of our stages allows us to express a whole range of creative talents to a curious public always delighted to enjoy the region's rich programming. While it's difficult to list all these venues, a microscopic list can give a good idea of the many options available to performers and spectators alike: Zénith Sud de France in Lattes, Arènes de Béziers, Théâtre de la Mer in Sète or Théâtre de Pézenas for the most grandiose. Confidential venues abound throughout the department, in towns and countryside alike.
