Breton folklore
Celtic music is a little less present than in the other regions of Brittany but many fest-noz are still organized during the summer. We can still pay tribute to the Breton folk group of traditional dances and music Quic-en-Groigne of Saint-Malo. It includes a Bagad, a Celtic circle and an orchestra. The bagad is affiliated to the Bodadeg ar Sonerion federation and the circle to the War 'l leur dance federation. Dancers and musicians are in the first category of their respective federations alongside the other major groups in Brittany. It was created in the 1950s and the symbol of the group is the watchdog, a reference to the famous dogs that enforced the curfew in the 18th century in the corsair city. They can be seen and heard at music festivals throughout Brittany (Concarneau, Lorient, Brittany Bagadoù championship...) or at events such as the Route du Rhum and the Folklores du Monde.
In Saint-Malo, the Folklores du Monde festival is dedicated to the Breton culture, but also, since a few years, to traditional dances and music groups from all over the world. The festival also welcomes Breton bagadoù and Celtic circles, as well as traditional dance and music groups from other regions of France.
Typical instruments
Of the oboe family, the bombarde is used in Breton music. It is a variant of the popular oboe specific to Brittany. It is traditionally accompanied by the binioù kozh, a bagpipe mainly used in Lower Brittany.
An ancient string instrument, very widespread in Brittany in particular, the Celtic harp plays and accompanies Celtic music. It is since the 1970s that it enjoys a renewed popularity in Brittany, in particular thanks to the musicians Alan Stivell and Cécile Corbel. To visit: the Maison de la Harpe Celtique in Dinan which presents an exhibition on harps from around the world and organises the annual Celtic Harp Festival. Activities for children are proposed there.
Breton dances
The Breton dance gathers a whole of gestural practices, resulting from an old traditional dance formerly practised mainly in the peasant circles of Brittany. Like every traditional dance, the Breton dance is characterized by a form, a step and a style. Today, it is practiced almost exclusively in balls (fest-noz, fest-deiz, folk balls) or by Celtic circles. The best known of them in the region is the group Quic en Groigne from Saint-Malo, which includes a bagad, a Celtic circle and an orchestra. In Haute-Bretagne, the avant-deux is particularly appreciated by the Celtic circles. The "avant-deux" consists of two couples of dancers arranged in a quadrette where the men and women face each other.
Music festivals
On a more contemporary note, let's remember that Saint-Malo becomes the capital of rock every year with its festival La Route du Rock. This festival has been held every year since 1991 and is organised by the association Rock Tympans.
Les Folklores du Monde in Saint-Malo invites every year at the beginning of July different music groups from all over the world. Saint-Malo also hosts the classical music festival "Festival Classique au Large". For 14 years now, this festival has unveiled beautiful and adventurous scores, with a rich and eclectic programme. With a good balance, you can find the great classical standards as well as less conventional music.
On the other side of the dam, Dinard welcomes during the summer the International Music Festival with a series of classical music concerts. A new festival, the Dinard Opening Festival, will showcase the British scene.
On the other side of Dinard, the Armor à Sons de Bobital is a festival which takes place in July and welcomes French-speaking artists such as Jean-Louis Aubert, Roméo Elvis or Yannick Noah..
Theater
Every year in Saint-Malo the festival Lycéens sur les Planches takes place. It is a European festival of French-speaking high school theater, which has been held on the stage of the Théâtre de la ville de Saint-Malo for 18 years. The love of French theater and the French language is at the heart of this festival. Many countries participate, such as Greece, Macedonia, Italy, Serbia ... among others.
In 2022 will take place a new edition of the festival Du Sable sur les Planches, a festival that had its first edition in 2019 and could not maintain its dates for the 2020 edition. This festival offers not far from thirty theatrical performances, in the theaters of Chateaubriand and Sainte-Anne, but also in cafes, restaurants, art galleries and even discos. You will find a wide variety of theatrical genres: classical or contemporary plays, comedies, poetry, readings/videos, clowns, improvisation shows, children's stories... Theatrical troupes and companies from Saint-Malo mainly, but also from Ille-et-Vilaine, Côtes-d'Armor or Finistère, perform on the stages of Saint-Malo.
Theatres
In the region, you will find many theaters and concert halls.
The city of Saint-Malo offers 2 theaters: the Théâtre de l'Hermine in the Saint-Servan district and the Théâtre Chateaubriand in Intra-Muros. Here, discover plays, music, dance, concerts...
La Nouvelle Vague is a concert hall and music venue in Saint-Malo. It offers many concerts throughout the year, but also provides rehearsal and recording studios, technical and administrative training, personalized support for artists, residencies, projects and activities with schoolchildren ... to help you discover all aspects of current music.
In Dinard, you will find the Stéphan Bouttet auditorium, which hosts all the concerts of the International Classical Music Festival, as well as screenings of the Dinard Film Festival, concerts, dance shows and the Summer Opera season. The Palais des Arts et du Festival also hosts numerous cultural events.
