Photo : Orchestre Colonne
"Beethoven, the Pastoral" at La Seine Musicale
Experience the magic of Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony brought to life alongside captivating modern premieres and the intense romanticism of Augusta Holmès. This unique program creates a vibrant soundscape that shifts from nature-inspired melodies to an intriguing musical enigma revealed only at the very end of the performance.
La Seine Musicale
About
La Seine Musicale presents a diverse orchestral program featuring the Orchestre Colonne under the baton of Félix Benati on Sunday, November 15, 2026. This concert combines Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, "Pastoral," with the world premiere of Alexandre Manoukian’s "Ode à la vie" and Augusta Holmès’s "La Nuit et l’Amour." An additional "mystery piece" will be revealed to the audience during the performance, which lasts 1 hour and 50 minutes, including an intermission. Tickets are priced between 10:00 and 50:00, providing flexible access to this event at the Seine Musicale on Île Seguin in Boulogne-Billancourt.
Can one, in a single evening, celebrate Beethoven, discover a brand-new creation, rediscover a forgotten work, and be surprised by a musical mystery? That is the challenge of this program.
In Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral", of which we commemorate the 200th anniversary of his death this year, the composer expresses the feelings awakened by the landscape: the murmur of a brook, the rustic dance of a village festival, the sudden burst of a storm, and then the regained serenity.
Attending a world premiere is sharing the thrill of a first breath, where a work is born before our ears. For this new composition titled "Ode to Life", Alexandre Manoukian illustrates nature and climate issues through his music.
As a counterpoint, Augusta Holmès' The Night and Love unfolds the ardor of incandescent romanticism. Taken from Ludus pro Patria, this piece inaugurates the season dedicated to Holmès, whose work as a composer will be celebrated throughout the year. A daring composer, Holmès makes the night a vibrant theater: the shadows pulse with incandescent desire, the strings murmur, the winds sigh, and the orchestra ignites in a vast lyrical surge.
A touch of mystery will punctuate this program: the Invitation to the Journey, a work whose identity will only be revealed after listening. A surprise extending the concert into this nature-inspired universe.
PROGRAM
BEETHOVEN · Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral"
MANOUKIAN · Ode to Life (world premiere)
HOLMÈS · The Night and Love
THE INVITATION TO THE JOURNEY · Mystery work to be discovered during this concert
Duration: 1h50 (with intermission)
CAST
Félix BENATI · Conductor
Orchestre Colonne
Our take on this event
On Sunday, November 15, 2026, conductor Félix Benati leads the Orchestre Colonne in a performance exploring the intersection of nature and romanticism. The concert program begins with Beethoven’s iconic "Pastoral" symphony, followed by the world premiere of Alexandre Manoukian’s nature-inspired composition, "Ode à la vie." The evening also features Augusta Holmès’s "La Nuit et l’Amour," a piece highlighting the composer's lyrical intensity.
The performance runs from 16:00 to 17:50, for a total duration of 1 hour and 50 minutes, with an intermission included. Attendees will also be treated to a surprise musical work, with its identity kept secret until the performance.
Ticket prices are set at 50:00, 40:00, 30:00, 20:00, and 10:00 for the reduced rate. The event takes place at La Seine Musicale, located on Île Seguin, Boulogne-Billancourt.
