Photo : Mathias Depardon
Scaramouche and Music-Hall
Forget everything you know about stuffy orchestra nights and get ready for a vibrant musical playground. From iconic cabaret melodies to hidden operetta gems, this performance turns classical standards on their head with sheer joy and wit.
Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris 1st)
About
Experience a unique musical evening at the Théâtre du Châtelet on Wednesday, January 13, 2027, from 20:00 to 21:30. Conductor Hervé Niquet leads the Orchestre de chambre de Paris and choir through a repertoire blending music-hall classics with works by Darius Milhaud. Featuring melodies by Bourvil, Charles Trenet, and Francis Lopez, this concert celebrates the vibrant Parisian arts scene. Designed to be inclusive, the event is accessible to blind or visually impaired guests. Tickets for this performance are priced between 5 € and 45 €.
A very sad evening ahead, that's for sure!
Hervé Niquet,Composed by Hervé Niquet, the program for this concert holds many surprises... While the Orchestre de chambre de Paris is right at home at the Théâtre du Châtelet, who would expect a conductor specializing in French Baroque opera to be accompanied by his choir to perform orchestrated melodies by Bourvil, Charles Trenet, or even Maurice Chevalier? Yet these artists are given pride of place in this program, as is the successful operetta composer Francis Lopez who, in addition to being the author of La Belle de Cadix and Le Chanteur de Mexico, directed the Théâtre du Châtelet in the early seventies. It was around that time that Hervé Niquet discovered the Paris arts scene and the musical life of the capital, of which the famous television shows of Maritie and Gilbert Carpentier offer a glimpse. Hervé Niquet became friends with the musicologist Madeleine Milhaud, who made him promise to perform a work that her husband, Darius—who liked to describe himself, not without mischief, as a "Frenchman from Provence and of the Jewish faith"—had composed for the Lemon Festival in Menton. Barba Garibo, a divertissement based on themes from Menton folklore for mixed choir and orchestra, with texts by Armand Lunel, is truly one of the gems of this festive concert! More than just The White Horse Inn (Auberge du Cheval-Blanc), excerpts of which are also on the program, this evening promises to be a musical "potluck" (auberge espagnole) for musicians who love the Théâtre du Châtelet!
Program
Works by Darius Milhaud (Scaramouche, Barba Garibo), Charles Trenet, Charles Lecocq, Francis Lopez, Ralph Benatzky, Maurice Chevalier, Roger Roger, Bourvil, Henri Betti, Leroy Anderson, Cole Porter, George Gershwin
Our take on this event
The Théâtre du Châtelet hosts a distinctive program on January 13, 2027, bridging the gap between classical tradition and popular music-hall. Conductor Hervé Niquet reunites with the Orchestre de chambre de Paris and their choir to perform a selection inspired by the television variety shows of the past and the rich musical history of the venue itself.
The performance runs from 20:00 to 21:30 and includes pieces by notable composers such as Darius Milhaud, featuring Barba Garibo and Scaramouche, alongside works by Francis Lopez, Charles Lecocq, and Henri Betti. The program further extends to international legends including Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Leroy Anderson, ensuring a varied experience for all attendees. The venue provides specific accessibility support for blind or visually impaired audience members.
Tickets are available from 5 € to 45 €. Visitors are invited to join this celebration of musical heritage at the heart of the 1st arrondissement.
