Photo : àDR
Sido&Co Festival: Folies - Voice and Cello
Solo concert by cellist Iris Guémy Axelsson who will come to perform at the François Villon library as part of the 2026 edition of Monte le Son.
Bibliothèque François Villon (Paris 10th)
About
At the origin, a loop: the folia, this baroque bass that returns endlessly through its variations, and the madness it mimics, thought caught in its turn. From this whirling, the cellist draws a program where she plays and sings at the same time.
The Folies d'Espagne, inspired by Marin Marais, open the concert, the cello alone setting the motif that turns. Then the voice settles in, between personal songs and repertoire, evoking the madness of love, the madness of men who destroy what supports them, the beauty of sirens that leads astray, the loneliness that drives one mad in Purcell.
The voice then withdraws, and only the cello remains, but it has become immense. After an improvisation that lowers its strings, Kodály's Sonata Op. 8 closes the concert on its vastest madness: singing of Hungarian folklore, trances of the fiddler, a single instrument that contains an entire orchestra.
Part of the Sido&Co Festival, an expanded classical music festival in the 10th arrondissement.
Our take on this event
Experience the mesmerizing dialogue between a soulful voice and the resonance of a single cello. This performance weaves through baroque melodies and raw emotional depths, transforming an intimate stage into an expansive musical universe. Perfect for anyone seeking an evening of pure, unfiltered artistic passion in the heart of the city.
The Sido&Co Festival arrives at the Bibliothèque François Villon in the 10th arrondissement for a unique performance entitled Folies - voix et violoncelle. On Saturday, 28 November 2026, from 16:00 to 17:30, a cellist explores the musical concept of the folia, a recurring baroque bass line mirroring the twists of the human mind. This event is entirely free and open to anyone aged 12 and over, and the venue is fully wheelchair accessible. It is an ideal opportunity to witness how a single instrument can transform into a full orchestra through a repertoire blending baroque motifs, improvisation, and songs of human emotion.
The performance centers on the folia, an iconic baroque musical structure, to navigate the space between reason and madness. The concert opens with Les Folies d'Espagne, inspired by Marin Marais, where the cello establishes the repetitive motif alone. Gradually, the performer's voice enters the fray, exploring themes of amorous obsession, human destruction, and the haunting beauty of sirens and solitude found in Purcell's works.
In the second half, the voice fades, leaving the cello to stand as a vast, singular force. Following an improvisation that lowers the instrument's strings, the program concludes with Kodály’s Sonata op. 8. This ambitious work showcases the instrument's depth, channeling Hungarian folklore and the trance-like energy of traditional fiddlers, proving that one cello can encompass the richness of an entire orchestra.
This event takes place on 28 November 2026 at the Bibliothèque François Villon, located at 81, boulevard de la Villette, 75010 Paris. The performance runs from 16:00 to 17:30. Admission is free for audiences aged 12 and up. The site is wheelchair accessible.
