Lyon, December 13, 2025 – The Auditorium-Orchestre National de Lyon is set to launch the inaugural edition of its Organ Biennial on January 6, 2026. This landmark event, centered around the Auditorium’s unique 6,500-pipe organ-the largest concert hall organ in France outside Paris-aims to reposition the instrument at the forefront of 21st-century musical creation. The biennial will run for a full week, from January 6 to 11, 2026, offering a diverse program that includes recitals, cine-concerts, conferences, symphonic performances, and youth-focused events, all unified by a timely ecological theme.
A Historic Instrument at the Heart of Modern Creation
The organ, a majestic instrument often associated with sacred spaces, is now taking center stage in a new light. The Lyon Auditorium is dedicating an entire biennial to showcasing its versatility and contemporary relevance. Claire Delamarche, organ curator, and composer Grégoire Rolland will open the biennial on January 6 with a highly anticipated presentation of the instrument, offering a rare glimpse into its futuristic Corian console, inaugurated in 2024, which conceals over 6,000 pipes.
Breathing Forests: A Musical Call to Ecological Awareness
A highlight of this first edition will be the French premiere of American composer Gabriella Smith’s Breathing Forests on January 10. This concerto for organ, described as a powerful and immersive sonic experience, serves as an urgent cry against deforestation and explores humanity’s relationship with the living world. The work will be presented in two formats: an accessible daytime performance for ages 7 and up, combining music with discussions led by environmental specialists, and an evening performance as part of a symphonic program. The evening program will also feature two pieces by composer-in-residence Grégoire Rolland: Osmosis, a meditative aquatic work, and Les Chants du Ciel, a world premiere evoking the arrival and retreat of a storm. Debussy’s La Mer will conclude the program, further invoking the forces of nature.
Ecology and Cinema: A Unique Fusion
The ecological theme extends to cinema on January 7, when Karol Mossakowski, a master of improvisation, will revisit Murnau’s masterpiece Tabu, filmed in Bora-Bora. This cine-concert promises a hypnotic immersion into an untouched Polynesian natural world, highlighting the beauty and fragility of ecosystems.
Diverse Repertoire and Modern Voices
On January 11, the biennial will shift its focus to American influences with James McVinnie, an unclassifiable and magnetic organist, presenting a recital featuring minimalist composers and modern voices such as Philip Glass, Meredith Monk, and a revisited Messiaen. This performance aims to demonstrate the organ’s capacity for both popular and mystical expression.
Dialogue on Art and Ecological Consciousness
A free roundtable discussion on January 8 will bring together artists and cultural figures to explore the role of art in fostering ecological awareness. This event will be punctuated by musical interventions and images of nature, encouraging a deeper reflection on environmental issues through an artistic lens.
The Organ’s Rich History: Three Lives of an Icon
The organ currently housed at the Lyon Auditorium boasts a rich history, having undergone three significant transformations. Originally built in 1878 by the renowned Aristide Cavaillé-Coll for the Universal Exhibition and the Trocadéro hall in Paris, it featured 82 stops and approximately 6,500 pipes, serving as a “showpiece” of its era. In 1939, the organ was transferred to the Palais de Chaillot, and then in 1977, it found a new home at the Lyon Auditorium, installed by Georges Danion, marking its transition to a concert setting. By the early 2000s, the instrument required extensive restoration. This was meticulously carried out in 2013 by Michel Gaillard (Manufacture Aubertin), who cleaned, re-tuned, and enriched the stops, restoring its original colors and expanding its expressive range. Since then, the organ has continued to shine in recitals, symphonic concerts, chamber music, cine-concerts, and educational projects. In October 2024, it received a new console designed and built by Christophe Cailleux (Organotech). Today, this instrument stands as the only large concert hall organ of its kind in France outside Paris, capable of embracing a vast repertoire from Bach’s baroque to the most audacious contemporary music.
Practical Information
The Organ Biennial will take place from January 6 to 11, 2026, at the Auditorium-Orchestre National de Lyon, located at 149 rue Garibaldi, 69003 Lyon. The full program and ticketing information are available on the Auditorium de Lyon website.
Source: https://mesinfos.fr/69000-lyon/l-orgue-aux-6-500-tuyaux-de-l-auditorium-de-lyon-aura-desormais-sa-biennale-235663.html
