Resonances

17/01/26–25/01/26

The female quota is right—don't worry, we're on the safe side with this year's »Resonances«. But why »Les femmes«? Why not »The Men«? And why in French?

Well, »The Men« would simply be too boring: they dominate music history anyway, and it is in the elegant garb of the old French court language, the former langue universelle, that the title unfolds its special charm.

Admittedly, the eras to which »Resonances« is devoted are patriarchal in nature. The French Revolution, which would cement gender roles for a long time to come, was still far off. Before it, women of the nobility lived relatively self-determined lives, albeit constrained by etiquette and class snobbery. They left behind traces, voices, and soundscapes that still fascinate us today.

Back in 2002, the festival's motto was »The Eternal Feminine«. A generation later, we are once again looking at the female side of (music) history — unabashedly curious, critical, and eager to make new discoveries. With outstanding performers of early music, dramaturgically sophisticated and musically captivating in their intensity, they reflect on gender roles, emancipation, and empowerment. One thing is certain: these »Resonances« do not tell stories about the »weaker sex«, let alone wax lyrical about it.