Les riches heures musicales de la rotonde

Festival Program

The Iberian Musical Universe: Spain, the Mediterranean and the Americas
44th Edition – August 2026

Sunday, August 2:

Quatuor Cantoria

Dive into the heart of vocal polyphony with the program “Las Hijas de Isabel” (Isabella’s Daughters).

Wednesday, August 5:

Bertrand Cuiller & Violaine Cochard (Harpsichords), Martyna Pastuszka (Violin)

The original program “Scarlatti per Tre” focuses on some Scarlatti’s sonatas. The program also features the famous “Fandango” by Padre Antonio Soler.

Thursday, August 6 & Friday, August 7:

Ensemble Matica de Flor

(Concert on August 7th)

The program “Alta Es La Luna” (High is the Moon) showcases traditional Sephardic songs, woven with musical influences from the Balkans, Turkey, the Arab world, and even Berber Kabyle chants.

Monday, August 10:

Arianna Savall & the Ensemble Hirundo Maris

This exclusive program, “La Musique Ibérique à Travers les Siècles” (Iberian Music Through the Ages), makes its debut in Simiane. Conceived as a musical journey from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, it explores the history and rich sound traditions of the Iberian Peninsula.

Thursday, August 13:

Los Temperamentos 

The program “De la Conquista y otros Demonios” (Of the Conquest and Other Demons) explores the musical influences between Europe and the Americas during the Baroque era.

The 2026 edition invites you to discover diverse and sometimes hidden horizons for a rich-quality musical experience.

We look forward to sharing this journey with you!

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The Festival

The Festival takes place in the oldest circular keep in Provence, defending since the 11th century the medieval castle of Simiane-la-Rotonde. The Roman room on the first floor with his high cupola and twelve arches is the only one of its kind and was built to demonstrate the power and refinement of the Agoult-Simiane family. These important patrons of minstrel traditions were welcoming musicians and poets in their imposing reception room, endowed with perfect acoustic conditions. Yet it is a quite intimate place for concerts and today it is perfectly adapted for small instrumental and vocal ensembles. This is one reason why the Festival “Les Riches Heures” is mainly devoted to Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music. For 43 years the Festival has been inviting national and international ensembles issued from the most prestigious music conservatories and has been promoting musicians and singers graduated from local or regional music schools, like Aix-en-Provence, Nice or Lyon.