The Beaulieu Classic Festival returns this September, bringing an impressive programme of classical music to the picturesque surroundings of Beaulieu-sur-Mer.
Running from 12 – 19 September, 2026, the festival welcomes internationally acclaimed musicians alongside a new generation of emerging talent, offering audiences the opportunity to experience outstanding performances in an intimate Riviera setting.
This year’s programme brings together renowned ensembles, accomplished soloists and rising stars, with a repertoire spanning different periods and styles. From much-loved classical works to more contemporary interpretations, the festival aims to make classical music both engaging and accessible to a broad audience.
While performance remains at the heart of the event, the Beaulieu Classic Festival also places considerable emphasis on transmission. By creating opportunities for established musicians to share their experience and passion with younger artists and audiences, the festival helps ensure that the classical tradition continues to evolve and reach new generations.
2026 FESTIVAL PROGRAMME
OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE 2026 FESTIVAL
Saturday, 12 September | 10h00 | Place Marinoni
As tradition dictates, the Beaulieu Classic Festival once again begins with a familiar musical fixture: pianist Steve Villa-Massone performing in the streets of Beaulieu-sur-Mer.
Taking his place in the heart of the town, close to the market, Villa-Massone brings classical music directly to the public with an informal open-air performance. Residents, visitors and passersby are invited to stop, listen and enjoy the music in a relaxed setting.
Over the years, this popular event has become an integral part of the festival, creating a welcoming atmosphere and providing a fitting musical introduction to the days of concerts ahead.
Video via Beaulieu-sur-Mer #BeaulieuSurMer on YouTube
GRAND CONCERT D’OUVERTURE DU FESTIVAL – LE CHOEUR DE L’OPÉRA DE NICE
Saturday, 12 September | 20h30 | Plage de la Petite Afrique
The Chœur de l’Opéra de Nice will officially open this year’s Beaulieu Classic Festival with a special open-air concert.
The seaside setting provides a striking location for the opening evening, bringing together the voices of the acclaimed choir and the natural surroundings of Beaulieu-sur-Mer.
The concert sets the tone for the festival programme ahead, launching a new edition that will bring together established performers, emerging talent and a varied repertoire of classical music.
This is a free concert but you must reserve your place in advance.
LE MANTEAU
Sunday, 13 September | 17h30 | Casino de Beaulieu
This special evening, in two parts, brings music and literature together in a journey into the heart of Russian Romanticism.
The programme opens with Trio Hélios performing Anton Arensky’s magnificent Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 32, one of the great works of Russian chamber music.
The evening then turns to Nikolai Gogol’s celebrated novella The Overcoat, following the tragic, absurd and often darkly comic story of its unlikely hero, Akaki Akakievich. Actor François Berléand joins Trio Hélios, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this season, for a performance combining music and storytelling with humour, intensity and emotion.
Tickets may be reserved online. Doors open at 5 pm.
SOIREE GRAND RÉCITAL – JONATHAN FOURNEL
Tuesday, 15 September | 19h30 | Casino de Beaulieu
Video via Alpha Classics on YouTube
Jonathan Fournel established himself on the international stage in 2021 when he won the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition Grand Prix – Queen Mathilde Prize, following earlier first prizes at the Glasgow International Competition and the Viotti Competition in Vercelli.
Renowned for his remarkable technique, expressive range and natural lyricism, Fournel combines refinement and instinct with a maturity that has earned him widespread acclaim.
He has since appeared at many of the world’s leading venues and festivals, including Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, the Leipzig Gewandhaus, Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, the Vienna Konzerthaus and Philharmonie de Paris, as well as the Verbier Festival, La Roque d’Anthéron and Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad.
He will be performing works by Bach, Beethoven, Schubert and Chopin.
Tickets may be reserved online. Doors open at 7 pm.
MOZART, MOI ? JAMAIS !
Wednesday, 16 September | 19h30 | Casino de Beaulieu
A musical experience for all generations, this original performance offers a fresh and entertaining take on Mozart.
Classically trained pianist François Moschetta once had little enthusiasm for the composer – until everything changed. Blending personal stories, humour and virtuoso playing, he explores Mozart’s music while drawing unexpected parallels with his own life.
Video via François Moschetta Pianiste on YouTube
Warm, witty and engaging, the performance brings Mozart to life in a refreshingly different way.
Tickets may be reserved online. Doors open at 7 pm.
ASTRIG SIRANOSSIAN – NATHANAËL GOUIN
Thursday, 17 September | 19h30 | Casino de Beaulieu
Cellist Astrig Siranossian and pianist Nathanaël Gouin come together for a chamber music concert showcasing their musical sensitivity and close artistic connection.
The varied programme moves from Nadia Boulanger and Igor Stravinsky to Rachmaninoff’s celebrated Sonata for Cello and Piano, alongside Michel Soulage’s Sonata for Cello and Piano. A medley dedicated to Michel Legrand adds a contemporary, cinematic note to the evening.
Combining lyricism, virtuosity and expression, the concert explores the remarkable range and richness of the cello and piano repertoire.
Tickets may be reserved online. Doors open at 7 pm.
DÎNER DE GALA – GALA DINNER
Friday, 18 September | 19h30 | Hotel Royal Riviera
The Beaulieu Classic Festival Gala Dinner brings together gastronomy and live entertainment for an evening celebrating some of the world’s best-known musicals.
Accompanied by live musicians, renowned singers will perform songs from Notre-Dame de Paris, Romeo and Juliet, Mozart, l’Opéra Rock, Les Misérables and Le Roi Soleil, alongside other favourites from the French and international musical repertoire.
Performances will take place throughout a refined dinner, with each stage of the evening combining music, theatre and gastronomy in the sumptuous setting of the Hôtel Royal Riviera.
Tickets may be reserved online. Doors open at 7 pm.
ROBY LAKATOS – ENSEMBLE
Saturday, 19 September | 19h30 | Casino de Beaulieu
Video via ABC Arts on YouTube
Virtuoso violinist Roby Lakatos, one of the great masters of the Gypsy repertoire, returns to the stage with his ensemble for an evening that crosses musical borders.
Blending Gypsy traditions with classical music and jazz, Lakatos is renowned for his dazzling technique, passionate playing and remarkable improvisations. Accompanied by musicians who share his instinct for crossing genres, he creates a distinctive sound that is both deeply rooted in tradition and refreshingly contemporary.
Expect a vibrant programme of exhilarating rhythms, inventive arrangements and virtuoso performances from one of the most charismatic violinists on the international stage.
Tickets may be reserved online. Doors open at 7 pm.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Beaulieu Classic Festival | 12 – 19 September, 2026
Various locations around Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Ticket sales:
- Online as per the links detailed above
- On-site on the day of the concert (subject to availability)
- Super U: 1 Rue du 8 Mai 1945, Beaulieu-sur-mer +33 (0)4 93 04 01 61
Free passes for the opening concert:
- Mairie de Beaulieu-sur-Mer reception – 3 Boulevard Maréchal Leclerc (from September 1st),
- Online (see above)
Further information:
By calling +33 (0)6 24 61 44 83 or +33 (0)4 89 22 47 31
VENUE DETAILS
Casino de Beaulieu
4 Av. Fernand Dunan
06310 Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 00 60 00
PHOTO CREDITS
- All images courtesy Beaulieu Classic Festival
- All videos as credited
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