The C’est pas Classique festival has long challenged tradition, bringing classical music to everyone and creating new converts on the way. This year promises to be no exception!
Launched in 2005 under the auspices of the Département des Alpes-Maritimes, this free event has become a cornerstone of the region’s cultural calendar. Since its inception, the C’est pas Classique festival has hosted over 1,200 concerts and welcomed more than 500,000 spectators.
A bold and successful venture, the festival stands out for its lively, unpretentious spirit – breaking away from the elitist image often linked to classical music – while also celebrating contemporary sounds. Both accessible and world-class, it brings together prestigious headliners and rising talents alike.
“Daring to organize a festival where there’s room for connoisseurs of the repertoire, but even more so for those who dare to discover it, through a programme where Mozart, Schumann, and Bach can rub shoulders with Umberto Tozzi, ED Banger, Wax Tailor, and Barbara Hendricks, is already not classical.
For a departmental council to commit, as early as 2005, to making classical music accessible and offering the public of the Alpes-Maritimes a festival where classical and contemporary musicians and repertoires would coexist on stage was anything but classical.
Involving the department’s two orchestral ensembles, the Nice Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cannes National Orchestra, whose participation is now emblematic of the event, is still not classical.
It’s not classic, either, to ask a classical musician to sponsor the 20th anniversary of “C’est pas classique,” but for me, it’s a great honour!
Happy birthday, and a very good festival to you!”
– Renaud Capuçon, Festival Patron
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2025 FESTIVAL
The 20th edition of C’est pas Classique boasts an action-packed programme, with a little something for everyone on offer. Here are some of our highlights from that programme.
SATURDAY, 8th NOVEMBER – PALAIS NIKAÏA, NICE – 20h30
Renaud Capuçon presents a world-premier of Les Choses de la Vie – Cinéma II. An evening of film scores accompanied by animated photos of iconic scenes, rare photos from filming, and, for some, never-before-seen footage from these landmark feature films. For this special concert, conductor Duncan Ward will conduct the Orchestre National de Cannes, which has made music for film a major focus of its development.
Doors open 7pm. Paid refreshments on site. Accessible for people with reduced mobility.
SUNDAY, 9th NOVEMBER – ÉGLISE SAINT-JEAN-BAPTISTE, VILLARS-SUR-VAR – 15h00
The Ensemble Baroque de Nice proposes a musical journey between Italy, France, Germany and England, which will allow you to discover (or rediscover) the art of the musicians of this very fertile period.
Free admission, no reservation required. Limited seating.
MONDAY, 10th NOVEMBER – THÉÂTRE DE GRASSE – 20h00
Tap virtuoso Aurélien Lehmann and world-renowned pianist François-René Duchâble unite three centuries of classical music – from Bach to Gershwin – in a one-of-a-kind visual and musical performance. Piano and tap dance engage in a dazzling dialogue, captivating everyone from seasoned connoisseurs to newcomers, from classical purists to musical theatre enthusiasts of all ages. Tap Virtuoso is the spectacular fusion of classical music and the American art of tap dancing – an unexpected meeting that celebrates the shared language of rhythm, music, and movement.
Doors open 6:30pm. Paid refreshments on site. Accessible for people with reduced mobility.
TUESDAY, 11th NOVEMBER – THÉÂTRE ANTHÉA D’ANTIBES – 19h30
Les Virtuoses, three classically-trained musicians, perform their En pleine tempête at the Salle Jacques Audiberti at Anthéa. They combine a sense of humour and boundless imagination to create music that is both spectacular and sensitive. They offer an opus rich in twists and turns, where their inimitable style takes on a new dimension.
Doors open 6:30pm. Accessible for people with reduced mobility.
WEDNESDAY 12th NOVEMBER – NICE ÉTOILE – 16h00
Known for his distinctive career as a street pianist, Niçois composer Steve Villa-Massone has become a prominent figure on the Nice music scene. In this performance, his expressive piano playing is joined by David Vinitzki, a Niçois violinist whose Eastern European heritage adds rich new textures. Together, they create a duo that promises an authentic and deeply engaging musical experience.
Free admission.
THURSDAY 13th NOVEMBER – OPÉRA DE NICE – 20h00
Nice Opera House welcomes the Finale du concours international de piano – French Riviera Masters, with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice under the direction of Laurent Petitgirard. The competition is an extension of the Monte-Carlo Music Masters, inspired by the format of the Tennis Masters. It is an elite event where winners and laureates of prestigious international piano competitions compete against one another. The names of the candidates and jurors will be revealed on the masters website on 9th November.
Doors open 7:00pm. Paid refreshments on site. Accessible for people with reduced mobility.
SATURDAY, 15th NOVEMBER – OPÉRA DE NICE – 20h30
Courtesy Marquee TV on YouTube
Through a powerful and captivating dance, Hervé Koubi brings together 14 self-taught dancers from the Mediterranean basin to celebrate cultural diversity and question our prejudices about “foreigners.” Combining hip-hop, contemporary ballet, and acrobatics, this masterful show highlights the richness of so-called “barbaric” cultures and invites us to overcome our fear of others, set to music by Mozart, Fauré, and traditional sounds. Driven by a striking energy and great visual poetry, this work invites us to go beyond borders and rethink our relationship with others.
Doors open 7:30pm. Paid refreshments on site. Accessible for people with reduced mobility.
THURSDAY, 20th NOVEMBER – OPÉRA DE NICE – 20h30
Ariana Vafadari, a Franco-Iranian singer, brings together her oriental heritage and her passion for classical music. A mezzo soprano with a deep timbre and also a composer, she invents sonic epics, somewhere between traditional, classical, and jazz music, illuminates our contemporary issues. Through her projects, Ariana Vafadari defends oppressed minorities, ecology, and women’s rights.
Doors open 7:30pm. Paid refreshments on site. Accessible for people with reduced mobility.
SATURDAY, 22nd NOVEMBER – LAURE ECARD SPACE, NICE – 15h00
Passionate about tales and legends, Marjolaine Alzari returns with The Melody of the Tree, a work she wrote as a tribute to The Violin Maker of Venice by Claude and Frédéric Clément (Éditions de l’École des Loisirs). This show is suitable for younger audiences.
Doors open 2pm. Accessible for people with reduced mobility. The afternoon will conclude with entertainment and a snack from 4 to 5:30pm.
SATURDAY, 22nd NOVEMBER – ÉGLISE NOTRE-DAME AUXILIATRICE – DON BOSCO, NICE – 20h30
Renowned pianist and composer Jean-François Zygel invites audiences on a captivating musical journey through the emotions stirred by sound itself. What music helps us dream, laugh, reflect, find comfort, or rise above? In this unique recital, the virtuoso will improvise live, crafting spontaneous musical answers to these questions and sharing a deeply personal, reflective experience with his audience.
Doors open 7:30pm.
Courtesy Département des Alpes-Maritimes on YouTube
GENERAL FESTIVAL INFORMATION
The 20th edition of C’est pas Classique runs from 8th to 23rd November, 2025, with concerts taking place in 12 different communes around the Department.
The concerts are free admission but you do need to reserve your place in advance for some of the performances. Reservations open on Monday, 20th October, 2025.
Alongside the main programme, there is also the Festival Off and events for younger audiences.
The concerts and venues that are accessible to persons with reduced mobility may also be found on the festival website.
All that’s left for us to say is Happy 20th, C’est pas Classique!
Courtesy Département des Alpes-Maritimes
All images and photos courtesy Département des Alpes-Maritimes; photos as credited
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