The Nice Classic Festival is back in the spectacular setting of the Monastère de Cimiez this summer, running from 21 July to 9th August, 2026
Organised by the Académie Internationale d’Été de Nice, this much-loved series of concerts celebrates its ninth edition this year. The academy is internationally renowned for bringing together the finest professors, artists, and music students from diverse backgrounds for over half a century.
Concerts are held in the Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez, a historic setting renowned for its rich heritage and acoustics ideally suited to both classical and jazz performances.
Courtesy Nice Classic Festival
2026 FESTIVAL PROGRAMME
Sunday, 21st June – 16h00
Opening Concert | Auditorium du Musée Matisse
Come celebrate La Fête de la Musique in Cimiez. There will be a surprise programme on offer, featuring Marie-Josèphe Jude and Charles Heisser, both on piano, and Clarissa Severo de Borba on percussion.
Admission to the concert is free, but you do need to reserve your place in advance.
Tuesday, 21st July – 20h00
La French Touch à 2 Pianos / L’Élégance Française | Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez
Courtesy Nice Classic Festival
Featuring pianists Claire Désert, Jonas Vitaud, Emmanuel Strosser, and Florent Boffard. The programme for the evening includes –
- Chabrier – España for 2 pianos
- Fauré – Dolly for piano four hands
- Ravel – Spanish Rhapsody for piano four hands
- Debussy – La Mer, transcription by Caplet for 6 hands, 2 pianos
- Saint-Saëns – Finale from the 3rd Symphony for 8 hands, 2 pianos
Tickets cost €29, €24 for persons with a disability, and free admission for those under 25. Tickets may be reserved online.
Wednesday, 22nd July – 20h00
An Evening With George Sand – Texts and Music | Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez
With Anne-Lise Gastaldi, texts and music, Tony Yang and Elena Rozanova, both on piano, Patrick Messina, clarinet, Vincent Lucas, flute, Alex Gattet, oboe, and Frédéric Audibert, cello. On the programme, selected works by Chopin, Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann, Saint-Saëns, and Brahms.
Tickets cost €29, €24 for persons with a disability, and free admission for those under 25. Tickets may be reserved online.
Friday, 24th July – 20h00
De Vienne À Buenos Aires – Chic et Vertiges | Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez
Video via poloshia on YouTube
Featuring musicians Emmanuelle Bertrand, cello, Pascal Amoyel, Charles Heisser and Tony Yang on piano, Long Yuan, flute, Alaïa Labat-Michon, accordion, Jean-Marc Phillips-Varjabédian, violin, Philippe Noharet, double bass, and Santiago Quintans, guitar. On the programme:
- Schubert – Chamber Music
- Poulenc – Sonata for Flute and Piano
- Debussy – Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
- Borne – Brilliant Fantasy on Carmen
- Piazzolla – Tangos and Comorras
Tickets cost €29, €24 for persons with a disability, and free admission for those under 25. Tickets may be reserved online.
Tuesday, 28th July – 20h00
Cordes En Miroir – Résonances Croisées | Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez
With Agnès Sulem, violin, Françoise Gnéri, viola, Hélène Dautry, cello, Tuija Hakkila, piano, Valeria Kafelnikov and Marie-Pierre Langlamet, both on harp. They will be performing Schumann’s Piano Quartet and a selection of works for two harps, repertoire to be advised.
Tickets cost €29, €24 for persons with a disability, and free admission for those under 25. Tickets may be reserved online.
Wednesday, 29th July – 20h00
Élégances d’Avant-Garde – Le Sacre Du Printemps | Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez
Video via Roberto Carvalho de Magalhães on YouTube
Featuring Marie-Josèphe Jude and Michel Béroff on piano, Claude Lefebvre, flute, Clarissa Severo de Borba, percussion/vibraphone and Philippe Serra, percussion.
They will be performing –
- Prokofiev – Sonata for Flute and Piano
- Lili Boulanger – From an Old Garden, Procession (transcription for vibraphone and piano)
- Stravinsky – The Rite of Spring (transcription for 2 pianos and percussion)
Tickets cost €29, €24 for persons with a disability, and free admission for those under 25. Tickets may be reserved online.
Thursday, 30th July – 20h00
Petite Chronique d’Anna Magdalena Bach | Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez
This literary and musical performance features actress Marie-Christine Barrault, Denis Pascal on piano and Marie-Paule Milone on cello.
On the programme for the evening are a selection of works by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Anna Magdalena Bach and Johann Sebastian Bach.
Tickets cost €29, €24 for persons with a disability, and free admission for those under 25. Tickets may be reserved online.
Friday, 31st July – 20h00
Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice | Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez
Video via DW Classical Music on YouTube
Conducted by Marc Coppey, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice will welcome Stéphanie-Marie Degand on violon and Jean-Baptiste Fonlupt on piano.
They will be performing –
- Saint-Saëns – Rondo Capriccioso and Havanaise for Violin and Orchestra
- Saint-Saëns – Piano Concerto No. 5, “The Egyptian”
- Schubert – Unfinished Symphony
Tickets cost €29, €24 for persons with a disability, and free admission for those under 25. Tickets may be reserved online.
Tuesday, 4th August – 20h00
Élans Romantiques et Transparences | Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez
Featuring the Goldberg Trio alongside Jean-François Heisser, piano, Marie-Pierre Langlamet, harp, Pierre Génisson, clarinet, Julien Beaudiment, flute and Vincent Pasquier, double bass
They will be performing –
- Brahms – Piano Quartet
- Debussy – Sacred Dance and Profane Dance
- Ravel – Introduction and Allegro
Tickets cost €29, €24 for persons with a disability, and free admission for those under 25. Tickets may be reserved online.
Wednesday, 5th August – 20h00
Histoires au Théâtre et Sur Grand Écran | Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez
Video via Augustin Hadelich on YouTube
With Olivier Charlier, violin, Pierre Génisson, clarinet, Marie-Josèphe Jude, piano, François Chaplin, piano, Geneviève Laurenceau, violin and Ophélie Gaillard, cello.
On the programme for the evening –
- Debussy – Sonata for Violin and Piano
- Stravinsky – The Soldier’s Tale
- Programme inspired by Barry Lyndon: Schubert (Trio Op. 100, Notturno, Impromptu No. 3 Op. 90), Clara Schumann (Romance, Trio Op. 17), Elgar (Salut d’amour, I Sospiri)
Tickets cost €29, €24 for persons with a disability, and free admission for those under 25. Tickets may be reserved online.
Thursday, 6th August – 16h00
Concert Intimiste du Nice Classic Festival | Auditorium du Musée Matisse
Classical guitar duo Tristan Manoukian and Rémi Jousselme give an afternoon performance in Musée Matisse. Tickets cost €15 and €10 for persons with a disability. Tickets may be reserved online.
Friday, 7th August – 20h00
Deux Pianos, Cinq Pianistes pour La Fashion Week | Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez
Video via Qiyu Liu on YouTube
Featuring five pianists – Jean-Marie Cottet, Louise Bessette, David Saudubray, Valentina Igoshina, and Akiko Ebi.
They will be performing –
- Bizet-Anderson – Carmen
- Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue
- Babajanyan – Armenian Rhapsody
Tickets cost €29, €24 for persons with a disability, and free admission for those under 25. Tickets may be reserved online.
Sunday, 9th August – 20h00
Concert De Clôture – Jazz | Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez
The closing concert of the 2026 festival is a jazz affair, featuring Sandro Compagnon and Pierre Bertrand on saxophone and Charles Heisser on piano.
Sandro Compagnon and Charles Hesser will be performing together as part of an emerging artists showcase. Pierre Bertrand will be performing La Caja Negra.
Tickets cost €29, €24 for persons with a disability, and free admission for those under 25. Tickets may be reserved online.
OTHER PERFORMANCES
Budding Stars of Tomorrow
Courtesy Nice Classic Festival
The students of the Académie Internationale d’Eté de Nice (Nice International Summer Academy) will be performing three separate concerts throughout the festival.
These performances take place in the Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez on the following dates –
Admission to these concerts is free, but you do need to reserve your place online in advance.
You can also watch the young talents of the Academy live from studio Toja (CRR Nice) on its YouTube channel at 2 pm on Friday 24th July, 31st July, and 7th August.
On Thursday, 30th July, we have Voix Lyriques de Demain – Classe de Lorraine Nubar, showcasing emerging talent. Taking place at the Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez at 6 pm. Admission is once again free, but you do need to register in advance to reserve your place.
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Les Concerts de Midi
There will be a number of afternoon concerts held at the Auditorium du Musée Matisse. These take place at midday and tickets cost from €10 to €15 and must be reserved online.
- Thursday, 23rd July – Minh-Tâm Nguyen, percussion
- Wednesday, 29th July
- Thursday, 6th August – piano recital with Ascal Rogé and Elena Font
Dance the Afternoon Away!
Immerse yourself in the world of dance with the end-of-course dance show, where the talented trainee dancers will present their hard work and passion. The public will get to see the sublime work carried out during an intensive workshop, under the artistic direction of Charles Jude, Stéphanie Roublot, Monique Loudières, Igor Yebra and Thomas Klein.
Taking place on Saturday, 1st August at the Auditorium Joseph Kosma in the Conservatoire de Nice from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Admission is €5 per person and tickets must be reserved online.
BEYOND THE STAGE
Courtesy Nice Classic Festival
Why not enjoy the Formule Saveurs Nissart during the evening concerts at the Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez? You can pre-order your food online, which costs from €15 to €30. Prepared by local Niçois partners, it includes a main course, a side dish, and a choice of either non-alcoholic drink, a glass of wine or a flute of champagne. Meals are available on 5th, 7th, and 9th August. Please note that this is an additional cost and is not included in the concert ticket price.
Le jardin du Monastère (the Monastery Garden) is open until 8 pm, in line with all public gardens across the city. Concert visitors, however, may remain after closing time and enjoy this exceptional 9,000-square-metre space, once the kitchen garden of the Franciscan friars who are said to have created the famous mesclun salad. Wander through the Espace Jacques Tadde, a magnificent Spanish-style garden, then follow the Brigitte Engerer walkway to the vast and enchanting rose garden.
TICKETING & RESERVATIONS
Tickets are required for all concerts and may be reserved online. Pre-registration is also mandatory for the free concerts.
Tickets are also available for purchase on-site. The box office opens one hour before each concert with tickets available only for the concert taking place that day.
Please note that tickets for events taking place at the Musée Matisse can only be purchased online.
A festival pass, the Pass Ultime, is also available for €250 and may be purchased online.
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VISITOR INFORMATION
Nice Classic Festival | 21st July to 9th August, 2026 | Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez
Access to the concerts is via the main entrance gate of the Jardin du Monastère de Cimiez, located on Place du Pape Jean-Paul II.
Access via public transport: Bus – Ligne 5, stop Arènes / Musée Matisse | Tramway – ligne T1, stop Valrose-Université – then take bus lines 16, 33 or 35 (via Av. de Brancolar and Av. du Monastère)
For those coming by car, free car parking is available on Avenue du Monastère in the angled parking spaces (along the Jardin des Arènes de Cimiez), and on Place Jean-Paul II (in front of the cloître du Monastère de Cimiez). Please do check parking signage on site.
VENUE DETAILS
Cloitre du Monastère de Cimiez
Place Pape Jean-Paul II
06000 Nice
PHOTO CREDITS
- All photos and images courtesy Nice Classic Festival
- All videos as credited
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