Located in the heart of the city, the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices (BFM) is a former hydroelectric power station on the Rhône that has been transformed into a versatile venue. It hosts a wide range of cultural events, including theatrical performances, dance shows, and concerts. Its entirely wooden interior enhances acoustic qualities, allowing it to accommodate up to 1,000 spectators.
Frank Zappa’s opera “200 Motels” is showing in Switzerland for the first time. This dynamic musical-theatrical piece is brought to life by director Daniel Kramer and conductor Titus Engel, featuring an impressive and diverse cast, including Robin Adams, Brenda Rae, and legendary guitarist Mike Keneally. Known for his iconic rock career, Zappa presents an experimental and psychedelic work that blends opera, rock, and contemporary classical music. “200 Motels” offers a chaotic and extravagant journey across the United States, mirroring the wild lives of Zappa and the Mothers of Invention.
In English with French subtitles.
An intimate backstage tour organised by the Grand Théâtre de Genève, offering visitors a rare glimpse of what happens behind the curtain after selected performances. A member of the theatre’s technical team answers questions and reveals the hidden mechanics of the stage — from set construction and rigging to lighting design and stage machinery. This twenty-minute visit highlights the collaborative work of technicians and stagehands, giving a tangible sense of how productions come to life onstage.
L’Italienne à Alger: Sunday 1 February
Castor & Pollux: Saturday 21 March
Madame Butterfly: Tuesday 28 April
Svatbata: Wednesday 20 May
200 Motels: Thursday 25 June
Frank Martin’s opera La Tempête, after Shakespeare with a libretto by August Wilhelm von Schlegel and Johann Ludwig Tieck, returns in a new French-language production. Conductor Thierry Fischer leads the score while director Netia Jones stages a striking conception that makes electricity the source of Prospero’s powers. The cast brings poetic intensity to the island’s drama—Miranda, Caliban and the spirit Ariel—blending vocal nuance, atmospheric design and inventive staging to revisit exile, magic and reconciliation.
In French.
French rapper Oxmo Puccino headlines a season-opening concert, bringing his poetic texts, magnetic presence and intense charisma to a singular musical journey. The evening opens with rising lyric star Valérie Eickhoff, who performs the Wesendonck Lieder, one of the great song cycles devoted to love. The programme blends rap and classical song in a reflective, emotionally charged programme. The event supports Fondation CANSEARCH as part of Septembre en Or.
Lalou presents a raw, untitled one‑woman show that blends sharp wit, spontaneity and candid honesty. Through frank storytelling and self‑mockery she delivers a fast‑paced, laugh‑filled performance that invites recognition and warmth. The evening unfolds as intimate, unscripted confessions where everyday moments become affectionate comedy, leaving the audience amused and uplifted. Minimal staging and dynamic pacing accentuate her storytelling, creating a close, electric atmosphere. Her voice mixes tenderness and irony, drawing the audience into familiar moments reworked into sharp comic scenes.
In French.
Music and songs by Stephen Sondheim with a libretto by George Furth and a French translation by Stéphane Laporte. This intimate, razor-sharp musical follows Robert (Bobby), a charming New Yorker confronting bachelorhood, friendship and the compromises of coupledom. The production blends incisive lyrics, lively choreography and a close ensemble cast to reveal joyful neuroses, hidden desires and fragile bonds. The staging alternates warmth and irony, inviting reflection on love, loneliness and the elusive art of staying together.
Sung in English; dialogues in French.
Culture, curated weekly.
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