Festival International de Carillon presents a weekly showcase of the carillon’s rich sonic palette, performed by local and international carillonneurs. The programme ranges from historic transcriptions to contemporary compositions, exploring timbre, rhythm and resonance across the city skyline. Intimate and expansive by turns, the concerts emphasise nuanced bell technique and spatial listening, inviting attentive moments of reflection and communal listening under open skies.

Ensemble Sinfonietta Bern presents a concert tribute to composer Howard Shore, exploring the majestic, cinematic soundscapes of The Lord of the Rings. Soprano Sarah Pagin lends luminous vocal lines that evoke Elvish laments and ancient chants, weaving with the orchestra’s rich textures. The programme balances sweeping leitmotifs and intimate, atmospheric moments, marrying orchestral power with an otherworldly vocal presence to create an immersive sonic journey into Tolkien’s mythic landscapes.

Part of a special Bach series, this presentation of the Christmas Oratorio focuses on cantatas 1, 3, 5 and 6, bringing out the work’s radiance, fervour and power. Soloists Werner Güra (Evangelist), Rachel Redmond (soprano), Charles Sudan (alto) and Stephan MacLeod (bass) are joined by Gli Angeli Genève under the direction of Stephan MacLeod, offering a finely detailed, expressive reading that balances choral grandeur with intimate vocal writing.

Performed by Gli Angeli Genève, this triptych of Leçons de ténèbres presents three consecutive late-night programmes centred on Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s music, with complementary pieces by Marin Marais. Each evening unfolds a gradual descent into shadow: light fades, a low voice emerges and the repertoire shapes a slow, contemplative progression from intimate austerity to richer textures. The staging uses subtle illumination and focused sonorities to heighten the sacred, meditative atmosphere and reveal hidden details of the music.