The Chœur Avant-Scène, is an artistic initiative by Marie-Claire Mestres, who now offers two distinct projects open to all, to bring choral music to life throughout the year.
The Chœur Avant-Scène has a dual mission: to promote opera as part of the Festival d’été, and to make choral music accessible to all residents, as part of an initiative to promote local development and social cohesion.
PUCCINI CONCERT
"Messa di Gloria" & Opéras
Giacomo Puccini
10 € - 15 €
CONCERT PUCCINI
CHOEUR AVANT-SCENE
October 7, 2026, at 8:30 p.m.
Notre-Dame Church
in Marmande
The Avant-Scène Choir of Les Nuits Lyriques continues to tour the region, bringing music directly to audiences, with a series of one-off concerts dedicated to Puccini, taking place between September and December 2026.
Immerse yourself in a magnificent musical journey with a program featuring the Messa di Gloria, a work of intense lyrical depth by a young composer already drawn to opera, as well as choruses and arias from operas representative of the dramatic intensity of Puccini in his prime.
Come (re)discover Puccini with the Chœur Avant-Scène as it travels through the Val-de-Garonne, a region that lives, loves, and shares music.
A new concert series
in the local area
Born of the desire to democratize access to choral singing, this project offers concerts based on the vocal repertoire, without staging or costumes.
This light format enables the Avant-Scène choir to move around easily, perform in different venues and meet local residents.
This initiative helps to revitalize local life, promoting the discovery and appreciation of vocal music in towns and villages that are sometimes far removed from major cultural centers.
These convivial moments enhance the value of our cultural heritage and make music accessible to all.
Participation in Summer Festival opera productions
For 37 years, the choir has been a major component of the Nuits Lyriques Summer Festival, offering all its members the opportunity to rub shoulders with renowned professional artists.
Open to all singing enthusiasts, this activity facilitates encounters and sharing around famous musical and vocal works.
Members from a variety of backgrounds come together to experience an artistic and human adventure, where everyone contributes to the magic of the show.
The Choir’s participatory approach, involving all those who love singing and opera, helps to make the Festival a major event in the cultural life of our region.
Marie-Claire MESTRES
Choir Conductor
A graduate of the superior piano class at the Conservatoire National de Région de Toulouse and holder of the CAPES diploma in Musical Education, she taught for 20 years in the music-oriented classes of Marmande’s middle and high schools.
After 17 years as director of the Val de Garonne Choir (winner of the 1989 Florilège Vocal de Tours), she was appointed director of the Maurice Ravel Vocal Ensemble at the Conservatoire Municipal (classical repertoire: Mozart and Duruflé Requiem, Mendelssohn Lauda Sion, Poulenc Stabat Mater, etc.).
Passionate about the vocal arts, since 1991 she has also directed the Chœur des Nuits Lyriques de Marmande, which participates in her productions. Her high musical standards and the quality of her artistic work enable Les Nuits Lyriques to benefit from a first-rate choral ensemble, essential to its artistic project.
become a chorister...
Recruitment is by audition.
You don’t need to be able to read music to sing well!
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Contact us: contact@nuits-lyriques.fr