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Royal Chapel of Versailles
1 Place Léon Gambetta, 78000 Versailles
Capacity 800 seats
Royal Chapel of Versailles Concert Series
Location
Duration
Between 1 h 15 min and 2 h 30 min
With or without intermission
Details
Classical music concert
For all audiences
In several languages
Highlights: Royal Chapel of Versailles Concert Series
A mass for the consecration of the Château de Louis XIII, masterpieces by Purcell and Handel, cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach and Johann Christoph Bach, an evening devoted to the Te Deum by Lully and Charpentier, another devoted to Campra's Requiem, four violin concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach, a mass by Charpentier, an ode to Saint Cecilia by Purcell... This is what the Royal Chapel of Versailles is inviting you to hear this 2023-2024 season!
In a decor of gold and stucco, polychrome marble and under a vault magnificently painted by Antoine Coypel, you can listen in complete tranquillity to the works of French, German and English baroque musicians such as Campra, Charpentier, Lully, Haendel…
See details for our premium option below!
Story: Royal Chapel of Versailles Concert Series
To whet your appetite... The Chœur de l'Opéra Royal de Versailles, le Poème Harmonique conducted by Vincent Dumestre, les Arts Florissants conducted by William Christie, l'Ensemble Correspondances conducted by Sébastien Daucé and many others... have all worked their finest to interpret masterpieces of the Baroque era with all the velvet, flame and spirituality necessary. They know the arias of Campra, Handel, Lully, Charpentier and Purcell like the back of their hands.
At the Royal Chapel of Versailles, when the music invites itself in, it's hard to resist these sumptuous notes from another century, which nonetheless still find an echo in our own.
Premium Option & Experience
Looking for more than a standard ticket to the show? To make your experience unforgettable, choose our premium option at the time of booking:
Champagne + Programme + Show
This offer includes a glass of champagne and a printed programme, as well as exclusive access to the best seating category.
Concert Programme:
Tuesday, November 28th, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
Cantatas: Time and Eternity
With Nikola Hillebrand (soprano), Lucile Richardot (mezzo-soprano), Laurence Kilsby (tenor), Christian Immler (bass) and the Ensemble Pygmalion conducted by Raphaël Pichon
Bach: Excerpts from cantatas BWV 110, BWV 25, BWV 66/1, BWV 80, BWV 232
Tuesday, December 5th, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
With Amélie Raison (soprano), Floriane Hasler (mezzo-soprano), Paco Garcia (countertenor), Cyril Auvity (tenor), Virgile Ancely (baritone), the Poème Harmonique Choir and Orchestra conducted by Vincent Dumestre
Anonymous: Te Deum
Charpentier / Lully: Te Deum
Saturday, December 9th, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
With Gwendoline Blondeel (soprano), David Tricou (countertenor), Igor Bouin (bass), Matthieu Walendzik (bass) and the Chœur et l'Orchestre des Arts Florissants conducted by William Christie
Campra: Requiem, Grand Motet
Sunday, January 21st, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.
With Mariana Flores (soprano), Deborah Cachet (soprano), David Sagastume (countertenor), Valerio Contaldo (tenor), Mathias Vidal (tenor), Alejandro Meerapfel (baritone), Rafael Galaz (bass), the Chœur de chambre de Namur, the Cappella Mediterranea conducted by Leonardo García Alarcón Direction
Monteverdi: Vespro della beata vergine
and other arias
Sunday, March 10th, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.
With David Tricou (countertenor), Romain Champion (waist), Virgile Ancely (bass), the Marguerite Louise Maîtrise and choir and orchestra conducted by Gaétan Jarry
Charpentier: Missa Assumpta est Maria H. 11
Motet pour une longue Offrande H. 434
Saturday, March 16th, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
With Charlotte La Thrope (soprano), Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian (alto), Hugo Hymas (tenor), Tomas Kral (baritone), Virgile Ancely (bass), and Le Poème Harmonique, Choir and Orchestra, conducted by Vincent Dumestre
Purcell: Hail! Bright Cecilia
Saturday, March 23rd, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
With Caroline Weynants (soprano), Lucile Richardot (mezzo-soprano), Sebastian Maclaine (tenor), Arvid Eriksson (baritone) and the Ensemble Correspondances conducted by Sébastien Daucé
Bach : Christ lag in Todesbanden BWV4
Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich BWV150 Actus Tragicus BWV106 Aus der Tiefe ruf'ich Herr zu dir BWV 131
Wednesday, March 27th, 2024 at 9:00 p.m.
With Marie Perbost (soprano), Gwendoline Blondeel (soprano), Chœur de l'Opéra Royal, Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal conducted by Chloé de Guillebon (organ)
Louis-Nicolas Clérambault: Motets for the Three Days before Lent
François Couperin: First Lesson of Darkness for Holy Wednesday
Marc-Antoine Charpentier: In monte oliveti
François Couperin: Second Lesson in Darkness for Holy Wednesday
Marc-Antoine Charpentier: Tristis est anima mea
François Couperin: Third Lesson for Holy Wednesday
Friday, March 29th, 2024 at 9:00 p.m.
With Théo Imart (countertenor), Filippo Mineccia (countertenor), the Royal Opera Orchestra conducted by Stéphane Fuget
Antonio Vivaldi: Nulla in mundo pax sincera, Stabat Mater
Jean-Baptiste Pergolèse: Stabat Mater
Saturday, April 6th, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
With Ying Fang (soprano), Beth Taylor (mezzo-soprano), William Shelton (alto), Emiliano Gonzalez Toro (tenor), Christian Immler (bass), Pygmalion Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Raphaël Pichon
Bach : Mass in B minor
Sunday, April 28th, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.
With Perrine Devillers (soprano), Eva Zaïcik (mezzo-soprano), Paco Garcia, David Tricou, Cyril Auvity (tenors), Romain Bockler, Benoît Arnould (baritones), Le Poème Harmonique Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Vincent Dumestre
Monteverdi: Selva Morale e Spirituale
Sunday, May 26th, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.
With Siobhan Stagg (soprano), Marie Perbost (soprano), David Fischer (tenor), Jean-Gabriel Saint-Martin (baritone), the Chœur de Radio France, the Orchestre national d'Île-de-France conducted by Case Scaglione
Carlos Izcaray: Overture , 50th anniversary commission for a creation on the theme of celebration
Mozart: Mass in C minor, Grande Messe
Friday, June 14th, 2024 at 8:00 p.m.
Royal Chapels in London and Paris
With Caroline Weynants (soprano), Corinne Bahuaud (alto), Oscar Golden-Lee (tenor), Etienne Bazola (bass), Tristan Hambleton (bass), the Ensemble Correspondances conducted by Sébastien Daucé
Henry Du Mont: Confitebimur
Pelham Humphrey: O Lord my God
John Blow: O Sing unto the Lord
Pierre Robert: Nolite me considerare
Pelham Humphrey: Lord I have Sinned
John Blow: I will Hearken
Reviews
Royal Chapel of Versailles
1 Place Léon Gambetta, 78000 Versailles
The Royal Chapel of Versailles
If buildings could talk, what would they say? Certainly, the Royal Chapel of Versailles could tell a tale or two! After all, it was the venue for the marriage between the last king and queen of France: Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The chapel’s construction was completed in 1710 during the reign of Louis XVI’s great-great-great-grandfather, Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King. It was the fifth and final chapel to be built at the Palace of Versailles, and it was consecrated to Saint Louis, the patron saint of the king, as well as one of the king’s ancestors.
The architecture itself references this lineage, through several similarities with the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, which Saint Louis had founded, as well as in the emblazoned double-L motif on the altar symbolizing the saint, and the Sun King together. The vaulted ceiling of the Royal Chapel of Versailles was constructed by Hardouin-Mansart, without the use of transvers ribs, in order to create a vast, uninterrupted depiction of the Holy Trinity, above the heads of the congregation. For decades, this painting would look down on the French Royal Family as they took their daily mass, an event which became renowned across Europe for its use of music, played on a huge organ designed by Cliquot.
The Royal Chapel of Versailles also incorporates classical-inspired designs in its impressive colonnades, which we have come to associate with the Neoclassical boom of the 18th century, however, the chapel’s construction was completed long before the movement really came to prominence, showing that its architects were truly ahead of their time. Since the chapel’s deconsecration in the 19th century, it has become a go-to venue for classical concerts, and so it should be, having been the epicenter of European music in centuries gone by. What better place to experience the history of music!
En quelques mots
Capacity: 800
Handicap Accessible: Yes
Air conditioning: No
Heating: Yes
FAQ
How do I get to the Royal Opera of Versailles?
The Royal Chapel of Versailles is accessible by: RER lines: The Royal Chapel of Versailles can be reached by taking the RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche station (the closest station to the Château). It's a 10-minute walk. Tansilien lines: The Royal Chapel of Versailles is accessible by Transilien lines N and U from Versailles Chantiers station and by line L from Versailles Rive Droite station. Allow 25 minutes' walk. Bus lines: The Royal Chapel of Versailles is accessible by bus line 171 from the metro station, Pont de Sèvres (metro line 9). The Royal Chapel of Versailles is located within the Versailles Castle. To get there, follow the signs for Entrance B at the top right of the Cour d'Honneur. We invite you to consult the map above for directions. In case of difficulty, our hotline can be reached during our business hours. Please see the footer of this page for our contact details.
What should I do when I arrive at Royal Opera of Versailles?
We recommend that you arrive at least 20 minutes before the start of the concerts at the Royal Chapel of Versailles. Show your ticket at reception and the staff will take care of you.
Is there a dress code at the Royal Chapel of Versailles?
There is no specific dress code, however, proper clothing is required. For the gala evenings, we suggest men to wear a suit and ladies to wear a dress.
Can I take photos during the concerts at the Royal Chapel of Versailles?
In order not to disturb the artists and for the comfort of other spectators, it is forbidden to take pictures during the concerts at the Royal Chapel of Versailles. However, you can take photos of the Royal Chapel before and after the performance, as a souvenir of your gorgeous Parisian evening!
How long do the concerts at the Royal Chapel of Versailles last?
The concerts last between 1 hour and 15 minutes and 2 hours 30 minutes.
Is tipping customary at the Royal Chapel of Versailles?
Each spectator is greeted in the hall by an usher who will lead them to the seat. According to custom at the Royal Chapel of Versailles, ushers may request a tip which you may grant if you wish. It is by no means mandatory.
I bought a premium ticket for a concert at the Royal Chapel of Versailles and I haven’t received them yet. Is this normal?
Yes, it’s completely normal! Your order will first be created as a pre-booking so that the Royal Chapel of Versailles can assign your seat. You may see a pre-payment on your card, but rest assured that we will not charge your card until your reservation has been validated by the Royal Chapel of Versailles. Once the reservation is validated, you will receive your ticket by e-mail. Due to the large number of requests that the Royal Chapel of Versailles has to manage, this process usually takes two days, but can take up to six days maximum. After six days if your order has not been validated, it will be canceled, the pre-charge will disappear, and you will not be charged.