Cagnes-sur-Mer Sacred Music Festival 2026: Mozart and Britten Take Centre Stage

Sacred music returns to the spotlight on the French Riviera with the 24th edition of the Cagnes-sur-Mer Sacred Music Festival, running from 14 November to 13 December 2026. For a month, the city’s churches will host five concerts celebrating the great composers of the classical tradition, the expressive power of choral music and the melodies of Advent and Christmas.

The festival offers a musical journey through different eras and styles, from the Baroque repertoire to contemporary compositions, while highlighting the architectural and spiritual heritage of the area. Among the highlights are Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor, K. 427, and Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, two landmark works featured in this year’s programme.

The event is divided between the Off programme and the main In programme, offering something for classical music enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

Sacred Music Festival 2026: the five-concert programme

The festival opens on Saturday 14 November at 3.30 pm at Saint-Pierre Church, on the seafront in the Cros-de-Cagnes district.

The Centre d’Art Lyrique de la Méditerranée, under the artistic direction of Elizabeth Vidal and André Cognet, will present a concert of sacred vocal music inspired by the thought of Saint Augustine and the famous saying, “To sing is to pray twice.” The performance will combine spirituality and vocal artistry to launch the festival.

The second concert will take place on Sunday 22 November at 3 pm at Sainte-Famille Church. Audiences will be invited to discover the splendours of sacred Baroque music in a programme performed by the vocal ensemble La Sestina, the Alicantus Baroque Orchestra and organ, under the direction of Stéphan Nicolay. The concert will explore the grandeur and refinement of one of the richest periods in the history of sacred music.

Mozart in Cagnes-sur-Mer: the Great Mass in C minor

One of the festival’s main highlights will take place on Sunday 29 November at 3 pm, once again at Sainte-Famille Church, with a performance dedicated to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The Musiques en jeu choir and the Ensemble Vocal Syrinx, conducted by Alain Joutard, will perform the Great Mass in C minor, K. 427, one of the Austrian composer’s most ambitious sacred works. Left unfinished, the composition is considered one of the most significant examples of Mozart’s religious music, thanks to its richly developed choral writing and demanding vocal parts.

This concert promises to be one of the central events of the festival, offering audiences the opportunity to experience a major work of the classical sacred repertoire performed live.

A free concert featuring choral music and African American spirituals

The programme continues on Saturday 5 December at 4 pm with a free concert bringing together a variety of musical traditions.

The Compagnie de la Voix, conducted by Marie-Anne Bertrand-Waglarov, will perform John Leavitt’s Missa Festiva, alongside celebrated settings of Ave Maria by Caccini, Schubert and Gounod.

The programme will also include African American spirituals and compositions by Johnson, Parr, Gjeilo and Dilworth. This varied selection spans different styles and periods, combining the solemnity of sacred music with the expressive power of choral singing.

Free admission makes this concert an excellent opportunity for residents and visitors to enjoy the festival without purchasing a ticket.

Benjamin Britten brings the festival to a close with Christmas music

The 24th edition will conclude on Sunday 13 December at 3.30 pm at Saint-Pierre Church, in the historic hilltop district of Haut-de-Cagnes.

The Jeunes Voix de Cannes, conducted by Florence Daly, will perform Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, one of the most celebrated Christmas choral works of the 20th century. The concert will also feature traditional Advent and Christmas carols, capturing the atmosphere of the weeks leading up to the festive season.

Britten’s work will guide audiences towards Christmas through evocative harmonies and melodies rooted in tradition, bringing the festival to a close with a programme that celebrates spirituality, musical heritage and the festive season.

Tickets, prices and bookings

For concerts included in the main In programme, standard admission costs €15, while reduced tickets are available for €12. Admission is free for under-18s.

The concert on 5 December is free for everyone. For the opening Off programme event on 14 November, tickets cost €18 at full price and €15 at the reduced rate, with free admission for under-16s.

Bookings for the main programme are available through the official Cagnes-sur-Mer municipal website. Tickets for the opening concert can be purchased through HelloAsso or directly at the venue.

Cagnes-sur-Mer celebrates music and cultural heritage

With five concerts spread over a month, the Festival de Musique Sacrée highlights the role of music in promoting the cultural heritage of the region. The churches of Cagnes-sur-Mer become places of listening and discovery, where great works of sacred music meet the history of the buildings and the traditions of the Christmas season.

From Baroque masterpieces and Mozart to Britten’s compositions and African American spirituals, the 2026 edition offers a varied programme designed to introduce different audiences to the richness of sacred music on the French Riviera.