From the rooftops of Paris to Bergen

Update 26 March 2021: This event has been postponed and will not take place during the 2021 Festival as previously announced. Updated details for the event will be announced in connection with the programme release for the 2022 Bergen International Festival.

The Franco-Belgian cellist began the series of concerts on rooftops, balconies and museums during Paris' first lockdown this spring. 

Camille Thomas began with a concert on the roof outside her apartment. Since then, there have been concerts at the Institute of the Arab World, the Palace of Versailles, Musée Nissim de Camondo and Palais Garnier, to name a few. This November included a concert on the roof of Institut de France, where she played a piece by Ravel.

She has called the unconventional concert series a symbol of the loneliness of musicians without an audience and museums without visitors during the pandemic. 

'It was my way of creating beauty despite everything,' Thomas says to francemusique.fr.  

The cellist's latest album, Voice of Hope, was released in June 2020. It is the first classical music album to be launched in collaboration with UNICEF, and a percentage of the sales will go to UNICEF France. 

During the 2021 Bergen International Festival, she will be playing in Troldsalen with pianist Julien Brocal, who released his third solo album this season. At Troldhaugen, they will perform cello sonatas by Grieg, Debussy and Chopin. 

By launching performances and artists as they are confirmed, the Festival would like to draw attention to the work our wonderful artists do, though the pandemic may cause numerous changes to the final festival programme.