Sophie Marilley (mezzo-soprano), Fiona Hengartner (pianist) and Delphine (musicologist).

Born in Paris in 1926, Betsy Jolas, whose centenary is being celebrated this year, is a composer who established herself on the international stage despite the challenges faced by women of her generation in pursuing musical careers. Influenced by her dual French and American cultural heritage, she developed a distinctive musical style, embracing neither a rigid system nor any flamboyant avant-garde movement. Although her music spans a wide range of genres, the human voice, in all its forms, holds a special place in her work.
formes.

This project offers an opportunity to discover this major figure in contemporary music through songs selected from her two cycles for piano and mezzo-soprano, which explore different relationships with the voice. The works also encompass a rich range of themes: Chansons pour Paule explores childhood, with lyrics written by Jolas herself, while Plupart du temps reflects on the passage of time. The concert is conceived as an opportunity to discover both the composer's music and her life.

Musical performances alternate with spoken introductions, providing key insights to help audiences appreciate the pieces they hear. At the heart of the programme are Jolas's own works (Plupart du temps and Chansons pour Paule), accompanied by music from composers who taught her—Olivier Messiaen, with whom she studied analysis, and Darius Milhaud, who taught her composition—as well as composers who were her friends, including George Crumb and Henri Dutilleux. The programme also includes works admired by Jolas, such as Franz Schubert's Gretchen am Spinnrade; composers who played an important role in her artistic development, including Claude Debussy, Claudio Monteverdi and Igor Stravinsky; and musical traditions central to her education, such as Negro spirituals. The works have also been selected for their thematic connections with either the world of childhood or the passage of time and the memories it evokes. By highlighting Jolas's commitment to maintaining a sense of historical continuity with composers of the past, the programme offers a musical experience centred on discovery and emotion.

Works by: Betsy Jolas, Claude Debussy, Darius Milhaud, Igor Stravinsky, Olivier Messiaen, George Crumb, Henri Dutilleux, Franz Schubert, Claudio Monteverdi, Samuel Barber and Johann Sebastian Bach.