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The Ballroom of François I, with its frescoes by Primaticcio and its musicians’ gallery: the room was built for music, and it still resonates with it. From 9 to 25 October 2026, Thomas Hengelbrock returns there with his Balthasar Neumann ensembles, as part of his residency at the château.
First, three concerts in Ballroomthe Friday 9 October at 7.30 pmthe Saturday 10th at 7.30 pm and the Sunday 11th at 3 pm. Seventy minutes, with no interval. This is the seated format, in a concert setting.
Next, the musical walks, at weekends on 17 and 18 and then some 24 and 25 October. Here, we move around: the music is spread across the château’s iconic rooms, along the tour route, for about an hour. This format works particularly well here, because it restores the venue to its original function – that of a palace where music was performed in the rooms rather than in an auditorium.
The German conductor has been working on period instruments and this court repertoire for thirty years. His residency in Fontainebleau forms part of the year of the 240 years since Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI’s last stay, and the programme pays tribute to the music-loving queen, who played the harp and the harpsichord and invited Gluck to the court.
The concerts at the Bal are at 27 €, €20 (concessionary rate), and 44 € included in the castle admission ticket. The musical walks range from €20 to €44, including an admission ticket. Access to the ballroom is via stairs: please inform the château of any mobility issues when booking.
The exact timings of the musical walks are being published as and when they become available. Ticket sales and information on the Fontainebleau Castle site.
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