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 18 October 2026, Thomas Hengelbrock returns there with his Balthasar Neumann ensembles, as part of his residency at the château.
First, two concerts in Ballroomthe Friday 9 October at 7.30 pm and the Sunday 11th at 3 pm, featuring works by Marie-Antoinette’s favourite composers. Seventy minutes, with no interval. This is a seated performance in a concert setting.
Next, the musical walksthe Saturday 17th and the Sunday 18 October, with three departures every day, to 5.30 pm, 6 pm and 6.30 pm. Here, we move around: the music is spread across the château’s iconic rooms, for a stroll lasting around two hours. It is a format that works particularly well here, because it restores the venue to its original function – that of a palace where performances took place 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 are the same price, 27 € and 20 € at a reduced rate. Access to the ballroom is via stairs: please inform the château of any mobility issues when booking.
Ticket sales and information on the Fontainebleau Castle site.
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