✨đ "RĂ©gis Campo was about to double down" L'Est RĂ©publicain — September 16, 2026
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| RĂ©gis Campo presenting his Zoo Circus with un Pig Toy |
The local newspaper L’Est RĂ©publicain shined a spotlight on the Zoo Circus show, presented yesterday and today by the Ars Nova ensemble as part of the 2026 Besançon International Music Festival!
International Music Festival: The Grand Menagerie Has Landed at the Conservatory Auditorium
Camille Saint-Saëns's The Carnival of the Animals, and its contemporary, whirlwind reimagining by Régis Campo: the Ars Nova ensemble tamed both works this Wednesday in Besançon.
The Conservatory auditorium echoed with the sounds of dozens of animals this Wednesday in Besançon.
A zoo? A barnyard? A jungle? A savanna? A livestock fair? A seaside at the fishermen's return? The Besançon Music Festival conjured up a little bit of all that this Wednesday at the Conservatory auditorium. The Ars Nova ensemble, conducted by Grégory Vajda, performed The Carnival of the Animals, the famous and playful work by Camille Saint-Saëns, interspersed with the brilliant flashes of wit from the ingenious Francis Blanche. These were delivered with conviction by baritone Romain Dayez, stepping into the narrator's shoes.
The elephant embodied by the double bass, the lion in its royal march of strings and piano, the graceful swan (or perhaps completely foolish, according to Francis Blanche) gliding along the romantic melody of a cello—the menagerie was already packed after just half an hour of the concert.
A zoo? A barnyard? A jungle? A savanna? A livestock fair? A seaside at the fishermen's return? The Besançon Music Festival conjured up a little bit of all that this Wednesday at the Conservatory auditorium. The Ars Nova ensemble, conducted by Grégory Vajda, performed The Carnival of the Animals, the famous and playful work by Camille Saint-Saëns, interspersed with the brilliant flashes of wit from the ingenious Francis Blanche. These were delivered with conviction by baritone Romain Dayez, stepping into the narrator's shoes.
The elephant embodied by the double bass, the lion in its royal march of strings and piano, the graceful swan (or perhaps completely foolish, according to Francis Blanche) gliding along the romantic melody of a cello—the menagerie was already packed after just half an hour of the concert.
Unusual Instruments
But RĂ©gis Campo was about to double down. With Zoo Circus, the composer—whose residency concludes at the end of the festival—delivered a whirlwind reimagining of Saint-SaĂ«ns’s work. From a woodpecker obsessed with Beethoven to the captivating violin glissandi of sirens, from a butterfly ride in bossa nova mode to the sumptuous songs of sorrowful whales, Campo proves once again that contemporary music can be enjoyed by everyone, whether seasoned enthusiasts or absolute newcomers. Finally, a standout moment was the beautiful performance by the percussionist, who during this concert played scores involving chicken toys, party horns, stadium air horns, referee whistles, and an instrument named Georges: a squeaking toy pig.
By Serge Lacroix, L'Est RĂ©publicain — September 16, 2026
DISTRIBUTION
Romain Dayez, récitant
11 musicien·ne·s de l’ensemble Ars Nova
Gregory Vajda, direction musicale
Clémence Le Gac, cheffe assistante
BenoĂźt Sitzia, direction artistique
—-
ZOO CIRCUS
2 représentations dans le cadre du festival 2026
> Mercredi 16 septembre Ă 15h / tout public
> Jeudi 17 septembre à 9h30 // spéciale scolaires
Auditorium Jacques Kreisler - Besançon
Romain Dayez, récitant
11 musicien·ne·s de l’ensemble Ars Nova
Gregory Vajda, direction musicale
Clémence Le Gac, cheffe assistante
BenoĂźt Sitzia, direction artistique
—-
ZOO CIRCUS
> Mercredi 16 septembre Ă 15h / tout public
> Jeudi 17 septembre à 9h30 // spéciale scolaires
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