The Children’s Arènes Lyriques

Concerts for children who don’t go on vacation

In 2025, the Arènes Lyriques will be accompanied by the creation of the Children’s Arènes Lyriques, a new sociocultural and musical education component for children who don’t go on vacation or have long-term illnesses.

This project is implemented in partnership with leisure centers in Île-de-France, as well as Necker and Robert Debré hospitals.

The Children’s Arènes Lyriques have been designed as a playful gateway to the world of classical music and lyrical singing, aiming to awaken children’s artistic curiosity, stimulate their creativity, and offer them a participatory experience in a caring and lively environment.

Are you part of an organization hosting children aged 6 to 11 and would you like to become a partner of the Children’s Arènes Lyriques?

Day program

Musical tale - The king who didn't like music

The king who didn’t like music is a musical tale created in 2004, written by Mathieu Laine and set to music by composer and pianist Karol Beffa. This work, which is mainly aimed at young audiences, addresses the themes of tolerance and musical awakening.

The tale recounts the story of a king who, unlike his subjects, hates music to the point of wanting to ban it in his kingdom. Throughout the story, the king evolves and eventually discovers the power of music and its role in society.

Creative and participatory workshop - Improvised musical tale

In the second part, the children become the creators of their own story. Guided by an artistic mediator, they imagine together a new musical tale — characters, adventures, emotions — while the musicians improvise live, adapting their playing to the evolution of the narrative.

This playful moment develops imagination, “listening skills, teamwork, and offers a privileged moment of” exchange with the artists in a joyful and caring atmosphere.

Vocal demonstration - The voice in all its brilliance

To close the afternoon, the lyric singers of the arenas offer the children a collective vocal warm-up, followed by a demonstration of some great arias, such as the unmissable Queen of the Night aria by Mozart.

This spectacular moment allows children to discover the lyrical voice in all its power and expressiveness.

Storyteller

The 2025 edition will be hosted by Garance Paule

Garance Paule is a storyteller and writer, passionate about exploring narratives and the power of imagination through various artistic forms. In 2022, Garance collaborated with the New World Orchestra, where she was a storyteller during performances at the Château de Chinon.

Her most notable creation is Polaris, a musical tale for children that she conceived by blending composition, writing, and performance. This project also allowed her to organize creative workshops with children from the Hubert Von Herkomer Foundation, an enriching experience that anchored her artistic practice in a participatory approach. Garance also works as a facilitator for See Through Theatre, an inclusive theater that gives a voice to people with disabilities. She directed the costumed CarnivALL parades in London, an event combining creativity and inclusion, where she discovered the power of collective expression.

Alongside this, Garance conducts research on art and neurodiversity. With her project The Neurodiverse Imaginaries, in collaboration with the Royal College of Art and the Hopes Centre for Autism, she explores how art can support children with disabilities by placing creativity at the heart of understanding and supporting neurodivergent journeys. Through these projects, Garance aspires to weave connections between art, inclusion, and education, offering a space where every imagination can freely unfold.