A concert in Nice to save a 19th-century organ
On 24 August 2026 a baroque music concert will take place in Nice in the cloister of the Church of Saint-Barthélemy — proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the restoration of the historic 19th-century organ by the maker Federico Valoncini.
A concert to save the organ
The association L’Orgue de Saint-Barthélémy will hold on 24 August 2026, on the feast day of Saint Bartholomew, the first baroque concert in the cloister — the inner courtyard of the Church of Saint-Barthélemy in the north of Nice. It starts at 20:00 and will last one and a half hours.
The organiser is the association chaired by Guillaume de la Roche, the evening’s artistic director is Cédric Costantino. Seven musicians will take the stage: tenor Fabio Cernicchiaro, violinists David Vinitski and Braminata Tirtasudira, violist Coline Musy, cellist Bruno Gervé, theorbo player Ivan Oliveira and harpsichordist Cédric Manfred.
The organ itself was built between 1865 and 1868 by the Italian maker Federico Valoncini — a rare Italian-school instrument in France with a 61-note keyboard, a pedalboard and eleven stops, included in the national inventory of organs of France. Over one and a half centuries it has been rebuilt twice, in the 1900s and the 1920s, and the pipes have collapsed over time: the organ has not sounded for around fifteen years.
Fundraising: every contribution counts
All proceeds from ticket sales will go to the restoration. According to the organisers, a full restoration is estimated at €150,000, and the association has managed to raise around €20,000 over three years — independent sources do not confirm this figure. Municipal and regional subsidies can only be expected if the organ is recognised as a heritage object, and that is a separate procedure.
A ticket costs €30, €25 for association members. Bookings are via the HelloAsso platform; details at La Grande Musique and Presse Agence.
Musical programme
The evening’s programme features works by Handel and Bach — baroque-era music chosen to suit the cloister’s particular acoustics. The organisers promise a rare combination of artistic experience and the almost liturgical solemnity of the place.
A similar atmosphere of outdoor baroque concerts on the Riviera this summer is created by other venues too — for example, night-time baroque evenings on the French Riviera. Those interested in the restoration of the region’s monuments may find it interesting to compare this project with the restoration of the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild.
The concert will take place in the cloister of the Church of Saint-Barthélemy at: 11 Montée Kler-Virenk (Nice). Advance booking is required — by telephone 06 98 69 60 40 or by email orgue.saint.barthelemy@gmail.com.
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Photo: AXP Photography / Pexels