An original creation, a unique spectacle. Baroque music meets the circus arts in this Carnaval, the story of a day of celebration in Rome. From a picturesque feast to street theatre and a manhunt through the narrow streets, acrobats delight us with dances and popular songs.

In Baroque Rome, Carnival lasted for ten days, during which the inhabitants would sate their appetite for partying and debauchery before embarking on Lent. Vincent Dumestre and Cécile Roussat recreate this atmosphere of pleasure and passion in a magical, colourful show. Acrobats, jugglers, mimes and, of course, singers and instrumentalists take to the stage to revive the spectacles and stories of the period, from the palace to the streets. Singers and mimes unite their voices and bodies to bring this carnivalesque energy to life: we are taken from a gargantuan banquet to awe-inspiring street scenes, before being transported to a touring theatre set up to parody Monteverdi and his Lamento della Ninfa. All these episodes unfold to the sound of famous or previously unpublished 17th-century Italian arias, a repertoire on which Le Poème Harmonique has built its reputation. Commedia dell’arte and circus arts meet irresistible chaconnes, moresques and tarantellas. This allows the artists to revive a tremendous popular celebration, exalting the echoes of pagan rituals and the triumph of life over the harshness of existence.

Le Poème Harmonique is supported by the Ministry of Culture (DRAC de Normandie), the Centre National de la Musique, the Normandy Region, the Seine-Maritime Department and the City of Rouen.

Le Poème Harmonique is in residence at the Fondation Singer-Polignac as an associate artist.

For its projects in Normandy, le Poème Harmonique is supported by the Fonds Haplotès and the Seine-Maritime CAF.

Carnival in Venice: Circus arts, music and dance in the 17th century

Show in Italian with French and English surtitles.

PRESTIGE VIP CATEGORY: Best seats in house with complimentary glass of champagne and programme.

PRESTIGE CATEGORY: Excellent seats with complimentary glass of champagne and programme.

REDUCED RATE: applicable to under 26s, Chateau de Versailles Spectacles card holders and groups of more than 10 people (excluding special company offer).

GROUP RATES: for more information, please refer to our page dedicated to works councils and groups.

In case of any technical problem, the box office service remains available to complete your order by phone at +33 (0)1 30 83 78 89 (Monday-Friday from 11am to 6pm) or in our box office-shop (3 bis rue des Réservoirs, 78000 Versailles ; Monday-Friday from 11am to 6pm, and on Saturdays with concerts or shows except during the Musical Fountains Shows, from 2pm to 5pm).

To ensure the best welcome possible, people with limited mobility are advised to book their seats by telephone.