Our favourite activities
Opéra Royal - Couperin LECONS DE TENEBRES
Wednesday 24 March 2027
21:00 to 22:15
Location : Chapelle Royale
Destination
1 Pl. Léon Gambetta
Place d'armes
78000
Versailles
GPS coordinates
Latitude : 48.805004
Longitude : 2.122205
BY CAR
Motorway A13 - Versailles Notre-Dame exit
Motorway 186 - Versailles Centre exit
Free "Place d'armes" parking from 19:00
BY TRAIN
Gare Montparnasse > Gare Versailles Chantiers
Dreux, Mantes-la-Jolie, Rambouillet direction
Gare St. Lazare > Gare Versailles Rive Droite
Rive Droite direction
Paris RER C > Gare Versailles Rive Gauche - Château
Rive Gauche Château direction
Pont de Sèvres - Bus 171 > Versailles Château stop
Motorway A13 - Versailles Notre-Dame exit
Motorway 186 - Versailles Centre exit
Free "Place d'armes" parking from 19:00
BY TRAIN
Gare Montparnasse > Gare Versailles Chantiers
Dreux, Mantes-la-Jolie, Rambouillet direction
Gare St. Lazare > Gare Versailles Rive Droite
Rive Droite direction
Paris RER C > Gare Versailles Rive Gauche - Château
Rive Gauche Château direction
Pont de Sèvres - Bus 171 > Versailles Château stop
Event Organizer
Château de Versailles Spectacles
Location
Chapelle Royale
1 Pl. Léon Gambetta
Place d'armes
78000
Versailles
Presentation
By the mid-17th century, the ‘Leçons de Ténèbres’ had established themselves as one of the most refined forms of sacred music in France.
Candlelit concert.
First developed in the mid-17th century, the "Lessons of Darkness" (Leçons de Ténèbres) became one of the most admired forms of sacred music in France. Michel Lambert pioneered the genre in 1662, soon followed by composers such as Marc-Antoine Charpentier and Michel-Richard de Lalande. Yet it is François Couperin’s "Lessons of Darkness", composed in 1714, that remain the most celebrated and enduring examples of this remarkable repertoire.
Created during the final years of Louis XIV’s reign, these works reflect a period when French music embraced Italian influences while preserving its own refined style. Couperin masterfully combines spiritual contemplation with dramatic expression, creating vocal lines of extraordinary beauty and emotional depth that often evoke the intensity of opera.
At the time, Parisian convents attracted large audiences eager to hear these Holy Week services. Hidden from view, the voices of nuns and singers filled the chapels with a celestial sound that captivated listeners. During the Office of Tenebrae, candles were gradually extinguished, leaving the congregation in darkness and creating a powerful atmosphere of reflection and devotion.
The three surviving lessons composed by François Couperin for Holy Wednesday are considered among the finest achievements of French sacred music. Performed by acclaimed sopranos Marie Perbost and Sarah Charles, under the direction of Chloé de Guillebon, this extraordinary work is brought back to life in a performance illuminated by candlelight, recreating the emotion and mystery of the original ceremonies.
Les Productions de l’Opéra Royal.
CD available in the Château de Versailles Spectacles collection.
Upcoming programme
First developed in the mid-17th century, the "Lessons of Darkness" (Leçons de Ténèbres) became one of the most admired forms of sacred music in France. Michel Lambert pioneered the genre in 1662, soon followed by composers such as Marc-Antoine Charpentier and Michel-Richard de Lalande. Yet it is François Couperin’s "Lessons of Darkness", composed in 1714, that remain the most celebrated and enduring examples of this remarkable repertoire.
Created during the final years of Louis XIV’s reign, these works reflect a period when French music embraced Italian influences while preserving its own refined style. Couperin masterfully combines spiritual contemplation with dramatic expression, creating vocal lines of extraordinary beauty and emotional depth that often evoke the intensity of opera.
At the time, Parisian convents attracted large audiences eager to hear these Holy Week services. Hidden from view, the voices of nuns and singers filled the chapels with a celestial sound that captivated listeners. During the Office of Tenebrae, candles were gradually extinguished, leaving the congregation in darkness and creating a powerful atmosphere of reflection and devotion.
The three surviving lessons composed by François Couperin for Holy Wednesday are considered among the finest achievements of French sacred music. Performed by acclaimed sopranos Marie Perbost and Sarah Charles, under the direction of Chloé de Guillebon, this extraordinary work is brought back to life in a performance illuminated by candlelight, recreating the emotion and mystery of the original ceremonies.
Les Productions de l’Opéra Royal.
CD available in the Château de Versailles Spectacles collection.
Upcoming programme
Pics
Pics
Prices
VIP PRESTIGE CATEGORY: The best seats in the house, with a complimentary glass of champagne.
PRESTIGE CATEGORY: Excellent seats, with a complimentary glass of champagne.
REDUCED RATE: available to those under 26, beneficiaries of the Opera Experience package and groups of more than 10 people (excluding the Corporate package).
GROUP RATE: for further information, please visit the Royal Opera’s website, dedicated to works councils and groups.
PRESTIGE CATEGORY: Excellent seats, with a complimentary glass of champagne.
REDUCED RATE: available to those under 26, beneficiaries of the Opera Experience package and groups of more than 10 people (excluding the Corporate package).
GROUP RATE: for further information, please visit the Royal Opera’s website, dedicated to works councils and groups.
For all PRM/PSH bookings, we recommend that you contact us directly at billetterie@chateauversailles-spectacles.fr or on 01 30 83 78 89.
We also suggest...
From Saturday 03 to Sunday 04 July 2027
Saturday, Sunday
20:00 to 21:00
Tuesday 06 October 2026
20:00 to 22:30
From Saturday 12 to Sunday 13 December 2026
Sunday
16:00 to 19:00
Saturday
20:00 to 23:00
Thursday 12 November 2026
20:00 to 21:00
Monday 23 November 2026
20:00 to 21:50
Saturday 07 November 2026
19:00 to 22:30
Friday 05 February 2027
20:00 to 21:50
Saturday 10 October 2026
19:00 to 22:30
Sunday 29 November 2026
15:00 to 16:15
Wednesday 24 February 2027
21:00 to 22:40
From Monday 13 to Tuesday 14 July 2026
Monday, Tuesday
20:00 to 21:10
Saturday 29 May 2027
19:00 to 21:45
From Wednesday 30 June to Thursday 01 July 2027
Wednesday, Thursday
20:00 to 23:30
Part One: 1 hour 20 minutes Intermission Part Two: 1 hour 15 minutes
Sunday 25 April 2027
17:00 to 18:00
Saturday 19 June 2027
19:00 to 20:00
Wednesday 23 June 2027
20:00 to 21:00
Thursday 24 June 2027
20:00 to 21:30
From Friday 29 to Sunday 31 January 2027
Every day
20:00 to 21:00
From Friday 23 to Sunday 25 April 2027
Friday
from 20:00
Saturday
from 19:00
Sunday
from 15:00