Wintertime: The Show Must Go On!
Can you smell the scent of roasted chestnuts, blown on the breeze through the streets of Bordeaux? The leaves turn brown, the sun starts to set earlier and earlier, yet we still have that urge to go out with friends. When the first chills of autumn arrive, with winter in its wake, it feels so good to nestle into a soft seat to watch a show, let yourself go in front of a band, or set the world to rights over a great bottle of wine while the Christmas lights reflect in the windows of the bars and restaurants. Leave summer behind, Bordeaux has its attractions in winter too! Take a look at our selection of activities that are sure to warm the cockles of your heart…
Fairytale Christmas
Who can say no to some Christmas magic this December? During this festive period, L’Opéra is putting on a programme aimed at a particularly wide audience: seasoned theatre-goers, novices and everything in between. At Le Grand-Théâtre, the traditional ballet this year is from Denmark, with BOURNONVILLE and LØVENSKIOLD’s La Sylphide. At the Auditorium, the star pianist Jacky Terrasson is bringing a touch of jazz to the table for the ONBA’s annual Christmas concert. The choir will be whisking us away to New Orleans in their midday musical show on 24th December, for only €10 (€1 for under-28s).
- La Sylphide: 14th-31st December 2021 / Christmas Concert Radio Classique: 21st - 23rd December 2021
- Bordeaux National Opera
- Website: opera-bordeaux.com/en
Performance art
This festival has been run by the Marches de l’Été association and their passionate director, Jean-Luc Terrade, since 2004, putting on short experimental and socially-conscious performances. This year, get ready for dance, circus and musical acts, as well as eclectic and demanding creations, showcasing the value and uniqueness of the new local, national and international scene. It’s an opportunity for lovers of alternative culture or those who like to try new things to plunge into an exciting, vibrant scene. From the artists already announced, look out for Yacine Sif El Islam, Leïla Ka, Sophie Dalès, and more.
- From 18th January to 10th February 2022
- Bordeaux, Le Bouscat, Bègles, Gradignan, Boulazac
- Website: www.trentetrente.com
Theatre experiment
Bordeaux is teeming with talent. Among them are the three writers Solenn Denis, Aurore Jacob and Julie Ménard, who have come up with this fascinating theatre experience, put on in a theatre studio in Chartrons. Half-way between improv’ and traditional theatre, this play is written live under your very eyes while two actors take up the challenge of performing the show as the story and stage directions appear on a big screen in real-time, learning about their script as you do! Each show is unique.
- From 24th to 26th November
- Glob Théâtre, Bordeaux
- Website: www.globtheatre.net
Food for thought
Catherine Marnas, the director and producer at the Bordeaux National Theatre (TnBA), has brought a fantastic contemporary project to fruition for this season. The show involves an adaptation of a text by Herculine Babin that had a preface by Michel Foucault, who posed the question of what a “true gender” really might be. Herculine, born a women, was the first hermaphrodite (today called ‘intersex’) in history to actually speak about it as a subject, and not as an object of analysis. It’s a hard-hitting and touching story from the 18th century, enacted by two actors: Yuming Hey who plays Herculine and Nicolas Martel who plays Michel Foucault and other doctors.
- From 11th to 22nd January 2022
- TnBA (Théâtre national de Bordeaux en Aquitaine), Bordeaux
- Website: www.tnba.org
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...
Every year, traditionally on the last week of November, the Christmas Market opens on Allées de Tourny in Bordeaux. Though we may have been deprived of such a pleasure last year because of the pandemic, worry not! This year, Santa’s Grotto and the many vendors are back from 26th November in their habitual spots! On the outskirts of Bordeaux, you can find smaller yet just as charming Christmas Markets in Le Bouscat (Hippodrome), Cenon and Carbon-Blanc. If you want to get out of Bordeaux a little, the Christmas magic will arrive in Saint-Émilion from 4th December.
The weight of words
Though they may be alone on stage (backed up by talented musicians and technicians, it must be said!), they still have the charisma and the capacity to touch us to the core, and fill concert venues just due to their presence alone. Two great songwriters are soon to take to the stage at L’Aréna.
First of all: Grand Corps Malade, touring his platinum-disc album and whose iconic duet with Camille Lellouche led to more than a few tears. A month later, it’s the phenomenal Eddy de Pretto’s turn, touring his second album, À tous les bâtards.
- 8th December 2021 (Grand Corps Malade) and 13th January 2022 (Eddy de Pretto)
- Arkéa Arena, Floirac
- Website: www.arkeaarena.com
Children's show
There’s no reason why only adults should have a good time this winter! At Le Rocher de Palmer, every season the teams come up with a programme especially for children, featuring shows that are intelligent, entertaining and thought-provoking, designed to help them question the world that they discover day by day. Write the following down on your calendar: Captain Parade et Le pogo des Marmots on 31st October 2021, the beautiful tale of Bonobo by the Fracas company on 18th January 2022, and Barcella’s poetry-musical show Tournepouce on 7th February 2022.
- Rocher de Palmer, Cenon
- Website: www.lerocherdepalmer.fr
Equine-passion
17 trials, 300 sportspersons present, and 200 exhibitors: the ‘Jumping International de Bordeaux’ is an opportunity for professionals to get together and for horse-lovers to feed their passion by watching shows that are of a top standard, as well as competitions that put the international elite up against each other. Don’t miss the riders of Cadre Noir, from Saumur, whose show on 2nd and 3rd December - from 8.30pm onwards - is both impressive and moving. You have to see the beauty of this relationship between Man and horse where neither dominates the other at least once in your life: one can only admire.
- From 3rd to 6th February 2022 - Bordeaux
- Website: www.jumping-bordeaux.com
