We spoke with Christian Debrus, founder and president of the Vigan Festival.
How did you come up with the idea of starting a music festival in Le Vigan 50 years ago?
I was about twenty years old at the time, already a young pianist, studying with the great pianist Vlado Perlemuter, who had himself studied with Maurice Ravel, and with his assistant at the Paris Conservatory, Suzanne Roche. She organized a small musical season in her large duplex in Montmartre, at 59 rue Caulaincourt, where she entertained leading artists and where I myself was invited to play on several occasions, notably once for Madame Prokofiev, performing a work by her husband. In this musical salon, somewhat like Madame Vautrin's salon in Marcel Proust's "In Search of Lost Time," many prominent figures mingled, whom I had the great fortune to meet, such as the philosopher Vladimir Yankelevich, and the composers Olivier Messiaen, Marcel Mihalovici, and Henri Dutilleux, who, along with his wife, the pianist Geneviève Joy, later became close friends.
For four years, I offered my help, as did some of Suzanne's students, we all called her by her first name, by participating in various practical tasks, setting up chairs, spreading toast for cocktails, writing envelopes for sending out leaflets… It was partly through this experience that I got the idea to organize, in the summer of 1976, the first four concerts in Le Vigan, having administratively created in 1975 the association of the COMITE D'ORGANISATION DU FESTIVAL DU VIGAN, and without having the slightest idea, I confess, that it would occupy a large part of my life!
The choice of Le Vigan was simple. Born in Montpellier, I was raised until the age of five by my maternal grandparents in Bréau, where the family home was located at the Cap du Village; my great-grandmother was from Esparon. And, after leaving to join my parents in Paris, I returned every summer to spend all my school holidays in the Cévennes.
I want to clarify that festivals weren't fashionable at the time, and that, throughout the Languedoc-Roussillon region, the Vigan Festival was one of the first major ones, alongside those of Prades, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Villevieille, and Uzès. It's worth remembering that the Radio France Festival, based in Montpellier, wasn't created until 1985, ten years later! All the other festivals I just mentioned have had several different directors; I'm the only one who has remained, faithful to my post, since the beginning!
Can you share some highlights or memorable performances that have marked the history of the festival?
It's a very difficult question for me to answer, because selecting the highlights is very tricky given how many there have been over 47 editions of the festival!
The pianists Khatia BUNIATISHVILI, Bertrand CHAMAYOU, François-René DUCHABLE, Brigitte ENGERER; the violinists Pierre AMOYAL, Augustin DUMAY, Laurent KORCIA, Patrice FONTANAROSA; the cellists Henri DEMARQUETTE, Gary HOFFMAN, Frédéric LODEON, Xavier PHILLIPS; the singers Gabriel BACQUIER, Régine CRESPIN, Béatrice URIA-MONZON; the harpsichordists Huguette DREYFUS, Pierre HANTAÏ, Scott ROSS; the guitarists Alexandre LAGOYA and Emmanuel ROSSFELDER; the harpists Marielle NORDMANN and Emmanuel CEYSSON; Romain and Thomas LELEU…
For Jazz: Claude BOLLING, Richard GALLIANO, Stéphane GRAPELLI, Didier LOCKWOOD, Jean-Jacques MILTEAU, Michel PORTAL, Rhoda SCOTT, Memphis SLIM, Martial SOLAL.
What challenges have you faced over the years and how have you overcome them to maintain the festival?
The main challenge I faced, especially at the very beginning of the festival, and one I still face today, is financial. They say money is the lifeblood of any endeavor, and in the cultural sector, the problem of funding is ever-present! Culture, and in this case music, cannot survive without financial support. Ticket sales account for 35% to 40% of our festival's budget; the rest must be financed through grants, sponsorships, and advertising. Grants are never guaranteed, and their renewal each year requires a significant amount of administrative work. The same is true for securing sponsorships and advertising.
Another challenge is related to the general policy of our festival, which is, with limited means, to maintain its high level of quality while opening it up to the greatest number of people, from all social categories, thanks to extremely reasonable ticket prices and my personal network of relationships among the greatest current artists.
What, in your opinion, distinguishes your festival from other classical music events?
The main characteristic of our festival is its eclecticism. Since its inception, it has made the essential choice not to confine itself to a particular genre; on the contrary, the festival has strived
to offer the widest possible range of concert formats, including recitals, chamber music, oratorios, chamber and symphony orchestras, and works presented spanning from Baroque music to contemporary compositions. Its extended summer schedule allows local audiences to attend the majority of its concerts. Finally, as I mentioned earlier, it is accessible to everyone thanks to its very low ticket prices, offering free admission for all children under 12, and discounts for students and seniors over 65.
How do you choose the artists and programs for each edition of the festival?
This is the most exciting and enjoyable part of the festival, but unfortunately, contrary to what one might think, it only represents 5% of all the work involved in organizing it!
The pool of artists is inexhaustible and constantly renewed, as is the repertoire of works. Of course, when working on a new program, I must consider previous editions to try to present a certain variety and originality each summer. My goal is also to showcase young talents at the dawn of their careers. I personally have the advantage of having served, and continuing to serve, on numerous juries for major international competitions, which allows me to make wonderful discoveries. Several leading contemporary soloists gave their very first concert in France at our festival! I also have the privilege, thanks to my career as a pianist, of knowing many top-tier artists and ensembles personally. This allows me, and this is essential, to obtain more affordable engagement terms.
Have you noticed any changes in the festival's audience over the years, and how has this influenced the programming?
The most significant growth in our audience, and the one I'm most proud of, has been the increasing proportion of local attendees. The percentage of local and regional audiences exceeds 60%, which is extremely rare compared to other festivals! For several years now, festival attendance has remained consistently between 3000 and 3500 spectators each summer. Of course, I remain convinced that there is still work to be done and progress to be made, particularly with regard to young people.
How do you envision the future of the Vigan festival, and what are your aspirations for the years to come?
For 48 years, the Vigan Festival has been deeply rooted in its region, where it fully fulfills its mission each summer. It has been both the starting point and the culmination of other local cultural initiatives. The primary reason for its success and longevity is its consistently high level of quality, placing it on par with the greatest international festivals. It hosts the same artists as the Montpellier Radio-France Festival or the La Roque d'Anthéron Festival, and sometimes even discovered them before they did!
Without this defining quality, which has earned him the trust and loyalty of his audience, he could not have become what he is today, and would have disappeared long ago.
Apart from this very first condition, the support of local elected officials and public authorities is essential, as well as the contribution of the association of "his friends," who are increasingly numerous and concerned.
If these various conditions are maintained, and if the friendly and efficient volunteers, essential to its smooth running, always answer the call, with the support of all the inhabitants of its pretty Cévennes town and local elected officials, the future of the Vigan festival can only be bright.
Personally, I maintain the same enthusiasm in my involvement as in the early days, and I will dedicate a large part of my time and energy to making it last.
What is your favorite spot in the Southern Cévennes?
This question reminds me of the one I'm often asked in interviews, "Who is your favorite composer?", and I would answer it in the same way… when I listen to or play Chopin, it's Chopin, when I hear Ravel, it's Ravel, when I hear Mozart, it's of course Mozart… When I'm in my little village of Bréau, it's Bréau, in St. Martial, it's St. Martial.
It's right there at the edge of the Cirque de Navacelles.
The diversity of our beautiful region is its main asset. Nevertheless, I am extremely sensitive to the beauty of the Causses, and my favorite season in these landscapes remains winter.
