A Romantic Countryside Concert in Saint-Août

Among the series of concerts organized by the Nohant Festival Chopin « Hors les murs » (Beyond the Walls) throughout the summer, the recital held annually for the past six years under the market hall of Saint-Août has become an unmissable event.

On Sunday, August 24, upholding this tradition, Jean-Pierre Nicolet, the mayor of Saint-Août, and Sylviane Plantelin, the Festival’s vice-president and the town’s cultural advisor, welcomed 250 attendees. Among them were music-loving elected officials from the region, such as Indre senator Nadine Bellurot; the mayor of La Châtre and president of the Community of Communes, Patrick Judalet; the vice-president of the Departmental Council, François Daugeron; and departmental councillor Michèle Selleron, as well as prominent figures from the media world.

The lineup was particularly enticing, as it was an opportunity to hear, explained Festival president Yves Henry, « the dress rehearsal of pianist Miki Yamagata, one of the 80 candidates selected (out of 640) for the prestigious International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw this coming October. » Miki was to perform a selection from her program: Nocturne No. 18 in E major, Op. 62 No. 2, the « Heroic » Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53, and Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28. We commend the mastery and nuanced playing of the young artist who, in a demanding program performed under conditions and with acoustics very different from those of a concert hall, successfully captured the attention of a notably attentive and respectful audience.

After resounding applause, Yves Henry concluded the recital by reminding the audience that 2026 will be a momentous year for the Festival, as it will celebrate its 60th anniversary with the launch of a major International Competition, to be held after the Festival from August 15 to 23 in Nohant at the Domaine de George Sand.

In the gentle atmosphere of this enchanted interlude, far from the tumult of current events, the music of Chopin—all the more admirable in the Berry region where most of his masterpieces were composed—reminded everyone that it is one of the keys that opens the door, among other virtues, to the elevation of the soul.

Up next: The final two concerts of the « Hors les murs » season will be held as part of the European Heritage Days: on September 19 at the Château de Bouges, and on September 20, at the Théâtre du Château de Valençay. The latter event will feature the return of Miki Yamagata and Diana Cooper for a masterclass led by Yves Henry, along with two concerts centered around Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1.