Vive la France • Opera Festival •

Join Opera Caledonia for a day of concerts & events celebrating the vast variety of musical & dramatic styles of French opera, set in the stunning surroundings of the Institut français d’Écosse!

About Vive la France • Opera Festival •

	29th November 2025
	Lunchtime Concert 1pm - 2pm / The Auld Alliance 4pm - 5pm / Evening Recital 7.30pm - 9pm
	Institut francais d Ecosse Institut français d'Ecosse West Parliament Square, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 1RF
	Day Pass £50 (all three events) / Lunchtime Concert & The Auld Alliance £15 / Evening Recital £25
	Visit the event website here
	Facebook information can be found here
	Follow operacaledonia on Instagram

Listed Under Music Events / Family and Kids Events / Nights Out Events

Individual event tickets & day passes are available.

Lunchtime Concert (1pm)
Anthony Moffat violin • Derek Clark piano
An enjoyable concert of operatic transcriptions for violin and piano, showcasing the melodic splendour of French opera. Hear music from Gounod’s “Faust”, Offenbach’s “Les contes d’Hoffmann” and Drdla’s virtuosic “Carmen Fantasy” alongside music from operas including “Thaïs”, “Mignon” and “Samson et Dalila” amongst others. Performed by Anthony Moffat, esteemed leader of The Orchestra of Scottish Opera, alongside Derek Clark, Scottish Opera’s celebrated former Head of Music.

The Auld Alliance (4pm)
Join Derek Clark, Scottish Opera’s former Head of Music, for a discussion on the development of French opera and its portrayal in Scotland.

Evening Recital (7.30pm)
Roland Wood baritone • Derek Clark piano
Join internationally celebrated baritone Roland Wood and Scottish Opera’s celebrated former Head of Music Derek Clark as they perform a selection of musical highlights from the French operatic and song repertoire. A compère will guide the audience through the programme, giving background to the pieces performed and putting them into their musical context. Interval refreshments included.

Dining Options:
With the Institut français d’Écosse remarkably located in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, there are many restaurants and cafés in the local area to enjoy a spot of lunch or dinner between concerts and events. The Institut français d’Écosse houses its own on-site restaurant, Le Bistrot.

• • •

Individual event tickets & day passes are available to purchase.

Day Pass: £50.00 – entry to all three events
Lunchtime Concert (60mins): £15.00
Puccini in Scotland (60mins): £15.00
Evening Recital (90mins): £25.00 (includes interval refreshments)

Children aged 10 and above are welcome to attend all events. They must have their own ticket and must be accompanied by a paying adult. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Artists and programme are subject to alteration.

Where possible we will update our listings to notify of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events, however we STRONGLY ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser in the first instance for updates.

All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.

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Other Events at Institut francais d Ecosse

Exhibitions

Scotland: An Inner Journey – A Photography Exhibition

19th September 2025 - 3rd October 2025

Institut francais d Ecosse, Edinburgh Old Town

Embark on a visual journey into the soul of Scotland through the lens of Sergio Romero at the Institut Français d’Écosse!

Talks and Lectures

European Day of Languages – Aberlangs: Aberdeen City of Languages

25th September 2025

Institut francais d Ecosse, Edinburgh Old Town

Hosted for the European Day of Languages, join us at Institut français d'Ecosse on 25th September for this talk by Drs Fransiska Louwagie and Clémence O’Connor on Aberlangs.

Books

Children’s Book Festival at the Institut français d’Écosse

27th September 2025

Institut francais d Ecosse, Edinburgh Old Town

Calling all young readers, curious minds, and budding storytellers! Join us at the Institut français d’Écosse for the Children’s Book Festival on Saturday 27th September!

Dance

Historical Georgian Dance Classes

Selected dates between 30th September 2025 - 9th December 2025

Institut francais d Ecosse, Edinburgh Old Town

Join the Edinburgh Quadrille Society and learn dances from the Jane Austen / Bridgerton era at Institut français d'Écosse!

Books

Meet the author Constance Trautsolt

2nd October 2025

Institut francais d Ecosse, Edinburgh Old Town

Meet French writer Constance Trautsolt for a talk on her brilliant first novel Pour la peau de Shirley Page (‘For the Sake of Shirley Page’) at the Institut français d'Ecosse on 2nd October!

Books

Jean-Yves Laurichesse: Writing between memory and fiction

14th October 2025

Institut francais d Ecosse, Edinburgh Old Town

Join us for an evening of readings and conversation with Jean-Yves Laurichesse at the Institut francais d'Ecosse on Tuesday 14th October!

Film

Fright Night: Silent Movie Screening with Live Score

31st October 2025

Institut francais d Ecosse, Edinburgh Old Town

Silent Screen Scotland returns to Edinburgh with "Fright Night: Silent Movie Screening" - a candlelit screening of Nosferatu accompanied by live score at the Institut français d'Écosse!

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