Marie in Guéthary

Marie-Hélène Cussac soprano concert ave maria GuétharyAt 46, I realised I still had never visited the Southwestern French coast. People always bragging about Biarritz and the region, I thought I had to go a tad more south than Cap Ferret(!)

So hours after our annual “rendez-vous” (ha ha) at the St. Flour cathedral, off I was driving South.

I dreamt of singing in Sainte-Eugénie in Biarritz, yet was sadly informed the church was facing serious structural issues; and it was indeed 90 percent closed when I visited.

So I drove a little further South all the way to Guéthary. Always so much heard of it (and not just because of Frédéric Beigbeder!). There I was, trying to rest after the huge adrenaline of our 1st huge singalong at the cathedral (a singalong with 350 people!). And I strolled around.

Turns out end of August was expecting a massive storm with gigantic waves so weather being not so nice, and swimming forbidden, I walked inland and discovered… the church of Guéthary. Do you know Basque churches? I was lost for words.

Now you know me, right? Everything in my life ends up having a story. I confide to a friend about my golden discovery… and guess what? My friend knew the priest of the Guéthary church, then traveling his home country, Ivory Coast. What a coincidence!

Long story short, I am delighted to invite you to a concert of Ave Maria arias at Saint-Nicolas, the most magnificent church of Guéthary.

Let’s singlong (even though I cannot do Basque)!

SINGALONG CONCERT OF AVE MARIAS

Guéthary
Saint-Nicolas church
15 May 2026

5:30 pm

Free participation to expenses 🙂

Marie in Trinità dei Monti

Marie-Helene Cussac soprano Trinita dei Monti10 March 2026 after walking up the 135 steps of the Spanish Stairs in Rome, I gave a serenade in Trinità dei Monti.

This Prière à Marie concert was a series of Ave Marias including the less known  Tu Virginum Corona, extr. of Mozart’s Exultate, Jubilate, K. 165. (Available on YouTube here.)

Communauté de l’Emmanuel, friends from Rome, Brussels, tourists, the audience did sing along too! Beautiful evening of concert & prayer.

Grazie mille a tutti per la bellissima serata.

Thank you to La Communauté de l’Emmanuel à La Trinité des Monts for your warm welcome.
Thank you to Le Petit Journal de Rome for relaying the info.

Marie in Romilly

Once upon a time in Romilly, east of Paris, friends from Italy… and there I am in an unforgettable church.

Its stained glass windows, the faith of its assembly… I was in St. Martin’s church.

I discovered it in 2021 and now beginning of 2026, at the time of the January blues and the infamous Blue Monday coming, I have the pleasure to invite to singalong with me celebrating Our Lady in St. Martin church in Romilly-sur-Seine.

Would you believe? Last summer in ‘my’ church back home in Cantal (France), I bumped into people from Romilly. It was late, I was about to close the church, and they wished to light a candle. A few days later when wrapping up my dress rehearsal at the Saint-Flour cathedral (3 miles away), who was waiting for me? Ladies who had liked my voice and were from… Romilly! Funny coincidences. I hope to see you all again ath the concert at St. Martin’s.

Let us singalong!

Sunday 18 January 2026
at 5:00 pm
Romilly-sur-Seine

Église Saint-Martin
SINGALONG CONCERT OF AVE MARIAS

Free participation to expenses 🙂

Marie-Helene Cussac soprano concert ave maria romilly

Christmas tradition chez FLAMANT

Marie-Hélène Cussac soprano chante chez Flamant ParisIs a new Christmas tradition born indeed?

For the third year, these upcoming Saturdays 13th & 20th, we will be happy to gather Place Fürstemberg, a stone’s throw away from Saint-Germain-des-Prés, for Christmas concerts at the FLAMANT boutique.

Our Christmas Carols Singalong has become a FLAMANT Paris Christmas tradition!

Saturdays 13 & 20 December 2025
3:30pm, 4:30pm & 5:30pm
Place Fürstemberg
in Paris

Join us and sing along in the magic of FLAMANT interiors!

Marie-Hélène, seule en scène, avec vous !

Dear friends,

sorry for the silence here on this website, which socials seem to have overtaken. Musical adventures have nonetheless been on the agenda this past year!

Marie-Helene Cussac soprano chanteuse lyriqueI so care about that August rdv with my Saint-Flour audience that despite Murphy’s Law, I decided to maintain the annual gig. I therefore cooked you something very special. Sure I’ll be alone on stage and yet… you’ll take your part. Singalong it may be 😉 And I too prepared a few surprises.

Even though geopolitics has gone crazy, the year has been kind to me on the music front. November 2024 is marked by singing for Ms. Christine Lagarde as she gave a conference at Collège des Bernardins in Paris, before a 500+ audience. Alumna of the College of Europe who spent 10 years working in EU affairs in Brussels, who would have thought I’d one day sing for the ECB President? Life has its mysteries. That night, I was over the moon living my two lives in one, EU affairs & classical singing!

This year, even though the date remains the same – 16 August – entrance will be back to the main doors of the Cathedral. And I’ll maintain our tradition: free participation to expenses.

Can’t wait to catch up with you!

Recital
« Marie-Hélène, seule en scène, avec vous ! »

Saint-Flour (15)
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre
16 August 2025
8:30 pm

Free participation to expenses 🙂

Apéritif de Noël chantant

Suite à la belle aventure du 3 décembre 2023 où je vous invitais tous à chanter avec moi en plein concert à Saint-Germain des Prés, c’est autour d’un déjeuner entre paroissiens que nous chanterons cette année des chants de Noël tous ensemble!

Cher(e)s ami(e)s de Saint-Germain des Prés,

let’s sing along!

O Come All Ye Faithful
John Francis Wade (1711-1786)

O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphantO come ye,
o come ye to Bethlehem!O come and behold Him,
born the King of Angels
O come, let us adore Him!O come, let us adore Him!O come, let us adore Him Christ the Lord!

Adeste, fideles,
Laeti triumphantes,
Venite, venite in Bethlehem!
Natum videte,
Regem angelorum

Venite, adoremus!
Venite, adoremus!
Venite, adoramus Dominum!
Venite, adoramus Dominum!

Peuple fidèle, le Seigneur t’appelle :
C’est fête sur Terre, le Christ est né.
Viens à la crèche voir le Roi du monde.

En lui viens reconnaître,
En lui viens reconnaître
En lui viens reconnaître
Ton Dieu, ton Sauveur !

O Holy Night
Adolphe Adam en 1847 sur un poème de Placide Cappeau en 1843

O Holy Night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine!
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine! Oh night divine!

Minuit! Chrétiens, c’est l’heure solennelle
Où l’homme Dieu descendit jusqu’à nous,
Pour effacer la tache originelle
Et de son père arrêter le courroux:
Le monde entier tressaille d’espérance
A cette nuit qui lui donne un sauveur
Peuple, à genoux attends ta délivrance,
Noël! Noël! Voici le Rédempteur!
Noël! Noël! Voici le Rédempteur!

Les anges dans nos campagnes

1. Les anges dans nos campagnes
Ont entonné l’hymne des cieux,
Et l’écho de nos montagnes
Redit ce chant mélodieux :

Gloria in excelsis Deo !
Gloria in excelsis Deo !

2. Bergers, pour qui cette fête ?
Quel est l’objet de tous ces chants ?
Quel vainqueur, quelle conquête
Mérite ces cris triomphants :

3. Ils annoncent la naissance
Du libérateur d’Israël
Et pleins de reconnaissance
Chantent en ce jour solennel :

Joy to the World
Phil Wickham

Joy to the world the Lord is comeLet earth receive her kingLet every heart prepare Him roomAnd heaven and nature singAnd heaven and nature singAnd heaven and Heaven and nature sing
Joy to the world the savior reignsLet men their songs employWhile fields and floods rocks hills and plainsRepeat the sounding joyRepeat the sounding joyRepeat, repeat the sounding joy
He rules the world with truth and graceAnd makes the nations proveThe glories of His righteousnessAnd wonders of His loveAnd wonders of His loveAnd wonders, wonders of His love

 

Jingle Bells

Dashing through the snow,
In a one-horse open sleigh
Over the fields we go,
Laughing all the way;
Bells on bob tail ring,
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight!

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!
O what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh,
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!
O what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

Sur le long chemin
Tout blanc de neige blanche
Un vieux monsieur s’avance
Avec sa canne dans la main
Et tout là-haut le vent
Qui siffle dans les branches
Lui souffle la romance
Qu’il chantait petit enfant

Vive le vent, vive le vent
Vive le vent d’hiver
Qui s’en va sifflant, soufflant
Dans les grands sapins verts
Oh! Vive le temps, vive le temps
Vive le temps d’hiver
Boule de neige et jour de l’an
Et bonne année grand-mère !

Félicitations pour avoir chanté tous ensemble !
Profitez encore de l’impressionnante beauté de Saint-Germain-des-Prés, dont les premières pierres de l’édifice remontent à 558 !

 

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Marie-Helene Cussac soprano concert Cathedrale de Saint-Flour What better word to describe the mood of our 24 August concert in St-Flour’s cathedral?!

I dared a Kaddish back in 2019 (to pay tribute to Simone Veil) ; you sang (and danced) Cohen’s Halleluja in 2023, and this year? Mary Poppins – of all people – set the cathedral on fire! With the blessings, and presence, of our bishop, who didn’t dislike the view of a full and joyful cathedral. 🙂

Our child’s hearts were there indeed. Nicolas and I were once more very touched to see you all again (350) and participating so actively.

From the bottom of my heart, t h a n k   y o u.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious !

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Marie-Helene Cussac soprano concert Cathedrale de Saint-FlourQuel meilleur mot pour décrire l’ambiance de notre soirée du 24 août en la cathédrale Saint-Pierre à Saint-Flour ?!

J’avais osé un Kaddish en 2019 (en hommage à Simone Veil) ; vous aviez chanté (et dansé) l’Halleluja de Cohen en 2023, et cette année ? C’est Mary Poppins qui a enflammé la cathédrale ! Avec la bénédiction – et la présence – de notre cher évêque à qui l’image d’une cathédrale comble et comblée n’a pas déplu. 🙂

Nos cœurs d’enfant étaient bien là. Nicolas et moi avons une fois de plus été fort émus par votre fidèle présence (350 personnes) et si généreuse participation.

De tout cœur, m e r c i.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious !

 

Il était une fois…

Marie-Helene Cussac soprano concert Notre rendez-vous annuel à la Cathédrale de Saint-Flour est là ! Ce vendredi 16 août 2024 à 20h30, même date, même heure que l’an dernier.

En sortant de notre concert l’an dernier, après vous avoir entendu chanter tous (300 personnes, ça fait des décibels) l’Halleluja de Cohen, je me disais… il faut célébrer l’enfant. L’enfant en nous 😉

Ne sommes-nous pas d’éternels grands enfants?

L’année a été chargée en événements pas tous aussi joyeux que nos concerts ; et cela n’a fait que renforcer mon intuition de célébrer l’enfant, l’enfance, la joie des bonheurs simples, et aussi tous les enfants du monde à qui la guerre vient voler une enfance insouciante.

Révisez donc vos classiques … et à vendredi, la joie au cœur !

Concert Chant & Orgue
“Il était une fois…”

Saint-Flour (15)
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre
16 août 2024
20h30

Participation libre 🙂

Once upon a time…

Marie-Helene Cussac soprano concert Our annual gathering at the St. Flour cathedral is here! This Friday, August 16th, 2024 at 8:30pm, same date, same time as last year.

When walking out of the cathedral last year, after hearing you all (300 of you was quite some sound!) sing Cohen’s Halleluja, I thought to myself we ought to celebrate childhood. The child in us. 😉

Are we not eternal big kids?

This past year was full of events yet not as joyous as our concerts. That pushed me to stick to my intuition that we should celebrate the child, childhood, simple joys and pleasures, and all children around the globe whose childhood is stolen from them by war.

Revise your classics… and see you on Friday with a singing heart 🙂

“Once upon a time…”

Saint-Flour (15)
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre
16 August 2024
8:30pm

Free participation to expenses 🙂