The Philharmonie de Paris, inaugurated on January 14, 2015, celebrates its tenth anniversary at the start of the year, with many reasons to celebrate. However, its general director Olivier Mantei plans to do even better in the future, by opening it up further, by strengthening musical experiments or even by promoting women conductors.
The concert hall built in the east of Paris by the architect Jean Nouvel and coupled with the Cité de la Musique – which is celebrating its 30th birthday – was not unanimously acclaimed at its inauguration. At the time, bad tongues predicted a desertion of the music-loving public accustomed to the Salle Pleyel located in the upscale district of the 8th arrondissement, while there was criticism of the cost of the project (400 million euros, not counting the interests of the loan, according to the Court of Auditors).
Ten years later, with its hall which took the name of the composer Pierre Boulez (2,400 to 3,600 seats), its spiritual father, the Philharmonie “is one of the most popular venues in the world for artists“, s’enthusiasm Olivier Mantei. “On the one hand because we invite many groups and soloists, but also because there is an appetite from conductors and orchestras to come to a place which is a success“, with acoustics allowing that “intimacy rubs shoulders with the grandiose“, according to him.
Since 2019, the Orchester de Paris has been integrated into the structure, which also welcomes four other phalanxes in residence, including Les Arts Florissants and the Ensemble intercontemporain. Around 500 musicians meet each day.
With a most eclectic program – classical music, rap, jazz, world music, but also dance, balls, sound exhibitions, etc. –, she also “gained a public anchored in the east of Paris and the surrounding communes of Seine-Saint-Denis“, assures Olivier Mantei. In 2014, the Salle Pleyel-Cité de la Musique duo welcomed 700,000 visitors for concerts or shows. A year after the opening of the Philharmonie, this number had increased to 1.2 million. “Today, there are almost 1.5 million, with a occupancy rate of 92%, over 450 curtain raisers per year.“, he said.
The establishment is much more than a concert hall: it also offers rehearsal rooms, recording studios, sound exhibitions, a music media library, editions, an educational space for 4-10 year olds, projects social education, conferences, experimental radio…
-Enough to also attract those under 28, who now represent 10% of the public, according to the director. He observes “a baby-boom philharmonic”a generation of children who followed specific small workshops and who today naturally move into concert halls.
Another subject of pride: the program Demos (loan of an instrument, rehearsals) which allows children from priority neighborhoods to play in an orchestra. It has around fifty orchestras across the four corners of France and has benefited 12,000 children since 2010.
For the future, Olivier Mantei, appointed in 2021 for five years, aims to “make further progress in terms of accessibility, diversity, eco-responsibility and equality“. On this last point, something new is planned during the 2026 edition of the conductor competition The Teacherwhich aims to feminize the music stands: those selected for the final will conduct the Orchester de Paris for a symphonic work. “We are also going to create a new festival (Explore) of creation-composition and musical experimentation, in partnership with the eight national music centers“, he adds. A higher education project to train managers in music professions is also in the works.
In 2025, the establishment, which operates 50% with public subsidies and 50% with its own resources, “will be in balance“, assures its director, who welcomes a “17% increase in ticket sales and 65% in patronage” last year.
For its anniversary, the Philharmonie is planning several classical music concerts until January 14 with star conductors Gustavo Dudamel and Simon Rattle, but also a “electro night“, a concert by rapper Prince Waly and activities for children and families.
