The Friends of Veyrines of Saint-Symphorien-de-Mahun will launch significant projects. Among them: the lighting of the church, its cultural programming and the management of Elyane Gastaud’s literary fund.
Saturday April 27, the community hall was full. More than 40 people attended the general meeting of the Les Amis de Veyrines association, which had a busy agenda. After an exhaustive presentation of actions, web traffic and accounts for the year 2023, Chantal Chifflet, the president, shared the important projects being carried out in 2024.
Interior lighting of the church of Veyrines
The installation of Christ, from the César Filhol museum, was a major event last year that everyone remembers. The association wants to continue its investment effort for church equipment and move to the next stage, in partnership with the municipality. A study had been launched to install an automatic interior lighting system.
As soon as the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs has given its agreement, the building being classified as a historic monument, the work can be carried out. They will allow lighting of the nave, the apse, the capitals and Christ. This installation will considerably improve the aesthetics of the church and its attractiveness.
A varied cultural season
The cultural season will be, again this year, of high quality, mixing musical styles and genres. On June 21, the music festival will be hosted by the local vocal trio Zibrunes and their world songs, then by Gérard Morel who will perform songs of love and humor.
On July 6, a Corsican polyphony group, Asculta, will make the chapel resonate with its paghjelle, lamenti, triberra and popular serenades.
On July 17, the Preuss String Quartet, from the Debussy Quartet academy, will present works by Lanner, Ravel and Montaña.
On August 16, Farnaz Modarresifar, Iranian artist, will perform a recital of traditional songs with her Santour, a table zither.
On September 4, the female quartet Amoroso will sing pieces by Mendelssohn and Ravel. Finally, guided tours will be organized by Jean-Marc Janin and Peter Krausse, as part of the European Heritage Days on September 21 and 22.
The literary collection of Elyane Gastaud
The association was given the literary fund of Elyane Gastaud, a Lyon artist in love with Vivarais. And above all, she was president of the Friends of Veyrines for several years. Writer, poet, storyteller and novelist, she is an eminent member of the national association of peasant writers and artists.
According to his wish, these works must be disseminated and accessible to as many people as possible, particularly to the youngest. Also, the assembly proposed to enter into an agreement with the Vivarais libraries to bring this collection of more than a thousand works to life, by allowing loans, by organizing public readings, by working with educational establishments or even by putting to music some poems.
The assembly finished, the participants met in Veyrines, for a friendly drink in Marcel’s house, then for a concert in the church where pieces from the repertoire of New tango by Astor Piazzola were performed by the Quinteto Libertad.
