Festival de musique de La Chaise-Dieu

The mechanism of the abbey church organ was then in ruins and Master Cziffra agreed, on the proposal of the Mazoyer couple, to give some concerts and to donate the fees received to the reconstruction of the site.

Guy Ramona directed the festival for 27 years and gave it its final character, not hesitating to present, among the first in the rehabilitation of the baroque repertoire, contemporary works conducted or in the presence of their composers.

In 2003, Jean-Michel Mathé[2] took over from Guy Ramona, who nevertheless remained present in the organisation of the festival by becoming president of the management association until 2009 when Jacques Barrot succeeded him.

The first step in the major renovation project of the abbey's monastery buildings, the Cziffra auditorium is ideal for recitals and chamber music, and offers a different and more intimate programme (200 seats) for festival-goers.

Famous musicians such as Georges Cziffra, Yehudi Menuhin, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Ivry Gitlis, Augustin Dumay, Jean-Philippe Collard, Katia and Marielle Labèque, Jean-Claude Malgoire, Michel Corboz, William Christie, Maurice André, Laurent Campellone, Marie-Claire Alain, Krzysztof Penderecki, etc.