Imagine a classical music concert, given at the prestigious Philharmonie de Paris, where you can hear laughter, moaning, perhaps shouting, going in and out… In short, a non-stilted concert, where everyone can express themselves as they hear it. This is the concept of “relaxed shows”, imagined by Culture Relax Associationfor people with disabilities.
“The objective is to make culture accessible to people who are too often excluded from it: autistic, multi-handicapped, suffering from an intellectual or psychological disability, suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, etc. whose disability will lead to behaviors that are out of the norm, a need to vocalize for example, which suddenly attracts attention in an ordinary session”, explains Amar Nafa. The general delegate of the association adds: “The work in front of it can give them emotions and they can moan or get up from their seat, they will not be judged for doing so. »
An informed public, trained staff
But be careful, it’s not because it’s a “relaxed” concert that you will necessarily hear reactions. “There are concerts where there is no noise,” says Sarah Koné, deputy director in charge of social responsibility and new projects at the Philharmonie. So that the session goes well for everyone, disabled or able-bodied, the staff is present in greater numbers and above all trained to reassure or offer to accompany them in the relaxation room. The public meanwhile is well informed that it is a show in slightly different conditions, with a specific written display and a short oral presentation just before the performance.
The initiative for a “relaxed” culture welcoming all types of audiences began in the cinema in 2005. The Philharmonie took over after the arrival of Olivier Mantei in November 2021, the latter having already tested the system at the Opéra Comique, where he was director. “There was a wish on his part to work for accessibility in a dynamic of sharing, that’s why we favor devices that allow access to the same artistic proposal as for the rest of the public” , explains Sarah Koné.
Unsanctuary culture
Indeed, the “relaxed” shows are not an exception to the program reserved for people with disabilities, they are on the contrary chosen from an already established program. The next three dates concern a jazz concert, a circus show and finally the cine-concert Ernest and Celestine December 16 and 17 next, alas already completely full, including for disabled people (the quotas of place are different). “There is no impossible content, but it is important to have short formats, because there is the question of the attention span available”, comments Amar Nafa.
As a result of this choice of programming, the shows are therefore, as you will have understood, open to everyone, even without accompanying a disabled person. “For those concerned, this contributes to a feeling of normality,” comments Amar Nafa. And it also allows able-bodied people to meet people who are invisible most of the time. »
Classical concerts where you can talk, laugh, and make noise without being bothered or snubbed, this is not completely new: in the Age of Enlightenment, opera was, we tend to forget , a real place of sociability. “We traded there, and the coins were given away in this environment. You don’t have to [donc] not think that we will distort the work! “says Amar Nafa. A reflection shared by Sarah Koné: “To be able to include everyone, you have to unsanctify culture. »
Circus show One against One. Wednesday February 1, 2023, 3 p.m. – Concert hall.
Concert Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Wednesday June 14, 2023, 8 p.m. – Grande salle Pierre-Boulez.