The Foundation has chosen to give the Abbey a new lease on life by placing this heritage in the service of cultural programme. Redefined in 1978 and substantially expanded in 2000, the programme now covers three areas:
music, with departments concentrating on music for voice, contemporary music, medieval music, oral and improvised music and the presence of resident ensembles Il Seminario Musicale and Jeunes Solistes;
contemporary dance, with the Choreographic Composition and Research Centre and Susan Buirge Company;
a multidisciplinary centre, the great workshop, inviting creative personalities from various disciplines to experience the association of word, image, gesture and sound.
Types of activity
The primary goal of the Foundation's programme is to foster and sustain the work of professional artists. The research and experimentation, training and creative activities designed for them give them genuine support. The activities are also focused on rediscovering and reinterpreting the repertoire and at designing and creating new works.
The second goal is to provide opportunities for encounters with the public:
The fenêtre sur cour(s) work-in-progress performances and Music Season concerts showcase the work carried out at Royaumont. The productions created at the Abbey and those of its resident ensembles are performed outside its walls in the Val d'Oise and Ile de France regions, and at venues throughout France and abroad.
The Abbey's children's activities - workshops and appreciation classes - are designed for a new audience – young people, teachers and the underprivileged, who are invited to take part in practical artistic activities.
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