City of Light: Paris 1900-1950

In 2014, Dr Caroline Rae was appointed Series Adviser to a major new festival project from the Philharmonia Orchestra, recognising her expertise in twentieth-century French music.

In addition to advising on the programming of the featured orchestral and chamber repertoire, Dr Rae coordinated a series of study days and talks, as well as writing programme notes and articles for the City of Light Festival Book.

She gave pre-concert talks in London at the Royal Festival Hall and Royal College of Music, as well as in Cardiff, and was co-convenor the City of Light international conference at the Institut français in 2015.

Digital resources

The Festival's concerts were supported by a range of digital resources that offered audiences greater insight into the rich diversity of French music from 1900 to 1950.

Dr Rae’s contribution to these resources include interactive maps, articles and a series of films, which she shot in Paris.

Festival programming

City of Light: Paris 1900-1950 explored Paris from La Belle Époque and Les Années folles to the aftermath of World War II, featuring music from Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande to Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonieas.

This was the soundtrack to an exploration of the art, literature, dance, architecture and socio-political history that drew the leading artists of the age to Paris from across Europe.