Concert halls Lausanne

Initially intended to offer various activities to students and young researchers at the EPFL (Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne), the Satellite association, created in 1984, organises shows in its bar open to all: jazz and rock concerts, café-theatres, jam sessions, slams, fun evenings... On Friday evenings, there are few people who, before going out on the town, don't come and drink a beer in this friendly atmosphere where the price is unbeatable for the town, comfortably seated in stoned sofas.

Small art cinema managed by an association that offers a varied programming of short and feature films, fiction and documentaries. Every summer, Zinéma organizes open-air screenings in the Mon-Repos park, 10 Toiles sous les Étoiles, and free of charge! We also love this address for the brunch offered on Sundays from 10am to 2pm, which allows you to travel around the world and surf on new culinary trends thanks to the know-how of the guest restaurateurs. A must for many occasions!

In the hushed, comfortable setting of a former cinema, Le Bourg offers an eclectic program: concerts of French chanson, electronic music, jazz, film screenings, readings, comedy, dance... The Bourgllywood (hilarious improvised dubbing) and Avracavabrac (improv) evenings are a must-see. Book in advance to be sure of a place. In summer, the café-théâtre takes its deckchairs, chairs and garden benches and moves under the west arch of the Pont Bessières to become Les Grandes Roches.

A must in the new culture of the Vaud region. Located under the Chauderon Bridge, below the Rue de Genève, the Centre d'art scénique contemporain offers creations mixing theatre, music, dance, installations and performances. The place gives pride of place to discovery. The posters are always very original, the programming complete and varied. Much better than a poison, L'Arsenic is a natural sedative for the cultured sick! Also enjoy the friendly bar where the meals on premiere nights are offered!

Cinephiles, this cinémathèque is your Holy Grail! Built in 1928, the Capitole is Switzerland's largest cinema (867 seats) and Lausanne's oldest. Run from 1949 to 2010 by Lucienne Schnegg, it was also the subject of a medium-length film in 2005, La Petite Dame du Capitole. Recognized as one of the ten most important film libraries in the world for the scope, diversity and quality of its collections, you'll find over 85,000 possible titles here. With three screenings a day, there's plenty to keep you busy for a while!

The concept? To get off the beaten track, to showcase films that are not part of the mainstream circuit, a cinema without falbalas that honors the seventh art. We'll be showcasing Swiss films that are struggling to make their mark in the sun. The cinema screens documentaries, animated films, shorts, low-budget and experimental films. In short, the aim is to open up the world of cinema, by encouraging encounters between filmmakers and the general public. A place for real cinema and creativity, an excellent idea to be encouraged.

The Church of St. Francis has become one of the city's musical centers, and there's no end in sight. Four organs are housed in this church, which has become one of Europe's leading organ centers. Attending a concert here is well worth the detour, especially as the program is so varied. In addition to classical music, there are also jazz and world music concerts, with a rich program and excellent acoustics.

A unique sound, an equally unique conception: in conclusion, let's go to a recital! When you visit the cathedral, you'll notice the imposing organs. With 7,396 pipes, 6 manuals, 2 pedalboards and some 100 stops, they were designed to faithfully reproduce French classical and symphonic music, or German romantic and baroque. A masterpiece of technology, offering a juxtaposition of styles to be appreciated while listening to a concert, given regularly throughout the year, in exceptional acoustics.

The OCL, founded in 1942, gives over a hundred concerts a year, in Switzerland and abroad, including ten subscription concerts on Monday and Tuesday evenings at the orchestra's home, the Salle Métropole, eight Sunday concerts at 11:15 and three concerts for young audiences on Wednesdays at 17:00, and eight Entractes concerts on Tuesdays at 12:30. Comprising some forty musicians, the orchestra covers a rich repertoire spanning nearly four centuries of music, from Baroque to contemporary.

Specialising in early music, the association des Goûts réunis organises concerts in the church of Villamont (avenue de Villamont 13), whose organ favours the German baroque, instrumental and vocal repertoire; but also in the church of Saint-Laurent, which lends itself well to listening to works with a double choir; as well as in the lounge of the historical museum of Lausanne, for a more intimate atmosphere. The concert season takes place from January to June, so don't hesitate to visit the site to see the concerts on offer.

Situated in the middle of magnificent gardens, the Paderewski room of the Casino de Montbenon, built in 1908 and renovated in 1981, is renowned for its acoustics. Today it is a multi-purpose venue that hosts concerts of contemporary music, jazz (notably the Jazz Onze plus festival), as well as recitals thanks to its complete equipment. It is even sometimes used for conferences, congresses or cinema screenings, depending on the events on offer.

One of the first places in Lausanne where culture replaced industry, in 1979, when theatre-makers gathered around Philippe Mentha founded the Théâtre Kléber-Méleau, which they built with their own hands in the building of a former gas factory in the industrial zone of Renens. As an advocate and promoter of the dramatic arts, the KTM has over the years been able to programme classic plays that attract a growing audience. It also offers a programme of classical and world music throughout the seasons.

Martine Jeanneret and Lova Golovtchiner have been programming top-quality comedy shows since 1970. Numerous Swiss and foreign artists have performed here, including Thierry Romanens, Jean-Luc Bideau and the Mummenschanz. In its more than fifty years of existence, the Boulimie theater has always remained true to its primary vocation: the illustration and defense of humor in all its forms. The theater has staged plays by Eugène Ionesco, Boris Vian and Woody Allen. Book early, as the theater sells out fast.

The Grange de Dorigny is the theatre of the University of Lausanne, a place where art meets academia, a meeting place for the public of the university site and the city. About ten professional theatre performances are presented there each season, as well as a multidisciplinary student festival. The programme is innovative and varied. Students also perform in concerts and there is a bar and exhibition rooms in the foyer (open an hour before and after the performances), all in a very pleasant, airy setting.

Why 2.21? This strange name corresponds to the number once assigned to a truck repair shop. This space was annotated on a plan linked to the urbanization of Lausanne. Since then, the theater has taken on a personality of its own, one that honors creativity and freedom of expression, a theater open to various genres: musical, concert, reading, improv... The joy of getting up on stage, performing, telling your story... Two rooms are dedicated to the creations of young professional companies and to a more musical and eclectic program (comedy, cabaret, dance).

Make way for contemporary dance in all its splendour! In 1995, choreographer Philippe Saire inaugurated the Théâtre Sévelin 36. Every year, this space hosts various events devoted exclusively to contemporary dance ballets, including the Festival international de danse de Lausanne and the Printemps de Sévelin festival in March. The company also takes part in annual events such as the Fête de la Danse, the fête du slip (!) Les Urbaines... It also organizes meetings between young choreographers in Les Quarts d'heure platforms.

For the record, the Salle Métropole - now a listed building - is housed in the Bel Air tower, completed in 1934. At sixteen storeys high, it is still "Switzerland's oldest skyscraper". Renovated in 1995, the hall hosts concerts by the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, pop, rock, rap and French chanson artists, one-man shows, classical and contemporary ballets and the Metropop Festival. The program is available on the website or directly from the box office.

An orchestra of young professionals, the Sinfonietta de Lausanne performs mainly at the Salle Métropole and Salle Paderewski (Montbenon Casino). It specializes in themed concerts, which are very popular with children. In all, each year it presents programs of chamber music, symphonies for full orchestra, operas, film music and comedy shows. In summer, it offers free open-air concerts in the Parc Mon Repos.

World music and jazz versions: a truly successful cocktail. Located under the Mon-Repos park, this jazz club is a very convivial address where the greatest musicians as well as lesser-known groups come to play. You enter the first room, where you'll find the bar and a few tables for refreshments before the concert begins. Often seated at the next table, the musicians then take to the stage, while spectators descend a few steps and take their places around the tables, ordering a glass of wine.