Baroque on the Bayou returns May 22–24, 2026, for its second annual celebration of Baroque music in the heart of South Louisiana. Presented by the Atchafalaya Orchestra under the direction of Music & Artistic Director André Courville, the festival offers three intimate concerts in culturally significant venues—pairing iconic European repertoire with the unmistakable flavor of Louisiana’s French heritage and storytelling traditions.
“My vision is to celebrate the cultural riches we have here in St. Martin Parish while offering an intimate musical experience—just like Baroque music’s original small-hall performances—so that people truly feel part of the music,” says Courville.
This year’s festival keeps the welcoming, one-hour-concert format audiences loved in the inaugural season, with performances in spaces where history is felt as much as heard.
A centerpiece of the 2026 weekend is the Saturday concert at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Henderson, fresh from a full renovation and hosting the first concert ever held in the church. For Courville, it’s also a personal homecoming: he held his first job there as organist and choir director at age 12.
Another highlight is guest soprano Claire de Monteil, traveling from Paris especially for Baroque on the Bayou’s third concert to sing Italian opera arias by Handel and French songs by Édith Piaf at the 200 year old Duchamp Opera House in St. Martinville—evoking the 1800s cultural life of the town, when artists of the French opera in New Orleans spent summers in the region and performed locally.
Opening night also welcomes Cajun fiddler and vocalist Jourdan Thibodeaux, performing soulful original French songs—bringing Louisiana’s living tradition into conversation with the music that inspired it surrounded by the awe-inspiring artwork at NUNU Arts & Culture Collective in Arnaudville.
2026 Festival Schedule & Program Highlights
Friday, May 22, 2026 — 7:00 PM
Venue: NUNU Arts & Culture Collective, Arnaudville
- Concerto for 2 Flutes in C major, RV 533—VIVALDI
- Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049—BACH
Original French songs—THIBODEAUX—featuring Jourdan Thibodeaux, vocalist
Saturday, May 23, 2026 — 7:00 PM
Venue: Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, Henderson
- Concerto Grosso in B-flat major, HWV 325—HANDEL
- Oboe Concerto in D minor, S.Z799—MARCELLO
Sacred Italian & French songs—VARIOUS—featuring André Courville, bass-baritone
Sunday, May 24, 2026 — 3:00 PM
Venue: Duchamp Opera House, St. Martinville
- Concert pour quatre parties de violes—CHARPENTIER
- Violin Concerto in G minor, BWV 1056R—BACH
Italian opera arias/French songs—HANDEL/PIAF—featuring Claire de Monteil,
soprano
Featured Artists
André Courville is an internationally acclaimed bass-baritone, conductor, and keyboard artist whose work spans opera, sacred music, and orchestral repertoire. Trained at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, he has appeared on major stages including Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Opera, and his voice has been praised by outlets including Opera News, The Washington Post, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Equally at home at the keyboard, he began studying piano and organ at age eight and has performed widely as soloist and collaborative artist, including appearances as harpsichord soloist in all six Brandenburg Concerti with the Acadiana Symphony.
Claire de Monteil is an internationally emerging soprano whose recent highlights include the title role of Cherubini’s Médée at the Mainfranken Theater in Würzburg, Germany and her 2024 Italian debut at the renowned Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. Upcoming engagements include Senta in Der fliegende Holländer in Trieste, Italy and Inès in Il Trovatore at the Chorégies d’Orange in France. She has also appeared at the Opéra Bastille Amphitheater and Salle Gaveau in Paris. A Paris native trained in Geneva and at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, she is a prizewinner in multiple major competitions.
Jourdan Thibodeaux and his band Les Rôdailleurs are known for pairing ancient Cajun French traditions with high-voltage energy and original songwriting rooted in life in Cypress Island, Louisiana. Since breaking out in 2018, they have gained a reputation for preserving culture while pushing it forward, with appearances ranging from Festivals Acadiens et Créoles and Jazz Fest to SXSW and the Congrès Mondial in Canada.
About Baroque on the Bayou
Launched in 2025, Baroque on the Bayou was created to make world-class music feel immediate and local—performed in intimate spaces and designed to welcome both first-time concertgoers and longtime classical audiences. The festival’s mission is to honor Baroque tradition while highlighting Louisiana’s cultural identity and artistry, bringing the music to communities in venues that resonate with regional heritage.
Tickets & Information
For tickets, schedules, and updates, visit bayoutechemusic.com [bayoutechemusic.com]
