The 79th International Besançon Music Festival, which celebrates major symphonic orchestras like the Norwegian Bergen Philharmonic, will take place from September 11 to September 20. This year, the festival is introducing a new opening format: 24 hours of free music featuring six diverse concerts in iconic locations across Besançon. In total, around a dozen concerts will be held in Besançon and the surrounding Franche-Comté region, covering classical music (including works by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Brahms, and Sibelius), jazz, and world music. However, the prestigious international competition for young conductors, which occurs every two years, will not be held this year. Jean-Michel Mathé, the festival’s director, explains that since its founding in 1948, the festival has focused on symphonic music, and he expects around 14,000 visitors. Major orchestras from France, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland will perform both well-known pieces, such as Dvorak’s New World Symphony, and lesser-known works. This year’s "star orchestra" will be the Bergen Philharmonic from Norway, led by conductor Dima Slobodeniouk and accompanied by pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, who Mathé describes as "a very great soloist." Chamber and vocal music will also play a significant role, with performances by the Goldberg Trio and the Zaïde Quartet. The festival continues its support for contemporary music through composer Régis Campo, who is in his final year of a residency in Besançon, the capital of the Franche-Comté region. Among his projects, Campo will present Zoo Circus, a family-friendly piece inspired by Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals, featuring "many bizarre animals," and Street Art, a performance that blends contemporary music with "free-running" (a form of parkour) and video art. The festival’s new opening format replaces the traditional symphonic concert with 24 hours of free music in six different locations throughout the city. The goal is to "invest the city center" and attract people who might not typically attend a concert hall, reaching a new audience passing through the area. Mathé describes the festival as fulfilling a role of "cultural public service." The baroque ensemble Le Concert spirituel will kick off the festivities on Friday evening in the main square with Handel’s Water Music, while the Victor Hugo Orchestra will close the 79th edition with Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony.