In August 2020, Josep Pons conducted the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse at the Festival de La Chaise-Dieu, participating in one of the first major public symphonic concerts held in France following the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Held in the historic Abbey of La Chaise-Dieu, the programme featured two masterpieces of the French repertoire: Maurice Ravel’s La Valse and Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique. The concert became a symbol of the return of live music at one of France’s most prestigious festivals, taking place under strict health measures during the gradual reopening of cultural life.
The event also marked another chapter in Josep Pons’s long-standing relationship with the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, an orchestra with which he has collaborated regularly throughout his career, particularly in the French symphonic repertoire.
Beyond its musical significance, the concert represented the gradual revival of Europe’s cultural life after months of lockdown, demonstrating the resilience of musical institutions and the importance of reconnecting with audiences through live performance.