Messiaen

We can only imagine what it must have been like to play this extraordinary piece of music in the Stalag VIII concentration camp in front of 400 fellow prisoners and guards on 15 January 1941 in the bitter cold.

85 years later, we’ll be in Stalag itself for the performance on Thursday 15 January 2026.
We’ll stay in a hotel in Gorlitz.

The next day, Friday 16 January, we fly from Dresden to Paris for our own Private Viewing of the Original Manuscript in the National Library of France, Richleau location. Later that day, we’ll enjoy an organ recital of Messiaen’s first great organ work, La Nativité du Seigneur, at the church where it was first performed,
Église de la Sainte-Trinité.

We’ll have one more day in Paris with Messiaen (details to be arranged and announced here shortly)
before we bring the event to a close on Saturday 17 January 2026.

Only 30 people can join us and so to register early interest, please email
mark@originalmanuscriptsociety.com

Here is the current schedule, which may change:

Thursday  15 January 2026
All Day - Arrive at Dresden Airport
15:00 - Transfer from Dresden Airport to Stalag VIII A
17:00 - Welcome at Meeting Point Messiaen 
17:30 - Guided Tour of Stalag VIII A
19:00 - Performance of "Quatuor Pour La Fin Du Temps" by Olivier Messiaen
on 85th Anniversary of Première
22:00 - Hotel in Gorlitz

Friday 16 January 2026
9:30 - Flight to Paris from Dresden (arrive 14:10)
15:00 - Check in Hotel in Paris
17:00 - View Manuscript of QUATUOR POUR LA FIN DU TEMPS
at the National Library of France - Richleau location
19:30 - "La Nativité du Seigneur" performance where it was premiered, Église de la Sainte-Trinité

Saturday 17 January 2026
Messiaen and Paris all day - details to be arranged shortly

No need to pay now…….
Only 30 people from around the world can come to this 3 night event.
The cost to attend will be announced when the rest of the event is confirmed.
It is likely to be approximately £5,000 per person.

If you are interested in being one of the 30 people to come with us in January 2026,
please register your interest here:
mark@originalmanuscriptsociety.com

We are unable to accept bookings for less than the entire three nights.

Donations will be made to assist with the preservation of documents and buildings for future generations.