Basilique Notre-Dame

Bomba Flamenca

An Imaginary Requiem for Charles V

In 1558, following his abdication and retreat to the monastery of Yuste, Charles V arranged a ceremony for his own funeral. Was this a theatrical rehearsal or a spiritual reverie? A few weeks later, the emperor passed away—for real!

Simon-Pierre Bestion draws on this episode to create this Imaginary Requiem, a dreamlike evocation rather than a strict reconstruction of the funeral mass given for an emperor. La Tempête, whose concerts are always unique experiences, offers us this immersion in the vibrant musical environment of this empire ‘where the sun never sets’, between West and East, between Spain and Burgundy.